UCISA25 Leadership Conference

With 20 years of experience and renowned for her dedication to delivery excellence, Kristiane specialises in enterprise application implementations and project recovery. Her diverse career spans the automotive, travel, charity, and education sectors. Kristiane is a member of the APM and holds degrees in Business Administration, Information Technology, and Psychology.

Professor Chrisina Jayne is the Dean of the School of Computing & Digital Technologies at Teesside University (TU) and TU London. Her research is in artificial neural networks. Chrisina is a Fellow of the British Computer Society (BCS) CITP. She is deeply passionate about gender equality, social inclusion, and diversity.

Jo has 25 years experience in the HE sector including leadership roles in academic and central departments, and specialist institutions. Jo has a particular interest in service design, process innovation, transformation and positive change. She is an AHEP Fellow, holds an MBA in Higher Education Management and a PGCert in Change Management.

Emma started working in the Higher Education sector 14 years ago at Sheffield Hallam University, she moved to York St John University in 2019 to take up the role of CIO where she has responsibility for IT Operations, Technology Enhanced Learning and for the delivery of an ambitious Digital Strategy. Emma is a Trustee and current Chair of UCISA, the professional body for IT professionals working in education. In the last four years, she has supported UCISA with the development of its Strategy and has been involved in supporting its communities of practice to grow, evolve and share their valuable expertise. She has represented the UCISA membership on several high-profile pieces of representation work with key digital suppliers and she is a member of the UUK/Jisc software negotiation strategy group.

John has led King’s approach to operating models and frameworks to professionalise IT. This has been key to our transformation and journey towards service excellence. Now BTS and HERM are here, King’s no longer “build our own” but we adopt frameworks supporting collaboration and accelerated service excellence within King’s and across the HE sector.

Deborah joined UCISA as CEO in May of 2019, bringing with her a wealth of marketing and Higher Education experience, most recently as Director of Student Recruitment at the University of Hull following five years as Chief Executive of Marketing Leeds and 5 years at Leeds Beckett University, where she was a member of the Executive Board. She is no stranger to leading member organisations, having led the Law Society’s regional team earlier in her career, supporting 14,500 solicitors in Yorkshire and the North East and introducing a wealth of new initiatives and services, resulting in her receiving the Yorkshire Enterprise Award and being recognised as Yorkshire Lawyer of the year in 2007 for her services to the profession.

Fraser Muir is Global Director of Information Services at Heriot-Watt University and leads the provision of a converged information service provision to the University's 5 campuses. This includes library, technology support, infrastructure, network, security, research support and technology enhanced learning. Fraser also leads the University digital strategy and digital transformation initiatives.

Emma co-chairs the UCISA UX Group and heads up the UX Service within Learning, Teaching and Web Services at the University of Edinburgh. She’s interested in helping colleagues understand the positive impact UX can have and encouraging the holistic adoption of user-centred practices and approaches within Higher Education.

After spending almost a decade in technology consulting, continually bridging the gap between technology and business, I became a solution architect, application architect and eventually enterprise architect for organisations like ACCA, Heineken and Edrington Distillers, where I led their global architecture team. I took the leap to Higher Education at University of Glasgow in June 2022, tasked with establishing an Enterprise Architecture function. It’s a very different world to luxury spirits, but everywhere is unique, and I believe Enterprise Architecture can be incredibly powerful and effective in an HE context.

As Executive Head of Library and Learning Resources at UWTSD my primary role is to provide overall leadership, development, strategic and operational management across the full range of activities relating to the provision of library services for the University. I have been at the institution since 2007, and have worked in a variety of roles during this time. I have over 30 years of experience of working the HE sector, and have particular interest in public sector organisational structures and hierarchies in the context of succession planning and leadership development.

I am a member of the WHELF (Welsh Higher Education Libraries Forum) Board, and the CILIP (Chartered Institute of Library and information Professionals) Cymru Wales Committee. I am also a regular mentor for the Advance HE Aurora programme, and the Equality seat on the UCU Wales Council.

Andrew joined Amazon Web Services as Executive Lead for UK Education in January 2022 with a focus on helping leaders achieve their strategic aims through technology, innovation, and culture. He has over 15 years of digital leadership and transformation experience across the UK public sector including five years as a Pro Vice-Chancellor for the University of Staffordshire

Andrew Gill is an experienced people and technology leader and deputy director of IT & Digital Services at Teesside University. With a background in business technology consulting, manufacturing and M&A; Andrew’s motivation is the pursuit of improved student and staff experiences through innovation, technology adoption and collaboration in Higher Education.

Michelle has over 17 years' of experience in the EdTech industry, working with companies that impact student engagement, retention, internationalisation, employability, and skills. Now Director of Marketing for AppsAnywhere, Michelle and her passion for how technology enhances learning, provides equal access to education, and impacts student success to bring market insights to the event.

Clare Forde has 15 years’ experience in Australian Higher Education managing and supporting the design, approval and quality assurance of curriculum and related policies. After obtaining her Master of Education (Educational Technologies) she has for the last 5 years overseen the University of South Australia’s program and course management system, a product built in-house which at the time of its release in 2011 was industry leading. She is currently Senior Project Manager for the implementation of a curriculum management system for the new Adelaide University that will open its doors in January 2026.

Joseph Talbot is Senior UX Consultant at the University of Oxford. Joseph has been designing and building websites and systems for the University of Oxford for nearly 25 years.

Carol has worked with Australian/New Zealand universities facilitating the design and implementation of future-focused digital curriculum environments to improve the student experience as well as streamlining university processes. Leading the project implementing a new digitised curriculum management solution for the new Adelaide University, she has experience with a variety of digitised curriculum management solutions. Previously Director of the University of Newcastle, Australia's Centre for Teaching and Learning and Associate Vice-President Academic (Teaching and Learning) at Carleton University in Ottawa, Canada, Carol’s research interests include quality improvement in university curricula and constructive alignment in assessment strategies.

Tracey Jessup is Chief Transformation and Resources Officer at De Montfort University, and leads, develops and manages comprehensive changes to how the university operates its business, including delivery of a critical multi-year transformation journey to align the technology and campus, the people and the ways of working.

As an experienced technology leader in Higher Education, Rachael joined Bath Spa in 2016. She is currently engaged in delivering an ambitious programme of Digital Transformation, in close collaboration with academic leaders across the organisation. Rachael is passionate about using digital technology to support Bath Spa’s strategic priorities.

Melanie joined De Montfort University (DMU) in 2011, and was appointed Executive Director of Marketing and Communications in 2015 having previously worked as Director of Student Recruitment. She is responsible for reputation management; brand and creative strategy; student recruitment; communications; web and digital; and market insight.

Valerie is responsible for leading strategy and initiatives for Higher Education, Research, K-12, EdTechs, and outcome-based education worldwide. Her Skills to Jobs team enables governments, education systems, and collaborating organizations to deliver skills-based pathways to meet the acute needs of employers around the globe, match skilled job seekers to good paying jobs, and advance the adoption of cloud-based technology. In her over ten-year tenure at AWS, Valerie has held numerous leadership positions, including driving strategic customer engagement within AWS’s Worldwide Public Sector and Industries.

With over 20 years in Higher Education technology and leadership roles and currently the interim IT Services Director at the University of Kent, Paul is passionate about delivering digital solutions and services that enhance student and staff experiences, ensuring that technology drives innovation, efficiency, and long-term success.

Simon has experience working in Professional services providing support across a number of sectors including Education, Travel and leisure, None Profit and Membership organisations, Public sector, Financial Services, Manufacturing and Charity. Simon coaches in a wide range of areas including CIO role and leadership, IT Cost optimisation, Business value of IT, and IT talent and culture.

Claire has been Director of Information Services at Edinburgh Napier University since 2019, having had a varied career in banking, utilities and justice. As a board member of HEFESTIS, and the current chair of HEIDS (HE IS Directors in in Scotland), she is committed to developing shared services that support organisations in sustainable delivery of their individual ambitions. She is a TOGAF certified enterprise architect and is passionate about user-centric design to deliver excellent services

Andrew is COO at the London School of Economics. A biologist by training, Andrew has worked as a technician, a Departmental and then Faculty Manager at Newcastle University before becoming COO at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and then COO at LSE in 2016.

Baba is a Professor of Digital Education and Transformation and a Principal Fellow of the Higher Education Academy, recognised for leading digital initiatives that enhance learning. He is Director of Digital Transformation at newly merged City St George’s, University of London, and formerly Director of Digital Education at St George’s.

Sarah Knight is director of digital transformation at Jisc. Sarah and her team are supporting universities with their digital transformation using Jisc’s framework and maturity model. During her time at Jisc, Sarah has led large institution-wide transformation projects on curriculum and assessment design, digital capabilities and learners’ experiences of technology.

Heather is the Chief Operating Officer at the Royal College of Art and has worked in the higher education sector for over 20 years.    As COO, Heather's remit includes Technology and Digital Transformation, Portfolio Management and Business Operations, Estates, People and Culture, Risk, Resilience and Safety, Environmental Sustainability and College Governance. Heather is responsible for the leadership, development and effective delivery of professional services across the College.  

Rob has been Chief Operating Officer at York St John University for the past nine years and leads all the Institution’s professional services teams. Prior to entering the HE sector, he held senior roles at Network Rail and in management consulting. A chartered surveyor, he holds degrees from Lancaster University, the London School of Economics and the Universities of Leeds and Bath, with recent publications in the areas of internationalisation and financial diversification.

Priyanka leads strategy and sales, across all Education sectors. Priyanka builds high performing, and diverse global teams, to accelerate delivery of digital and business transformations. Passionate about education and development, Priyanka co-founded the Good Growth Community, was instrumental in driving the TCS Sustainathon, and actively promotes STEM through Founders4Schools and Maths4Girls.

Raja-Saleem’s role is to oversee and lead the university’s ambitious digital transformation programme, which underpins Warwick’s growth and development as a world class institution. Working closely with his senior leadership team and colleagues across the university, Raja aims to develop and improve Warwick’s systems, networks, and technologies so it can continue to meet the fast-changing needs of its community and stakeholders.

Imogen is the Head of Portfolio in the Digital & Technology department at the University Of Arts London, and is responsible for providing strategic coordination, reporting, planning and governance of the digital portfolio to ensure it meets UAL’s strategic ambitions. Prior to working in the higher education sector, Imogen worked for several London Boroughs on major transformation programmes including the setting up of shared digital services.

Ant is a digital transformation strategist with a decade of experience solving complex challenges for global brands and third-sector organisations. He recently led digital transformation initiatives at the Social Mobility Foundation, including the design of a new product to help more held-back young people succeed in education and work. Ant now works with several charity and fundraising organisations at manifesto including Breast Cancer Now, the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change and the Salvation Army. Ant's approach is rooted in empathy. His passion for understanding human behaviour also underpins his academic interest in music and language, and he graduated in MA Applied Psychology of Music as a mature student in 2020. He previously worked on brand strategy for the likes of Airbnb, Diageo, Nissan, Sennheiser and Starbucks.

As Director of Technology, James is experienced in developing and leading IT teams, systems and services aligned to student and staff requirements and industry best practices. He has overall strategic and operational responsibility for college-wide IT operations, infrastructure, support and services. With his leadership, IT move rapidly to develop multiple and competing projects and tasks, delivering world class services for RCA students and staff

Seema is currently the Deputy Director of Digital Products at the Royal College of Art and has been working in the higher education sector for over 20 years. As a Deputy Director of Digital Products, she specialises in creating and developing digital products that meet business needs, guiding teams in adopting a product led approach, and driving meaningful change within the organisation.

James is the HE lead for Higher Education at ServiceNow and has spent the past 10 years supporting Public Sector customers digitally transform the way they deliver services. The last 5 years have been spent solely focused on supporting the Higher Education sector working with a wide range of Universities across the UK. James focuses on aligning technology to business problems in order to modernise institutions, drive efficiencies and enable great staff & student engagement.

Nicola leads EY’s higher education consulting practice for the UK, and the wider local public services team for the North region. Nicola began her career in local government, where she spent 10 years working across a range of corporate strategy and transformation roles. Since moving to consultancy in 2011, she has worked as a trusted advisor across a wide range of public services, including; local councils, police, health, regional transport and higher education. She specialises in shaping and delivering complex transformation programmes in the public sector, and is currently working with a number of UK universities to deliver technology enabled change programmes.

Tom is a senior digital strategy leader with 30+ years in technology and services, including 20 years as an advisory consultant. He specializes in digital transformation, disruptive technologies and delivering data insights. Passionate about user experience, collaboration, and innovation, he has extensive expertise across most industry and government sectors.