UpGrad strengthens leadership and pleased to announce two new appointments to its board of directors. First, UpGrad is pleased to welcome Peter Kostis as a member of the board. Peter has been involved in the management of multiple companies and has led several teams on a global scale. He brings with him a wealth of experience and knowledge that will be invaluable to our organization as we continue to grow.

Second, UpGrad is also pleased to announce that it will be working with Stephanie Hanauer as a part-time consultant. Stephanie has worked in various capacities at companies like eBay and LinkedIn, and she brings strong business acumen and expertise in areas such as strategy and operations planning.

Philip B. Barnicott, Ph.D., will serve as CEO and President of UpGrad and is a nationally recognized expert on digital learning management systems (DLMS). He has over 20 years of experience in higher education as an administrator, faculty member, and researcher. Barnicott has been named a top leader in education technology by Education Week, has received numerous awards for his work, and has served as an advisor to several schools and districts across the country.

Barnicott earned his doctorate in educational technology at Ohio State University in 2005; he also completed post-doctoral studies at Stanford University. His research focuses on DLMS implementation, assessment design and delivery, technology integration, and student engagement. Barnicott’s research has been supported by grants from National Science Foundation (NSF), American Council on Education (ACE), and Ohio State University Research Foundation (OSURF). His work has been cited in publications including The Chronicle of Higher Education (CHE) online newsroom; Edutopia; Educause; InsideHigherEd; The New York Times; The Wall Street Journal;

UpGrad’s leadership has been strengthened with two appointments, as the organization announces the appointment of [first name] and [last name], who are both from the same graduating class. The two new additions will be joining UpGrad’s executive team and working with the company to expand its presence in the market.

UpGrad, a technology-based learning platform that provides students with the tools they need to succeed in college, has made two key appointments to its leadership team.

In the past year, UpGrad has seen tremendous growth. The company has been able to expand its offering and grow its student base by more than 100%. As a result of this success, UpGrad’s CEO, Dan Mathews, has made two key hires: Steve Lorenz as Chief Operating Officer and Mary Belair as Chief Marketing Officer.

Lorenz brings over 25 years of experience in business development, sales management, and marketing strategy to UpGrad. He has held senior executive positions at companies such as BIC USA and Motorola Solutions Inc., where he built out sales teams and launched new product lines across multiple industries. In his new role at UpGrad, he will provide strategic direction for all aspects of the company’s operations including product development, sales strategy, and marketing plan execution.

Belair joins UpGrad after spending nearly 10 years building her own successful business in higher education publishing on behalf of the University System of Georgia (USG) and other educational institutions across the state.