The Illuminate Series: Implications of AI in Education

Don McNamee

Director of Education Technology, South Saigon International School

Don McNamee is a seasoned leader in the field of education technology, with a rich background that spans various high-impact roles, from classroom teaching to executive leadership positions within renowned organisations. Don is a Canadian national who holds four territory degrees; urban economics, geographic information systems, education and a Masters in education leadership.

His career reflects a profound commitment to leveraging technology to enrich K-12 educational environments, foster innovation, and enhance learning outcomes. With experience as a Chief Innovation Officer (CIO) and a Leadership Executive at Apple Inc., Don has played a pivotal role in shaping the integration of technology in education. His work focuses on developing and implementing strategic initiatives that support educational excellence, demonstrating a keen understanding of the intersection between technology, teaching, and student engagement.

In his current capacity as Director of Education Technology, Don leads efforts to identify, evaluate, and deploy cutting-edge technological solutions that address the evolving needs of a modern school. He excels in program development and service management, underscoring his ability to drive transformational change in educational settings through strategic vision and leadership.

Don’s journey in education is marked by a continuous pursuit of excellence and innovation. His contributions extend beyond organisational boundaries, influencing broader discussions on the future of education technology. By championing scalable and sustainable models of technology integration, Don is committed to improving the educational landscape for learners and educators alike. A visionary in the education technology sector, Don McNamee remains dedicated to exploring new frontiers in learning, ensuring that technology serves as a catalyst for educational transformation and success.

Graeme Walker

Associate Dean for Faculty Affairs, Fulbright University Vietnam

Dr. Graeme Walker is a Canadian-born and educated economist. His research interests lie at the cross-section of psychology, sociology, and neuroscience – commonly referred to as behavioral economics. More specifically, Graeme’s research has been concerned with the origins and formation of beliefs and their role in decision making.

Graeme first became interested in behavioral economics while participating in experiments as a graduate student. Graeme’s inability to select a Nash Equilibrium in many of these experiments made him start wondering why. It was this experience that led to a research agenda investigating how various aspects of our psyche could lead people to hold different beliefs on how they should behave.

Graeme’s earlier work investigates the role of cognitive dissonance in the formation of beliefs and social networks. This work has shed light on phenomena such as political polarization, bubbles in financial markets, gentrification in urban societies, and the market microstructure of the news media industry. His current work investigates the role of social identity on economic primitives such as trust and reciprocity in Vietnamese society.

Graeme received his Bachelor of Science degree from McGill University where he majored in Mathematics and Computer Science. He then completed his Master of Arts and Ph.D. in Economics at Simon Fraser University. Prior to joining Fulbright University Vietnam in May 2018, Graeme was the Director of the MBA Program at RMIT University Vietnam.

Catriona Moran

Head of School, South Saigon International School

Dr. Moran is an Irish national with over 35 years of experience in education and leadership, 30 years of which have been in international schools in Japan, Taiwan, and now Vietnam. She currently serves as Head of School at Saigon South International School, HCMC. Catriona holds a doctorate in Educational Leadership from the University of San Diego in the U.S.

Trained as an elementary teacher, Catriona has served as an elementary principal in two international schools and deputy head of a school in Asia for two decades. In 2013, she was named the “National Distinguished Principal of the Year” by the National Association of Elementary Principals and the U.S. State Department.

She is the Vice President of the EARCOS Board of Directors. She serves on the Association for the Advancement of International Education (AAIE) Board of Trustees and as Chair of the Saigon International Network of Schools in HCMC.

Assoc. Prof. Burkhard Schrage

Senior Program Manager, MBA and MIB Programs at The Business School, RMIT University

Dr. Burkhard Schrage oversees what is by some measures the largest English-speaking business postgraduate program in South-East Asia. He is also the Managing Partner of Explora Capital, a private equity company focused on investments in South-East Asia.  Additionally, he is a Senior Advisor at Cambrian Futures, a leading AI consultancy firm based in Silicon Valley. He holds several non-executive board mandates at high-growth companies across the region.

These activities inform his research and teaching in the fields of non-market strategy, digital strategy, corporate governance, and political economy. His practitioner and academic research has been widely published, including by Harvard Business School Press, MIT Press and leading academic journals.  Burkhard is also a frequent contributor to the news media in Vietnam and the region on these topics.

Le Nhan TAM

Chief Technology Officer, Microsoft Vietnam

Dr. Le Nhan Tam is currently the Chief Technology Officer, Microsoft Vietnam. Under this position, Tam leads a team of technology experts and business innovation experts to drive technology depth, revenue uplift and customer differentiation. He also leads the translation of the customer’s desired business outcomes into industry technical architecture. He manages a close technical business relationship with the customers’ CIO/CTO and service line technology leaders.

Tam has many years of experience in the IT field and has held various positions from researcher to expert of big tech companies. Before taking up his current position, Tam was the Chief Technology Officer, Lead Architect and Country Technical Manager of IBM in Vietnam. Prior to that, he was a Cloud Advisor; and Solution Architect for Information Management of Software Group, IBM in Vietnam.

Tam also experienced in different positions in big IT companies in Vietnam such as: VNPT Group; CMC Software Company; Department of Applied IT – Ministry of Information and Communication.

Dr. Tam holds a PhD degree in Computer Science from University of Rennes 1 and French National Research Institute for Computer Science & Automation (INRIA); and a Master’s degree in computer science from Asian Institute of Technology (AIT), Thailand.

Will Polese

Vice President Revenue, ELSA

Will Polese is a distinguished business development executive with a track record of driving innovation and growth in the tech sector. With a rich background that spans both the corporate and entrepreneurial worlds, Will brings a wealth of knowledge and insights to the forefront of technology trends.

Will’s journey in the technology industry has been marked by a series of significant contributions and leadership roles. Will has served as the VP, Revenue with ELSA since February of 2024 where he leads their global B2B business which includes sales, customer success, and marketing.

Prior to ELSA, Will served as a key figure at Udemy, a renowned online learning platform. In his role, he leveraged his expertise to shape the New Ventures’ strategic direction, helping learners and professionals throughout Asia acquire valuable skills and knowledge.

MarketsandMarkets:

Before joining Udemy, Will held a pivotal position at MarketsandMarkets, a leading market research and consulting firm. There, he played a critical role in delivering market intelligence to organizations, guiding them in making informed business decisions in an ever-evolving tech landscape.

Prior to his tenure at MarketsandMarkets, Will Polese was an integral part of Lux Research, where he delved deep into emerging technologies and their implications for various industries. His work in this capacity positioned him as a trusted advisor for companies seeking to navigate the complexities of innovation.