Meet the people powering the future of education
From Washington DC to the world, we’re a global team of bold thinkers, creators, and changemakers all united by a shared mission: unlocking opportunity through better education.
What drives us
Bold
We challenge norms, embrace risk, and carve new paths. The unknown doesn't scare us, it fuels us.
Passionate
We show up with heart. Because when our learners win, we all win.
Accountable
We own our words, our actions, and our outcomes. Mistake? We don't hide them, we grow from them.
Transparent
We communicate openly, share what we know, and give feedback with care and candor.
Outcomes Driven
We're here to move the needle, for our learners and for each other. Progress over perfection, always.
Teams supporting you
Faculty
Nexford faculty are here to guide, challenge, and support you not just grade your work. With personalized feedback and industry insights, they’ll help you connect what you’re learning to where you want to go. Our faculty team is made up of experienced professionals and academics who bring real-world knowledge into every course.
Learner Success
Think of Nexford's learner success team as your personal support squad. From day one, they’re here to help you stay on track, answer questions, and make sure your learning experience is smooth and rewarding. Whether it’s tech help or learning tips, they’ve got your back every step of the way.
Career Success
Nexford's career success team is focused on your future. They’ll work with you from day one to identify your career goals and set a realistic plan towards achieving that goal. From resume reviews to interview prep and networking advice, they’re here to make sure your hard work pays off in the real world.
Management team
Fadl Al Tarzi
Chief Executive Officer
Zahra Safavian
Chief Product Officer
Dr. Ann Larson
Chief Academic Officer
Dr. Cathy Plunkett
Vice President, Compliance
Omar Mughal
Chief Financial Officer
Wemmy Ekanem
Regional Growth Director, NG
Ragen Dodson
Head of Growth Marketing
Christine Balolong
Global Admissions Director
Sandra Honorio
Head of Compliance
Dr. Victoria Raish
Head of Learning Design
Dr. Victoria Raish
Head of Learning Design
Meet our teams
Faculty
Academic Support
Growth Marketing
Product & Technology
Management Team
People & Operations
Finance Team
Fadl Al Tarzi
Chief Executive Officer
Dr. April Adams
Associate Faculty
Zahra Safavian
Chief Product Officer
Dr. JeFreda Brown
Associate Faculty
Dr. Aisling Byrne
Associate Faculty
Dr. Bari Courts
Associate Faculty
Dr. Damian Dunbar
Associate Faculty
Creselda Jane Ebba
Associate Faculty
Dr. Howard Fero
Associate Faculty
Dr. Hector Guillermo Gonzalez
Associate Faculty
Dr. Erica Hayes
Associate Faculty
Carolyn Hess
Associate Faculty
Faculty
Dr. April Adams
Associate Faculty
Dr. JeFreda Brown
Associate Faculty
Dr. Aisling Byrne
Associate Faculty
Dr. Bari Courts
Associate Faculty
Dr. Damian Dunbar
Associate Faculty
Creselda Jane Ebba
Associate Faculty
Dr. Howard Fero
Associate Faculty
Dr. Hector Guillermo Gonzalez
Associate Faculty
Dr. Erica Hayes
Associate Faculty
Carolyn Hess
Associate Faculty
Emilsen Holguin
Associate Faculty
Felix Hernandez
Associate Faculty
Dr. Mark McCoy
Associate Faculty
Dr. Michael McGivern
Associate Faculty
Dr. Joseph Moussa
Associate Faculty
Dr. Adebowale Onatolu
Associate Faculty
Dr. Evelyn Paschal
Associate Faculty
Dr. Bill Reed
Associate Faculty
Dr. Jessica Schwartz
Associate Faculty
Cornelius Session
Associate Faculty
Aimellia Siemson
Associate Faculty
Traci Sumner
Associate Faculty
Dr. Rajan Thapaliya
Associate Faculty
Geoffrey Vanderpal
Associate Faculty
Dr. Keith Wade
Associate Faculty
Dr. Maaz Saiyed
Teaching Faculty
Michael Rodriguez
Teaching Faculty
Dr. Raphael Wanjiku
Teaching Faculty
Sheenalyn Alcones
Teaching Assistant
Queeneth Okoro
Teaching Assistant
Academic Support
Dr. Ann Larson
Chief Academic Officer
Dr. Cathy Plunkett
Vice President, Compliance
Christine Balolong
Global Admissions Director
Jaymiebeth Jose
Director of Learner Success
Sandra Honorio
Head of Compliance
Growth Marketing
Lydia Karingithi
Partnerships Manager
Wemmy Ekanem
Regional Growth Director, NG
Ragen Dodson
Head of Growth Marketing
Mai Elkelish
Engagement Marketing Manager
Miguel Hermosilla
CRM Manager
Karuna Shilotri
Senior Sales Operations Manager
Paola Nicolei Atencia
Creative Lead
Adam Krylowicz
Business Intelligence Lead
Tom Sargent
Growth Automation Engineer
Product & Technology
Zahra Safavian
Chief Product Officer
Hesham Alaa
Head of Technology Operations
Mikhail Biryukov
Tech Lead
Dr. Victoria Raish
Head of Learning Design
Management Team
Fadl Al Tarzi
Chief Executive Officer
Zahra Safavian
Chief Product Officer
Dr. Ann Larson
Chief Academic Officer
Dr. Cathy Plunkett
Vice President, Compliance
Omar Mughal
Chief Financial Officer
Wemmy Ekanem
Regional Growth Director, NG
Ragen Dodson
Head of Growth Marketing
Christine Balolong
Global Admissions Director
Sandra Honorio
Head of Compliance
Dr. Victoria Raish
Head of Learning Design
People & Operations
Caroline Fernandes
People Operations Manager
Finance Team
Omar Mughal
Chief Financial Officer
Adam Krylowicz
Business Intelligence Lead
Board of Directors
Fadl Al Tarzi
Chief Executive Officer
Driek Desmet
Chairperson, ParkBee
Dr. Sherif Kamel
President of the American Chamber of Commerce
Lou Pugliese
Former CEO, Blackboard
Dr. Obiageli Ezekweili
Chairperson, Fix Politics
Team Voices
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What's It Like to Work for Nexford?
We’re not just a workplace. We’re a launchpad for bold ideas, meaningful impact, and global collaboration. Our values don’t sit on a shelf, they shape everything we do.
Purposeful Work
Purposeful Work
What you do here moves the needle for lives, careers, and the future of education.
At Nexford, every action you take directly contributes to something bigger than all of us: expanding access to opportunity. This is purposeful work, real work, with impact that echoes across industries and borders. You’re not just checking boxes. You’re helping shape the future of how the world learns and works.
Innovate
Innovate
Good ideas don’t wait for permission, and neither should you.
Innovation at Nexford isn’t a buzzword. It’s a daily habit. We solve complex problems with creativity, data, and bold thinking. Whether you’re streamlining a system or launching something brand new, you’re encouraged to experiment, fail fast, learn faster, and always push for better. The future won’t invent itself. That’s our job.
Learn
Learn
We're not waiting on change—we’re building it. Ideas move fast here, and so do we.
Change doesn’t scare us—it fuels us. Nexford is a place where ideas are tested, challenged, and implemented quickly. We don’t believe in hierarchy for the sake of it. If you have a better way, speak up. We're builders, not bureaucrats. And the future of education demands exactly that.
Team Up
Team Up
We measure success by how much better off our learners are.
Our impact isn’t measured in vanity metrics—it’s measured in real career results. Are our learners landing better jobs? Earning more? Feeling more confident in their future? That’s what matters here. If it doesn’t help them level up, we rethink it. Everything we do starts and ends with learner outcomes.
Be Valued
Be Valued
You’ll collaborate across continents with smart, kind humans who’ve got your back.
We work across time zones, languages, and cultures—and we wouldn’t have it any other way. At Nexford, collaboration is more than a value. It’s how we win. You’ll be surrounded by people who push you to do your best work and show up when it counts. No egos. Just shared success.
Join our team
Our team provides support, expertise and opportunities for learners around the world. We use the latest technology to collaborate. The result? A flexible community of specialists delivering meaningful results at warp speed.
If you're looking to join a dynamic organization breaking new ground in higher education check out our job openings.