CEO MONTHLY / C-SUITE AWARDS 2024 9 Apr24275 Education should be accessible and engaging for everyone, regardless of their age, ability, or location. D2L is a global learning innovation company helping transform the way the world learns. Following her recognition in the C-Suite Awards 2024, we speak to the company’s Chief Legal Officer, Anna Forgione, to learn more about the ways in which she leads her team to success. Serving as the Chief Legal Officer, Chief Privacy Officer, and Corporate Secretary for D2L, Anna oversees legal, governance, enterprise risk management, and compliance matters for the company. Anna brings over 20 years of experience in corporate leadership, business development, and strategic planning. In discussions about her role within D2L, Anna says, “As a member of the executive leadership team that sets the course for the company, I am energized by the impact which D2L and its employees have on millions of learners. My team successfully led D2L through its initial public offering on the Toronto Stock Exchange in November 2021 and have operationalised a culture of strong corporate governance.” D2L has expanded into many markets and is currently in 40 countries which requires a long term legal and business strategic plan for regulatory and legal support. I also work with a strong and diverse Board of Directors who bring their strong business acumen to D2L. D2L has established itself as a leader in learning innovation, informed by pedagogy and driven by technology, and its learning platform is now used by more than 18 million people. D2L is a global learning technology company, reshaping the future of education and work. D2L’s platform, Brightspace, helps enhance the learning experience for millions of learners at every stage of life from the earliest days of school to universities and colleges, and employee training in the working world. D2L is helping lead the way into a new era of personalized learning by improving access to high quality education and training– regardless of age, ability, or location. Anna Forgione also leads D2L’s business unit that prepares and submits requests for proposals for learning platforms, content creation tools and creative services. Anna’s previous experience as an entrepreneur and business leader has helped her to support the RFP team, which is an avenue in which D2L obtains many of its biggest clients. The RFP team are incredible contributors to D2L’s winning culture. Anna’s experience in public company governance, global market and M & A transactions perfectly equips her with the skillset to be an executive leader at D2L. Anna states that “co-founding a technology company early on in my career sparked an ongoing interest for building an impactful company that executes on its mission. That experience was instrumental in learning how to build strong teams, build customer loyalty, raise capital, and work with investors and boards of directors.” Anna believes that the key to successful business strategy is understanding the importance of building exceptional, engaged, and talented teams. She is a strong believer in empowerment leading to excellence and ensures that she is always available to her team and co-workers for brainstorming sessions, advice, feedback, and assistance. “My team supports every department in the company, and we touch high stakes matters every day. It is crucial that we meet the challenges of a fast moving and agile company through collaboration and action.” Due to the nature of the learning technology sector, Anna’s provision of timely and high-quality legal advice is dependent on employees being up to date with the latest industry and regulatory developments. Anna says, “The support of my team is crucial to delivering excellent service across the business.” Anna has furthered her reputation within the industry by building a team recognized for their exceptional legal and business expertise. She believes that operating a mentoring culture is important as it allows for employees to freely give and receive feedback, support, and challenge one another, and work together towards common goals. “My focus on collaboration comes through in my leadership style. I work with amazing leaders, who I learn from every day.” In navigating the rapidly advancing world of educational technology, Anna recognizes that the development of AI will have a large impact on how learning, technology, and legal norms are integrated. Anna notes, “AI has the potential to make learning more accessible. At the same time, it is important to understand AI technology, including its limitations, potential biases, and ethical pitfalls. As a technology and legal leader, my team and I have a big role in assessing how this technology will be used to make learning more accessible for millions of learners in conformance with laws and ethical standards. We are energized by the innovations D2L has on the roadmap and our role in advising on the use of AI technologies to create exceptional learning moments.” Anna’s illustrious career, which also includes experience as a board chair and director on boards related to education and the arts, she is wellequipped to being a director of a global public company. We asked Anna what 2024 looks like for her career and she tells us, “Collaboration with business and legal leaders is a priority for me. I will be spending time with people who inspire me and who make me a better leader.” The next year looks to be a year of success for Anna, and we look forward to seeing the latest educational developments from D2L. Contact: Anna Forgione Company: D2L Corporation. Contact: Anna Forgione Company: D2L Corporation Web Address: www.d2l.com
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