Former SNHU president, co-founder of Matter and Space, and higher ed thought leader will share how AI is shaping the future of education
RESTON, Va., Jan. 15, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Ellucian, the leading higher education technology solutions provider, today announced that Dr. Paul J. LeBlanc, renowned educator, author, innovator, former President of Southern New Hampshire University (SNHU) and current Board Chair and Co-Founder of Matter and Space, will speak at Ellucian Live 2025, the industry’s premier global technology conference. Dr. LeBlanc, who has decades of experience transforming higher education with technology, will share insights on the future of education, the role of AI in shaping student success and the continued modernization of higher education institutions.
Dr. LeBlanc recently joined Ellucian’s Board of Directors and is widely regarded as one of America’s most innovative educators. He led SNHU for 21 years, growing the institution from 2,800 students to over 250,000 and establishing SNHU as the largest non-profit provider of online higher education in the U.S. During his tenure, Dr. LeBlanc championed the use of technology to expand access, improve student engagement and scale educational opportunities. In 2023, Dr. LeBlanc co-founded a new company with George Siemens called Matter and Space, which is reinventing learning in the age of AI by putting human well-being, connectedness, and flourishing at the center of work.
“Dr. LeBlanc’s visionary leadership has redefined what is possible in higher education, and we are honored to have him join the Ellucian Live mainstage to inspire thousands of professionals across the industry,” said Laura Ipsen, President and CEO, Ellucian. “His transformative work harnessing emerging technologies has set a new benchmark for student success and education accessibility, and he will provide valuable insights to our community.”
The conference will include a large focus on the transformative potential of AI in higher education, and Dr. LeBlanc’s leadership and expertise will guide institutions as they work to integrate this powerful technology to drive student success, operational efficiency and institutional sustainability now and in the future.
Ellucian Live 2025 will be held April 6-9, 2025 at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, bringing together the largest global community of institutional leaders, technologists and administrators in higher education to discover game-changing solutions, industry insights, and powerful connections.
Click here for more information on Ellucian Live 2025 and registration details.
ABOUT DR. PAUL J. LEBLANC
Dr. Paul J. LeBlanc is the former president of Southern New Hampshire University (SNHU). From 2003 to 2024, under Paul’s leadership, SNHU grew from 2,800 students to over 250,000 learners and is the largest nonprofit provider of online higher education in the country.
The university was #12 on Fast Company magazine’s “World’s Fifty Most Innovative Companies” list and was the only university included. Forbes Magazine has listed him as one of its 15 “Classroom Revolutionaries” and one of the “most influential people in higher education.” Washington Monthly named him one of America’s ten most innovative university presidents. In 2018, Paul won the prestigious TIAA Institute Hesburgh Award for Leadership Excellence in Higher Education, joining some of the most respected university and college presidents in American higher education.
Paul served as Senior Policy Advisor to Under Secretary Ted Mitchell at the U.S. Department of Education, working on competency-based education, new accreditation pathways, and innovation. He serves on the National Advisory Committee on Institutional Quality and Integrity (NACIQI) and on the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine’s Board on Higher Education and Workforce (and served on its Committee on Quality in Undergraduate Education).
Paul is the Board Chair for Matter and Space, an AI and Education company he co-founded with noted researcher George Siemens. He is also a member of the Board of Directors for Chegg, a leading student-first online learning platform, Ellucian, the leading higher education technology solutions provider, the American Council on Education (ACE), and chairs the AGB Council of Presidents.
Paul immigrated to the United States as a child, was the first person in his extended family to attend college and is a graduate of Framingham State University (BA), Boston College (MA), and the University of Massachusetts (PhD). From 1993 to 1996 he directed a technology start up for Houghton Mifflin Publishing Company, was President of Marlboro College (VT) from 1996 to 2003 and became President of SNHU in 2003. His wife Patricia is an attorney and they have two daughters, Emma and Hannah.
ABOUT ELLUCIAN
Ellucian powers innovation for higher education, partnering with more than 2,900 customers across 50 countries, serving over 20 million students. Ellucian’s AI-powered platform, trained on the richest dataset available in higher education, drives efficiency, personalized experiences, and strengthened engagement for students, faculty and staff. Fueled by decades of experience with a singular focus on the unique needs of learning institutions, the Ellucian platform features best-in-class SaaS capabilities and delivers insights needed now and into the future. These solutions and services span the entire student lifecycle, including data-rich tools for student recruitment, enrollment, and retention to workforce analytics, fundraising, and alumni engagement. Ellucian’s innovative solutions, vast ecosystem of partners and user community of more than 45,000 provides best practices leading to greater institutional success and achieving better student outcomes.
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SOURCE Ellucian
