As Chief Financial Officer, Steven brings over two decades of experience in financial leadership, overseeing strategic planning and operational excellence across diverse industries. At OES, Steven leads the finance function, ensuring robust financial management and driving sustainable growth to support the organisation’s mission of delivering exceptional online education experiences. 

“It’s rewarding to be part of an organisation that combines financial discipline with a clear focus on student success and long-term growth.” 

Prior to joining OES, Steven held senior financial leadership roles, where he was instrumental in guiding financial strategy and contributing to overall business growth. His focus on aligning financial goals with long-term organisational objectives makes him a valuable asset to the OES leadership team. 

 

Matt Parker is a guiding force for OES’s operations across Student Operations, Information Technology, Marketing and Student Recruitment, providing high impact leadership within OES and for our partners. An expert in operational execution and optimisation, and from strategy to program delivery, Matt drives customised solutions to put universities at the forefront of learning in the digital era.

“OES uses technology in a very flexible way to improve student learning and support across online, blended and on-campus models. My role gives me the opportunity to make education more accessible, with a purpose of creating great career and life outcomes for students.”

Before joining OES, Matt built a successful IT career with leadership and consulting roles in Australia, the Asia Pacific and the US.

Justin is a creative and agile marketing and sales director, known for achieving exceptional results through the development and delivery of insights-driven strategies. Leading sales and marketing for both OES and its partner universities, Justin spearheads an experienced team of customer acquisition experts, driven to support student success through high impact campaigns and targeted, multi-channel approaches to student recruitment.

“Education should be agile, personalised, and inclusive. It’s inspiring to be part of a team that is continuously innovating and shaping the future of learning, ensuring we meet the evolving needs of students and partners.”

Justin holds a double degree in Engineering and Business. He is a dynamic and forward-thinking leader, having held executive leadership roles covering digital transformation, AI, automation, eCommerce, marketing, and communications.

As Chief Student Experience Officer, Sacha Nouwens leads OES’s Learning Design, Student Retention, Research, Analytics and Product Management teams. Combining her passion for education with a strong technical background, Sacha leverages data-driven insights to design personalised, engaging student experiences that drive success and retention.

“Our mission is to enable every student to achieve their study goals. Leveraging data and technology allows us to design student experiences that are personalised, engaging, and focused on outcomes.”

Prior to joining OES, Sacha worked in customer analytics, research and strategy within the banking, insurance, and public sectors.

As a member of the Executive Team, Clare leads the Strategy team responsible for developing and executing OES’ long-term strategic agenda and priorities to support our growth objectives.

“I am excited about helping OES achieve its grand ambitions, and about working on our twin commitments to business outcomes and to social impact through education.”

Prior to her current role, she was most recently CEO and founder of an executive education company that merged experiential learning, organisational neuroscience, and equine-assisted learning. With an eclectic career spanning more than 20 years, she brings a wealth of strategy and innovation experience, thought leadership, and cross-sector expertise, finely honed across top-tier management consulting, startups, government, and academia. Clare is deeply driven by her commitment to fostering positive change.

Nicola is experienced in designing and growing rich online education portfolios for university and vocational education partners. Through her commitment to truly student-centred design, innovation at the core of learning, and a laser focus on the student experience, Nicola is leading OES’s drive to create world-class online learning and take it beyond borders. Nicola is committed to making education more accessible and achievable on a global scale.

“I’m addicted to student success. I’ve seen first-hand how education really does change lives and I want to take what we do at OES to a global stage so even more people can benefit from a great education and a rewarding career. I love working with the teams at OES to create brilliant learning experiences and see lives transformed.”

For OES, Nicola was instrumental in launching Swinburne Online VET in 2014, WSU Online in 2016 and QUT Online in 2018. Nicola holds a Master of Business Management from Swinburne University as well as a Graduate Certificate in Project Management, a Bachelor of Business (Marketing), a Bachelor of Arts (Psychology) and a Certificate IV in Training and Assessment.

As the head of OES’s academic leadership and partnership teams, Erin Jancauskas leads OES’s academic leadership and partnership teams. Before moving to his Executive role, Erin was the Academic Director for both WSU Online and Monash Online where he led the successful launch and subsequent growth of these two OES partnerships. For every partner, Erin underpins OES’s online and blended solutions with deep academic expertise and a strategic focus on market growth and nurturing student success.

“Having worked in both business and academia, I feel very much at home at OES. It has the culture and student-centricity of a university coupled with the agility and rule-breaker attitude of a tech company. ”

With a background in engineering – and a PhD in aerodynamics – Erin’s career has spanned both industry and academia. Prior to OES, he co-founded a successful strategic consulting company and worked on more than 150 projects for the private sector, governments, and universities Australia-wide.

In his higher education career, Erin has held two professorships, as well as a number of senior university management positions including Dean of Engineering and Head of the Melbourne School of Energy and Environment. He has been nationally awarded for his leadership in engineering education in Australia and for his successful university-industry partnerships.

An accomplished leader in people and culture, Liz Malady enables OES’s global team to evolve and thrive. Supporting a shared purpose of enhancing the lives of students, Liz leads the people team to uplift the employee journey, while fostering high engagement and a strong connection to organisation goals. She uses innovation as a driver of OES’s vibrant workplace culture, where people and values matter most.

“I’m passionate about enabling our people to thrive and grow at OES. By creating ‘best employer’ people experiences, we empower our teams around the world to perform at their best and to positively impact students’ lives.”

An experienced business leader known for developing and driving people strategies that deliver organisation goals, Liz’s HR career spans diverse sectors and leading organisations across education, financial services, membership, professional services and hospitality.

Leading OES’s UK team, Andrea Burrows partners with some of Britain and Europe’s top universities to create transformative, student-centric online learning. An experienced executive director and business leader, Andrea brings commercial acumen and a fierce commitment to academic excellence to her role.

“In a rapidly changing economic landscape, university partners look to OES to realise the new, future-ready skills that learners need. Our talented UK team collaborates with leading universities, helping them achieve a sustainable advantage through world-class online learning.”

Andrea is passionate about taking tertiary education to a global audience. Her professional background spans leadership roles in marketing, advertising and digital transformation across the higher education, membership, finance and professional services sectors.

With a passion for creating innovative solutions that truly meet university partner needs, Claire Sadler is a driven and motivated business development professional. She couples a strong record supporting educational leaders to achieve their goals with a genuine passion for building and sustaining critical business relationships.

“My role is to understand our partners’ needs and work with them to deliver high impact, fit-for-purpose solutions. I love being part of the clever, collaborative team at OES and solving the challenges universities are grappling with today.”

With a firm belief in the transformative power of education, Claire has spent her career in the higher education sphere. Before joining OES she contributed to the growth of education businesses in Australia, Singapore and the Middle East.

Dr Samar Zutshi leads OES’s academic team to deliver premium quality learning experiences for Swinburne Online students, across all higher and vocational education programs. He works closely with Swinburne Online stakeholders to drive continuous improvement in learning and teaching practices.

“Swinburne Online and OES share a deep commitment to student success. As a team, we are constantly striving to create even better student experiences and outcomes, in line with our proven pedagogical model and evidence-based thinking.”

A former university academic and a founding member of the OES team, Samar has more than a decade of experience leading innovation in online education. He is committed to effective collaboration with Swinburne’s academic and vocational experts, ensuring every online program is grounded in best practice teaching and content delivery. Samar’s academic governance has helped Swinburne Online lead the industry in online education and achieve consistently outstanding student experience ratings.

A highly experienced online education leader, Ben oversees OES’s engagement with Queensland University of Technology. Ben works closely in partnership with stakeholders at QUT to ensure the quality and performance of programs delivered online.

“My team and I are proud to collaborate with QUT to create a suite of online postgraduate courses that speak to the contemporary needs of students, industry and broader Australian society. We are passionate about supporting students to succeed and creating flexible learning experiences to help students better access education.”

A founding member of the OES team, Ben draws on over a decade of experience managing teams and leading innovations in online education. He is particularly passionate about working with his team on initiatives to improve the student experience.

A highly experienced learning designer and academic, Lucy Elliott leads OES’s engagement with Federation University. She works closely and collaboratively with stakeholders, championing student learning and retention strategies to achieve the best possible outcomes for this valued OES partner.

“OES is a dynamic place to work. I enjoy leading a team of talented online education experts, who leverage the latest tools and insights to realise Federation University’s student learning and commercial objectives. It’s rewarding to hear how the design and delivery of our programs makes a genuine difference in students’ lives.”

Lucy is particularly passionate about inclusive learning. Her sharp focus on innovative course design and delivery is backed by deep pedagogical knowledge, developed over more than 20 years in learning design and education consulting. Before taking on the role of Academic Director, Lucy led OES’s award-winning Learning Design team. Colleagues and partners value Lucy’s collaborative style and true commitment to evidence-based solutions.

Passionate about creating equitable access to education, Karen Harvey oversees academic quality for one of OES’s partner universities. An open, honest and enthusiastic leader, Karen manages a large and engaged team, ensuring OES’s highly skilled people feel empowered to lead and innovate. She creates trusted partnerships with university stakeholders, combining her commitment to students with valuable commercial experience.

“I love working with our partner to create innovative new ways to bring online learning to life. I am excited about the opportunities online education creates for people who may not be able to study on campus.”

Karen has more than 15 years’ experience in business and academic leadership roles. She joined OES in 2018 following a career in business consulting and FMCG management. Karen’s research on career change experience contributes to her deep understanding of students’ needs. She is also a board director for a not-for-profit youth education foundation.

As Partnership Director, Fiona leads OES’s engagement across the university and works closely with stakeholders to grow students and engagement. With 20 years experience working in digital media and technology organisations’, she’s passionate about creating an excellent user experience and increasing participation in the digital economy.

“I love working with an innovative team to reimagine what online education can be for students not only in the 2020s, but beyond.”

Fiona previously led university partnerships across APAC for online education platform Coursera,  and headed up client services for FutureLearn across EMEA from London.

 

David Robertson leads the OES’s Learning Design team, a group of talented learning designers, digital designers & multimedia specialists to craft exceptional online learning experiences.

David’s strengths lie in his collaborative, innovative, and solution-focused approach. His deep understanding of online pedagogy and leadership has propelled the OES Learning Design team to achieve remarkable success, securing 11 Learn X Awards in 2023.

“I feel truly privileged to lead such a talented group of learning designers who operate at the cutting edge of best practice online learning design. As an organisation, OES nurtures our desire to deliver a truly world-class experience to our students. Having studied online in the past myself, it is very gratifying to know that the work we do makes such a difference in the lives of so many online students.”

Driven by a passion for designing with the online student in mind, David is dedicated to understanding the motivations of online learners and maintaining this focus in the design process. He is a strong advocate for using technology intelligently to create world-class learning experiences and is committed to leading, growing, and developing high-performing teams.

Arlene Stewart brings a precise understanding of the UK online education market to her role, managing OES’s UK operations. Playing a key part in OES’s international engagement, Arlene establishes and maintains relationships with the company’s UK partner institutions, while simultaneously building and nurturing the high-performing UK team.

“What drives me is ultimately the student experience. It’s a pleasure working with colleagues across the business who are genuinely invested in the student experience, and who are continually pushing the envelope of what we’re able to do.”

In 2004 Arlene was co-founder of IDI – one of the first UK end-to-end online education providers, which is now part of OES. Understanding what it takes to build an online education company from the ground up, Arlene has an unparalleled understanding of the UK market, and years of experience working directly with higher education institutions and accreditation bodies.

An experienced Company Director, Wendy has over 30 years’ experience in Financial Services in roles which included Chief Information Officer and Chief Operations Officer at AXA, General Manager, Institutional Technology at ANZ, and Group Executive, Operations at AMP.

Wendy is Chair of Epworth Healthcare, and a Director of IAG, People First Bank, auDA and Data Action. She was previously a Director of Ausgrid, Tower and AMP Bank, and a member of Council at Swinburne University of Technology.

Wendy holds a Bachelor of Arts from LaTrobe University, a Bachelor of Business from Swinburne University and a Graduate Diploma in Applied Finance and Investment from FINSIA. She completed the Advanced Management Program at Harvard Business School, is a Graduate member of the AICD, a Fellow of FINSIA and a member of Chief Executive Women.

Ms Thorpe was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia in the 2025 King’s Birthday 2025 Honours List for services to the financial sector.

Director since December 2024.

Dionne is a Higher Education Industry Partner at KordaMentha’s Performance Improvement team. She is a results-driven leader with a proven track record of growing and diversifying revenue streams in industries facing digital disruption and regulatory changes. Dionne holds a Bachelor of Business (Accounting) and is a Graduate Member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors. She has extensive experience in strategic governance, risk management, and compliance.

Dionne has significant experience in the higher education sector, including her recent roles as Interim Vice Chancellor and Chief Operating Officer of RMIT University, and Chair of RMIT Online. Her career also includes serving as COO of the London-listed publishing and education company Pearson Plc, and holding executive roles at the Financial Times and Penguin Group.

With expansive multinational experience in both emerging and developed economies, Dionne has a keen understanding of global markets, enabling her to navigate complex environments effectively. She is an inspiring and highly collaborative leader, known for championing gender equality, wellbeing, and inclusive societies.

Director 2011-2015, rejoined August 2023

Michael is currently Managing Director – Education at SEEK Investments. Michael spent 13 years at SEEK in a variety of roles culminating as CEO Asia Pacific & Americas. While at SEEK, Michael served as a Director of IDP Education for 9 years and was heavily involved in the founding and startup of OES.  Michael was CEO of Redbubble Limited from 2021-2023 and has also worked at McKinsey & Company, Tabcorp and the Collingwood Football Club.

Michael holds Bachelor of Commerce and Bachelor of Science degrees from the University of Melbourne, an MBA from the Kellogg School at Northwestern University, and is a Graduate of the Royal Military College, Duntroon.

Director since March 2024.

Ariel is currently an Investment Director at SEEK investments within the education team. Ariel spent 5 years at SEEK, leading strategic initiatives to create more effective and efficient career marketplaces across APAC, which included working alongside product and AI teams, early stage ventures and completed strategic acquisitions. Ariel is a co-founder of the social enterprise Fruit2work and has also worked at management consultancy Kearney and global engineering firm SKM.

Other directorships include MyTutor in the UK and Cialfo in Singapore.

Ariel holds a Bachelor of Engineering (Civil) and Bachelor of Commerce (Finance) degrees from the University of NSW, graduating engineering with first class honours.

Director since February 2020.

Jason currently holds the position of Managing Director – Strategic Projects at SEEK Investments where he is focused on SEEK’s online education initiatives. He has been involved at SEEK since 1999 as an early employee and senior executive having previously overseen business development, strategy and international investments. Jason was also a Partner at Tiger Global Management, a US-based investment management firm.

Jason holds a Bachelor of Commerce and Bachelor of Law from the University of NSW having begun his career as a solicitor at King & Wood Mallesons.

Director since March 2015.

Josh is Director of Education for SEEK Ltd. Since 2004 Josh has been focused on expanding SEEK’s presence in education, and was one of the strategic architects behind SEEK Learning, a service connecting working adults with courses to develop their careers. Josh’s experience also includes his role as Strategy Director of THINK Education Group, which was part of the SEEK Group during this time.

Other current directorships include the Board of Universidad en Línea (UTEL) as part of SEEK’s investment in the Mexican Online University.

Prior to SEEK Josh worked as a strategy consultant with Accenture and holds a Bachelor Degree from the University of Tasmania with majors in International Business and Japanese.

Director since September 2024.

Mark joined the Board in Sept 2024 and is Chairperson of the Audit & Risk Committee.

Mark’s extensive executive career included 24 years with Telstra Corporation Ltd in senior finance roles including Group Executive Finance (Deputy CFO) and a period as acting Chief Financial Officer. Mark’s areas of responsibility included corporate planning, financial reporting, pricing, procurement & supply chain, credit management, taxation and billing. More recently, Mark was Chief Financial Officer of Catapult Group International Ltd and interim CFO of Articore Group Ltd.

Mark is a Board member and Audit & Risk Committee Chair of Argo Global Listed Infrastructure Ltd and a member of the Audit & Risk Committee at St Kilda Football Club. He previously was a Board member and Audit and Risk Committee Chair of numerous Telstra operating subsidiaries domestically and in China and New Zealand.

Mark holds a Bachelor of Commerce from University of Melbourne, a Graduate Diploma in Taxation from RMIT and completed advanced executive studies at Columbia University New York. He is a Fellow of CPA Australia.

Candace Sue is a distinguished strategic communications leader with extensive experience driving institutional transformation and fostering innovation in higher education and technology sectors. As a senior executive at a Silicon Valley-based global education technology company, she spearheaded comprehensive communications and public affairs initiatives while founding the groundbreaking Center for Digital Learning—a research-driven hub that bridges global student views with practical educational technology applications. In this role, she also established an academic advisory board composed of prominent higher education leaders from around the world.

Her leadership tenure at the University of California, Office of the President, positioned her as a trusted advisor on complex institutional communications and marketing strategies across the UC system. Candace has an exceptional range of experience across diverse industries, including government, transportation, pharmaceuticals, consumer products, and financial services. She resides in San Francisco, California.

Martin has more than 40 years of experience in academic and senior leadership roles in universities in Australia and around the world. He has now built on this sector expertise through HEDx to create deep relationships with university and other sector leaders around the globe and a trusted relationship with all in the sector whilst challenging it too, and helping it embrace change.

Martin Betts is an academic advisor and visiting professor to companies and universities around the world and the author of three books, Changing Higher Education for Good, The New Leadership Agenda and The New Learning Economy and co-author with Year13 of white paper, Upgrading the school to work transition for social and economic impact.

Ann Kirschner is a leader at the intersection of higher education, technology, and innovation, with a focus on digital learning, educational access, and the future of work. She was named Professor of Practice at Arizona State University in 2022, where she serves on the Management Committee of EdPlus and Learning Enterprise and advises the Office of the President on strategies for digital transformation. Earlier, she spent fifteen years at The City University of New York as Dean of Macaulay Honors College, University Professor at the Graduate Center, Special Advisor to the Chancellor, and co-director of the Women in Technology and Entrepreneurship (WiTNY) initiative with Cornell Tech.

Her work bridges academia, philanthropy, and industry. A former trustee of Princeton University, she co-chairs its Graduate School Leadership Council and serves on advisory boards for the School of Engineering and councils on innovation and entrepreneurship. She is also a director of the Paul and Daisy Soros Foundation, WorldQuant University, Chegg Center for Digital Learning, and Break Through Tech.

Founder of FATHOM, an early online learning venture with leading universities and libraries, she continues to advise institutions and organisations through her company, Comma Communications.

Jim Lummus is an experienced, growth-oriented leader with a proven track record across sales, operations management, cross-functional team leadership, client relationship development, and strategic planning. He currently serves as Executive Vice President of University Solutions at AllCampus, a leading U.S.-based online program enablement partner. In this role, he oversees strategic partnerships and supports institutions in expanding access to high-quality, market-aligned online education.

Jim’s career spans over two decades at the intersection of education and technology, including leadership roles at Zovio, Avenu Learning, Academic Partnerships, Deltak, and Sylvan Learning. Across these organizations, he played a key role in driving rapid expansion and performance, while building enduring relationships with major U.S. and international universities and private sector partners.

As OES expands its innovative education services into the U.S. market, Jim brings valuable insight into American higher education dynamics—including enrollment strategy, regulatory considerations, and student engagement. His role on the Advisory Board includes supporting product-market fit analysis, market entry strategy, and long-term growth planning.

Jim holds an MBA from Stetson University and a bachelor’s degree in education from Maryville College.

A lawyer and academic with more than 40 years’ experience in academic leadership, Ms. Cannon has consulted with more than 40 educational institutions on issues related to accreditation, student learning and achievement, governance, innovation, global learning, and organizational change. She was one of the founding members of Minerva University when the university was established in 2012 and led the University as its Founding President until 2023. She developed its organizational structure, student experience and affairs function and global rotation, and led its successful accreditation process.

Prior to 2012, Ms. Cannon served as the Executive Vice President of the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) Senior Commission, was dean of two California law schools and associate dean at a major public university. She also held positions with other accrediting agencies, including the California Committee of Bar Examiners and the American Bar Association.

She currently serves on the governing boards of several educational entities and has published and presented extensively on innovation and related issues in higher education, including contributing to a book about Minerva for MIT press and co-authoring an article about Minerva that was published in Daedalus. Ms. Cannon holds an undergraduate degree from UCLA and a law degree from Loyola Law School Los Angeles.