Dr. Sasha Thackaberry-Voinovich founded Newstate University in 2026 as part of a team of educational innovators. She has over two decades of experience in education. She formerly served as the President of SkillsWave, having led the Wave team and D2L for Business at D2L before the division spun off as a privately held, stand-alone company. SkillsWave is an education benefit company, connecting employers with education partners to fill skills gaps and develop talent into a competitive advantage. Previously, she served as the Vice President for Student and Partner Services at Pearson, leading the learning design and student retention teams. She was the inaugural Vice President for Online and Continuing Education at Louisiana State University, leading fully online programs, support for online and blended courses, and continuing education that encompassed professional development, K-12 and lifelong learning. 

Other previous positions include Assistant Vice President for Academic Technology, Course Production and New Learning Models at Southern New Hampshire University, and District Director for eLearning Technologies at Cuyahoga Community College.

She has consulted for Fortune 500 companies as well as colleges and K-12 districts. She is on the Quality Matters Board, and has formerly sat on advisory committees for the national CHLOE survey, and has served as the Chair of the Executive Committee for WCET, and been the Co-Chair for the Council Chief Online Learning Officers through UPCEA.

Dr. Thackaberry-Voinovich’s new book “How to Grow Enrollment in Online Higher Education: Marketing and Recruitment” is available from Routledge in hardcover, paperback, and digital editions.

She has published articles in Inside Higher Ed, EDUCAUSE Review, eLearn Magazine, Distance Learning, e-Literate, WCET, evoLLLution, and the League for Innovation’s Learning Abstracts.   She is the co-recipient of the 2013 MOOC Award for Excellence through the Open Education Consortium, and a 2010 Innovation of the Year award through the League for Innovation. Sasha holds a PhD in higher education administration with a research focus in Competency-Based Education as well as an MAT from Kent State University. Her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance is from the University of Akron.

Jaime Mordue is a transformational academic learning executive with over 20 years of progressive leadership experience driving innovation in ed-tech and instructional design.

Known for her passionate dedication to education and learners, Jaime has a proven track record of aligning strategic vision with measurable business outcomes in rapidly evolving educational technology landscapes.

Her career highlights include scaling global teams of over 100 professionals, managing multi-million-dollar budgets, and delivering over 2,000 online courses annually. While at Boundless Learning, she served as Senior Director of Global Learning Design, where she led a global team of over 100 professionals across four countries, while undergoing significant organizational changes and business transformations. Jaime implemented professional development, mentorship and innovations programs for instructional designers focused on upskilling, design thinking and AI technologies.

At Pearson Online Learning Services, Jaime cultivated a high-performing team of over 25 instructional designers and implemented a comprehensive onboarding program that reduced new designer ramp-up time. She pioneered innovative design methodologies that reduced course development time and improved student retention rates across all programs.

As an Instructional Designer/Corporate Training Consultant at TalentSprout by Sykes, she developed comprehensive customer service training for Capital One and AT&T call centers. Her work at Perdoceo as a Course Development Project Manager included orchestrating the simultaneous development of over 50 courses annually.

George F. Voinovich is an accomplished executive with a diverse background in law, accounting and corporate management, specializing in information technology, operations, and regulatory affairs. With a Juris Doctor from Case Western Reserve School of Law and a background in accounting and finance, he has an extensive track record of leadership and strategic planning.

In his role as Vice President of Institutional Operations at Ohio Technical College, George was responsible for all campus operations, including IT infrastructure, maintenance, and security. He managed compliance with state, federal and accreditation regulations. As Chief Operating Officer at M&S Media, Inc., he led a seven-campus career-college system across four states and was responsible for legal, human resources, and accreditation matters. He also spearheaded the negotiation and management of real estate, campus construction, and technology implementations, which led to significant cost efficiencies.

His expertise extends to technology and entrepreneurship. As the founder of Victor Aerial Services Ltd., he specializes in aerial data collection for industries like real estate and construction. He also served as Chief Operating Officer for Chronic Care Management, LLC, where he led the formation of a software services startup, establishing its core technology infrastructure, accounting and HR functions.

George’s professional background also includes his practice at Brennan, Manna & Diamond, LLC, where he specialized in business law, real estate and intellectual property; and training as a Full Stack Software Developer employing SQL, Java, JavaScript, Vue.js, CSS, HTML and more.

Justin W. Rice is a project and operations manager with experience in higher education and non-profit sectors. He has a track record of building relationships, driving progress, and implementing strategic solutions to complex challenges. With experience in financial management, human resources, and operational oversight, he has managed large-scale projects, teams, and budgets for institutions including The University of Louisiana at Lafayette, Louisiana State University, National University, Pearson, and Boundless Learning.

Justin has managed significant budgets, including a $5 million annual budget at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette (ULL) and a budget exceeding $3 million for The Breaux Bridge Pentecostals. His financial experience includes creating, monitoring, and reporting on budgets, as well as overseeing fundraising, grant applications, and donations. In operational and human resources roles, he has been responsible for the upkeep and efficiency of over 45,000 square feet of facilities at The Breaux Bridge Pentecostals and over 40,000 square feet at ULL. He has also managed resources and inventory, and provided operational support for various events and programs. In his HR-focused roles, he has supported more than 100 staff and faculty at ULL and LSU. At The Breaux Bridge Pentecostals, he manages a staff and congregation of over 400 people, overseeing volunteer coordination and ensuring compliance with non-profit regulations in Louisiana.

Prior to his current roles, he served as a Process & Portfolio Manager at Boundless Learning, where he focused on process design, performance monitoring, and technology integration. As an Executive Assistant and Project Coordinator at National University, he managed special projects and provided direct support to C-level executives. He also held the role of Executive Assistant and Jr. Project Manager at LSU Online & Continuing Education, with responsibilities that included project planning, risk assessment, and team and resource management.

His background includes a bachelor's degree in Liberal Arts and Sciences from the University of Oklahoma, along with a MicroCred in Business Project Management with Agile and a MicroCred in Learning Experience Design from LSU Online. 

Peter Voinovich is a results-oriented professional with a unique blend of expertise in project management, learning experience design, and process improvement. He holds a Master's in Business Administration with a specialization in Project Management from Louisiana State University Shreveport and a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Acting from Ohio University. This diverse background is complemented by his certifications as a Lean Six Sigma Green Belt and a Lean Practitioner.

Peter's project management and process improvement skills are evident in his work within the intellectual property and legal fields. At Amin, Turocy & Watson, LLP, he organized and restructured docketing processes, implementing quality assurance to reduce errors and resulting in over 10% fewer abandonments. He also managed a team of docket clerks, including outsourced staff, and developed training materials for legal procedures. In his role as Docket Manager at Cardinal Intellectual Property, he coordinates complex docketing for both foreign and domestic patents.

Beyond his work in tech and law, Peter also has a deep background in theatre. He has stage-managed, directed, and acted in numerous professional theater productions in Northeast Ohio and Chicago, directing shows at institutions like Actor's Summit Theater, Ensemble Theater, and Cleveland Public Theater. This experience in a creative and high-pressure environment has honed his ability to lead teams, manage time, and mitigate risk.