eLearning Trailblazers: Cutting-Edge EdTech Innovators

Honoring EdTech Innovators Who Stay Two Steps Ahead Of The Trends

It seems that learning technologies are constantly evolving and adapting to meet our current needs and expectations. Fortunately, we have EdTech innovators who keep us in the know. These trailblazers seize every opportunity to showcase new tech and offer tips to choose the best tool for the task. So, today, we pay tribute to the thought leaders who are leading us into the future of eLearning tech with their insights and expertise. In no particular order, here are the top EdTech movers and shakers.

Cutting-Edge EdTech Innovators You Should Know About

Kevin Kruse

Kevin Kruse’s mission is to inspire the leaders of tomorrow. As founder and CEO of LEADx, he provides AI-powered next-generation leadership enablement that empowers new leaders to master essential skills and build their confidence. Kevin is also a NY Times bestselling author, a Forbes contributor, an advisor to Fortune 500 entrepreneurs, and a keynote speaker for various topics, from employee engagement to entrepreneurship and startups.

Donald H. Taylor

Donald H. Taylor is an acclaimed writer and researcher on the topics of workplace learning and learning technologies. During his career, he has occupied several positions, from developer to vice president, but his vision always remains the same: helping forward Learning and Development professionals. In his speeches, he talks about the professional development of L&D and technology-supported learning. In addition to serving as chairman of the Learning Technologies Conference in 2000, he hosts a biweekly webinar program and edits the Inside Learning Technologies Magazine.

Bartlomiej Polakowski

As a Senior eLearning Architect for Amazon, Bartlomiej Polakowski plays a great part in helping companies choose the right eLearning solutions that will boost the development of their employees. Bartlomiej shares his knowledge on learning technologies in his blog and at conferences, where he talks about topics such as VR/AR, online learning, learning ecosystems, Instructional Design, and many more.

Thomas C. Murray

Thomas Murray is the Director of Innovation for Future Ready Schools, a project of the Alliance of Excellent Education that aims to implement personalized and student-centered learning. Thomas is a best-selling author and keynote speaker who has been named the 2018 National/Global EdTech Leader of the Year by EdTech Digest. He is also one of the co-founders of #edtechchat, a Twitter forum where educators from all over the world discuss the effective use of educational technology.

Dr. Catlin Tucker

A former educator herself, Dr. Catlin Tucker is now a bestselling author, keynote speaker, and international trainer. She earned her doctorate in learning technologies from Pepperdine University, and ever since, she has been trying to support educators in blending technology with traditional teaching methods. Her main focus is, of course, blended learning, which she advocates for in her books, speeches, blog, and podcast.

Alice Keeler

Alice Keeler is a solution-driven educator who is passionate about educational technologies, gamified education, and supporting educators to utilize learning technologies in the best way possible. She is an expert in EdTech integrations, virtual learning, a Google-certified Innovator, and a Microsoft Innovative Educator. You will find her sharing her expert knowledge on educational technology in workshops and conferences around the world.

Ben Drew

Ben Drew is the founder of Open Future Learning, an innovative online learning resource that is dedicated to the developmental, intellectual, and learning disability workforce. Ben collaborates with other leading thinkers of the industry and speaks at conferences and workshops about the power of stories, captivating content, on-demand learning, dedicated specialists, action learning, and blended learning for people with disabilities.

Adam Geller

Adam Geller is the founder of Edthena, a video conferencing platform that empowers educators to share best practices, streamline observations, and ensure that they are reaching their maximum potential. He is a published author, as well as an avid speaker on education technology and teacher training in conferences all over the world.

Doug Lederman

Doug Lederman is the editor and co-founder of Inside Higher Ed, a leading online publication source of news for the higher education community. He is focused on demonstrating new ways education institutions can move to remote learning following the impact of the pandemic. Doug is an acclaimed EdTech thought leader who regularly shares his insights on higher education on the media or at campuses all over the country.

Vicki Davis

Vicki Davis is a teacher, IT director, blogger, podcaster, speaker, and all-around advocate of supporting educators to reach their full potential so that they can lead with a positive impact and have access to best practices. Her podcast is in the top ten K12 podcasts on iTunes, and she has also been named Top Education Voice 2020 by LinkedIn. You will find her speaking about education technology, computer science, classroom blogging, and a lot more at conferences around the country.

James Stack

James Stack is a strong advocate for new ways of learning to support the future of work. He makes the most of his background in digital marketing to design workplace learning solutions that change behaviors and move key business metrics. James’ organization is known for its work developing Forget Me Not, a microlearning spaced repetition app.

Jennifer Carolan

Jennifer Carolan is the co-founder and General Partner of Reach Capital, a company made up of a diverse group of people passionate about empowering learners and educators. She has co-founded several funds since 2011, all with the purpose of creating exceptional tools for educators, captivating learning material for children, and a support system for their parents.

Brandon Busteed

As Chief Partnership Officer and Global Head of Learn-Work Innovation in Kaplan, Brandon Busteed’s mission is to help higher education establishments and employers in the US thrive and grow. Earlier in his career, Brandon was the founder and CEO of Outside the Classroom, an EdTech company whose online courses were taken by more than 10 million college students. He is a published author and keynote speaker on education and workforce development, as well as a board member at the Association of American Colleges and Universities.

Jesse Lubinsky

Jesse Lubinsky is the Education Evangelist for Adobe Inc. and the founder and Chief Learning Officer at Ready Learner One, an innovative learning solution provider. He has two decades of experience as a teacher, school administrator, and education technologist, and has been named one of the 100 Top Experts in EdTech as well as a Top K12 Tech Leader. Apart from being a frequent keynote speaker, Jesse runs a podcast and a Virtual Reality show focused on innovation in learning.

Sophie Bailey

Sophie Bailey is the founder of WorkTripp and the EdTech Podcast. The purpose of the former is to help remote-first companies hire new talent, while the latter focuses on streamlining the dialogue between “ed” and “tech” to achieve further innovation. She has held the position of industry director and mentor, moderator of panel discussions, and judge of education and EdTech awards all over the world. She always strives to help people bring their ideas to life.

Karl A L Smith

Karl A L Smith is the co-founder of Agile World, a nonprofit that supports educational and training initiatives that provide free Agile resources to all. He has always been fascinated by the idea of technology and how it can help evolve the human experience. His main focus is customer experience engagement and management in the B2B and B2C sectors. He is a multi-awarded thought leader and a prolific writer.

Rafranz Davis

Rafranz Davis is an Associate Content Manager at LinkedIn. Before that, she was a technology trainer and keynote speaker on technology tools such as Google Workspace, Adobe Creative Suite, and more. She is a Google-certified Innovator and a Microsoft Innovative Education Expert. Rafranz has been an advisor for multiple technology companies and an avid speaker in local, state, and national events on topics such as connected learning, digital equity, student data and privacy, and creativity and diversity in EdTech.

Are You An eLearning Thought Leader Who Would Like To Be Featured On A Future List?

We’d like to congratulate all of the EdTech innovators who stay one step ahead of the trends and clue us into emerging technologies. If you’d like to be considered for our next eLearning Trailblazers List, our Editorial team would love to hear from you. We’ll publish more niche-specific thought leader lists in the near future, like eLearning Gamifiers and Learning Experience Designers. We’d also like to invite you to guest post on our eLearning Industry to share your insider expertise. Last but not least, you can also download our guide to delve into submission tips and other essential info.