Packback Advisory Board: Expert Validation for the Future of Learning
The educational landscape is undergoing a fundamental transformation driven by AI, but institutional leaders can’t afford to navigate this change alone. They need confidence, validation, and strategy built on real-world experience.
The Packback Advisory Board is composed of highly respected leaders from Higher Education, K-12, and EdTech who provide strategic, non-fiduciary guidance on product development, market positioning, and the responsible integration of instructional AI. Their counsel ensures Packback remains the trusted, authoritative partner focused on academic integrity and the strategic priorities of modern leaders.
Meet the Board: Leaders Guiding Our Vision
This esteemed group of presidents, vice chancellors, and leading strategists provides an invaluable cross-section of institutional knowledge and technical expertise.
Dr. Kate Smith
Title: President
Institution: Rio Salado Community College
Expertise: As a national leader in accessible online learning, Dr. Smith provides vital counsel on scaling instructional excellence and driving student outcomes in diverse and non-traditional environments, keeping student access at the forefront of AI strategy.
Dr. John “Ski” Sygielski
Title: President
Institution: Harrisburg Area Community College
Expertise: Dr. Sygielski is a distinguished community college leader focused on institutional growth and student success. He provides critical guidance on how Packback can best serve the mission-driven, open-access priorities of two-year institutions
Dr. Quintin Shepherd
Title: Superintendent
Institution: Pflugerville Independent School District
Expertise: Dr. Shepherd brings essential K-12 expertise, guiding Packback’s strategy for developing foundational student writing skills and safely integrating AI at the district level. His focus ensures our tools meet the rigorous demands of K-12 curriculum.
Dr. Blake Freeman
Title: Chief Academic Officer
Institution: Hamilton County Public Schools
Expertise: Dr. Freeman provides crucial K-12 academic leadership, advising on curriculum alignment and large-scale instructional strategy to ensure Packback’s tools support improved outcomes and teacher capacity across the entire district.
Dr. Monique Reeves
Title: Executive Vice Chancellor for the Future
Institution: Austin Community College
Expertise: Dr. Reeves provides a systems-level executive perspective on institutional transformation. Her leadership helps Packback align its technology with large-scale strategic initiatives, ensuring maximum impact across diverse departments.
Dr. Bernard Rowan
Title: Assessment Academy Member
Institution: Chicago State University
Expertise: Dr. Rowan brings deep academic insight and a focus on faculty development and university governance. His expertise ensures Packback’s platform addresses the practical challenges of implementation and adoption faced by academic leadership
Dr. Norma Scagnoli
Title: Chief Learning and Innovation Officer
Institution: Illinois Institute of Technology
Expertise: Focused on learning innovation and technology, Dr. Scagnoli advises on the strategic future of EdTech. She ensures Packback’s solutions remain on the cutting edge while being pedagogically sound and responsible.
Carley Ries
Title: Vice Provost, Online Learning
Institution: University of Nevada, Reno
Expertise: Specializing in scalable online and blended learning environments, Carley provides direct experience on the tools and pedagogical strategies faculty need today. She ensures Packback’s solutions enhance, not complicate, the online learning experience.
Marc Watkins
Title: Assistant Director, Academic Innovation
Institution: University of Mississippi
Expertise: Marc brings a deep understanding of academic technology evaluation and faculty needs. His role is vital for testing product utility and ensuring our Instructional AI tools empower faculty to teach more authentically.
Your Strategy, Validated by Your Peers
This Advisory Board is for all of us looking for direction at the intersection of education and AI.
It serves as your assurance that Packback’s approach to instructional AI is not a Silicon Valley experiment, but a responsible, pedagogical strategy grounded in the real-world challenges of presidents, superintendents, and provosts.
When you partner with Packback, you are not taking a risk, you are adopting a strategy already vetted by the leaders you trust!