EDUCAUSE 2025

Board Member

Shoshana Vernick is a Co-Founder and Managing Partner of Avathon Capital, a private equity firm she launched in 2016 to build enduring, strategically relevant companies across the education and workforce sectors. Avathon is deeply committed to its mission of delivering both financial returns and positive impact — a reflection of the firm’s belief in “The Power of AND.”

With more than two decades of investing experience, Shoshana leads with a founder-first mindset. She brings deep sector knowledge and a hands-on approach to working with leadership teams across the learner lifecycle: early childhood education, K-12, higher ed, adult learning, and corporate; having overseen Avathon’s 16 investments and 5 realizations.

Prior to Avathon, she was a Managing Director at Sterling Partners, a middle market buyout firm investing across business services, health care and education. Earlier in her career, she worked at One Equity Partners, Razorfish and Merrill Lynch, gaining a broad foundation in private equity, business strategy and investment banking.

Shoshana is an active leader in the private equity community. She serves on the Board of the Illinois Venture Capital Association and is a founding member of its Philanthropic Foundation. She is also a member of PEWIN and on the Steering Committee of the KPMG University of Chicago Economic Forum.
Shoshana holds a BS with honors from Indiana University, where she studied accounting, finance, and international business. She studied abroad in Maastricht, The Netherlands, and was raised in Munster, Indiana by a schoolteacher and an entrepreneur.

Board Member

Growing up around the world, Nishaad saw firsthand the impact education had in unlocking human potential and transforming lives. Nishaad is a seasoned investor with a deep commitment to transforming the education and workforce markets. As a Principal at Avathon, he partners with founders, executives, and teams to build enduring businesses and drive impact across the education and workforce ecosystems.

Nishaad currently serves on the Board of Directors for Academic Programs International (provider of study abroad and experiential learning to higher education institutions), Summit Professional Education (provider of continuing education for allied health professionals), and OculusIT (insert description). He also serves as a Board observer for ReUp Education (leader in assisting higher education institutions with finding and re-enrolling adult learners).

Prior to joining Avathon in 2017, Nishaad spent time at Raymond James helping founders and companies evaluate their strategic alternatives and find access to growth capital.

Chief Financial Officer (Board Member)

With nearly 30 years of experience as a Chartered Accountant and financial strategist, Narendar has led large-scale transformations across India, Southeast Asia, and the MENA region. His leadership spans billion-dollar capital management, global compliance, M&A integrations, and financial transitions for high-growth companies.

SVP, Managed Services Delivery and Solutions

With over 20 years of experience in HigherEd IT, AJ drives technological transformation for our higher education partners and develop superior delivery solutions. Prior to joining OculusIT, AJ successfully served as senior technologist for Remote Infrastructure Management Services at Ellucian® and Oracle®.

Board Member

Mark brings over 30 years of leadership experience in the global software and technology industry, spanning multiple markets and business models. He currently serves as Executive Chairman of the Board for Pieces Technology, a leading generative AI company focused on clinical documentation. He is also an operating advisor to several top-tier private equity firms and financial institutions.

In addition to his role at Pieces, Mark sits on the boards of Loyal Health, United Flow Technologies, Purchasing Power, and serves on the Board of Advisors for Quantum Metric. He is also a director of Carter’s, Inc. (NYSE: CRI), where he is a member of the Audit and Compensation Committees.

Earlier in his career, Mark spent 28 years at Hewlett-Packard, where he held a range of senior positions across business units, ultimately serving as Vice President and General Manager of HP Software. Born and raised in Nairobi, Kenya, Mark is a lifelong global traveler. His international experiences have deepened his belief in the transformative power of education—for individuals and for society as a whole.

SVP, Sales & Marketing

Jim serves as Senior Vice President, Sales and Marketing at OculusIT. His key areas of expertise lie in strategic business development, leadership, customer relationships, and developing global partnerships, mergers & acquisition. As part of OculusIT, Jim helps colleges and universities leverage the latest technologies and reduce their overall operational costs via strategic IT initiatives. Jim was previously with Accenture.

Board Member

Paul Skordilis is an accomplished executive with over 30 years of experience leading high-growth companies across professional learning, SaaS, application software, tech-enabled services, and education technology. With a global management background spanning the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, and Africa, Paul is recognized for his expertise in driving organizational transformation, growth, and operational excellence.
Over the course of his career, Paul has spent 20+ years working with private equity-owned companies, consistently creating value and driving results.

Paul currently serves as Chairman of the Board for two companies: Summit Professional Education, the national leader in continuing education courses for physical, occupational, and speech-language pathologists; and Oculus IT, a global managed IT services provider focused on higher education institutions. He also serves on the Board of Directors for Wall Street Prep (WSP), a leading provider of financial training and certification programs. Previously, Paul was CEO of ACUE, where he led efforts to improve student success through evidence-based teaching practices and expanded the company’s product portfolio into a scalable subscription-based model. He also served as President and CEO of Infobase, a SaaS-based EdTech company, where he led strategic growth initiatives and successfully integrated multiple acquisitions.

Before that, Paul was President of Colibri Group, where he provided leadership across verticals including Financial Services, Healthcare, Real Estate, and Appraisal. He guided Colibri through a successful shift from a B2C to a B2B model, unlocking new market opportunities and fueling growth. Earlier in his career, he held senior leadership roles at Infogix, StoneRiver, and Oracle, where he drove organizational restructuring, product innovation, and go-to-market strategy execution. His strong background in P&L management, sales, and business development has consistently enhanced operational efficiency and enterprise value. Paul attended DePaul University, concentrating in Finance and Accounting. He is known for his visionary leadership, ability to align teams around a shared mission, and his focus on building customer-centric organizations.

Vice President, IT Outsourcing Delivery

Joe Traino, Ed.D, is a results-driven IT executive with 30+ years of experience in Higher Education. He has held a variety of IT positions over his career and has been a CIO for multiple institutions. He has a strong background in delivering technology and functional solutions to meet critical client needs and support client success. Joe previously worked at BerryDunn and CampusWorks leading higher ed IT consulting services teams.

Chief Operating Officer (Board Member)

Abhijeet brings 20+ years of experience leading global teams, scaling service organizations, and driving operational excellence. His appointment comes at a pivotal moment – for both the company and the industry – as demand for high-ROI technology solutions continues to rise across higher education

Senior Director, HR

With over 25 years of global HR leadership across North America, LATAM, Europe, and APAC, Prasun brings deep expertise in Talent Management, HR Operations, and Organizational Transformation. A Cornell-certified HR Director, he has successfully led large-scale M&A integrations, digital HR transformations, and global workforce strategies. He has also had the privilege of contributing as a speaker, leadership coach, and recognized HR innovator.

Vice President, Marketing

Dana brings nearly 20 years of higher education marketing expertise to OculusIT. She is known for her strategic vision and deep understanding of how to align messaging with measurable outcomes. Specializing in crafting and executing integrated marketing strategies, Dana excels at blending tactical execution with compelling narratives to drive customer engagement, enhance brand positioning, and meet revenue targets. A skilled leader, Dana has a proven track record of building high-performing teams and leveraging data-driven insights to optimize marketing initiatives for sustained growth.

Director, Customer Success

Vipin Singh is the Director of Customer Success at OculusIT, specializing in enterprise client management, customer experience, churn management, and account expansion. With over a decade of experience in IT, SaaS, and industries like Finance, Oil & Gas, and Ed-tech, he helps higher education institutions achieve IT goals through strategic partnerships. Previously with Deloitte in Control Assurance and IT Audit, Vipin believes strong client relationships are key to long-term success and innovation.

Director of MSS and CISO

Perley has 25 years of technical experience, with 19 years in Higher Education. His expertise spans programming, Oracle database, Banner administration, network infrastructure, and cybersecurity. He has led virtual CISO services for small to medium-sized businesses, creating tailored technical roadmaps based on risk, budget, and regulations. Perley holds a CISSP and several other IT and FEMA certifications. He lives in New Hampshire with his fiancé and two puppies.

Director, MIS

Robin Prakash, a seasoned IT professional with more than 16+ years of experience in IT leadership. As an IT Director specializing in Infrastructure Services, Robin has a proven track record in areas like Infrastructure and Disaster Recovery Management, Compliance and Regulation, and Cloud/Data Center Management. His expertise and commitment have been pivotal in developing effective IT strategies and driving operational excellence within higher education institutions.

Director, Managed ERP Services

Sam Mukherjee, MBA graduate & PMP certified with 16+ years of experience in program and project management, is a professional who oversees the coordination and monitoring of PMO and Service Delivery at OculusIT. He is a strategic thinker & has successfully handled multiple cloud migration projects. He has a high emotional intelligence that helps in solving problems and understanding the hearts and minds of co-workers.

Chief Executive Officer (Board Member)

Joe brings almost 25 years of experience building innovative higher education technology services companies. He is a retired USAF officer providing leadership in the areas of space, intelligence, and flight operations. Joe is a collaborative leader known for his passion for building teams focused on customer needs. He previously served as VP of Client Experience at CampusWorks and COO of Dynamic Campus.

Assistant Vice President, ITO

With over 20 years of experience, Gabor Szentivanyi serves as our Chief Information Officer, bringing deep expertise in AI, BI, and enterprise IT management. He shapes global IT strategies and architectures that drive business growth, innovation, and operational excellence for our clients. Recognized for leadership that delivers measurable EBITDA impact, Gabor leads strategic restructuring and seamless integrations that streamline M&A processes, reduce timelines, and optimize costs. His commitment to strategic IT leadership continues to enhance organizational value and accelerate success across diverse industries.

Assistant Vice President, ITO

With extensive experience in higher education technology and client success, Jay Ellis helps colleges and universities align their IT investments with evolving campus needs. Known for building trusted partnerships and driving strategic growth, he works closely with institutions to deliver tailored solutions that advance student success, operational efficiency, and institutional goals. His collaborative approach and deep understanding of the higher ed landscape continue to strengthen relationships and outcomes for institutions nationwide.