Broken Education

The conversation with Sir David Bell, Vice Chancellor and Chief Executive at the University of Sunderland, delves into the intersection of education and community development. Sir David emphasizes the importance of a strong university-city relationship and the role of universities in preparing good citizens and work-ready individuals. He also discusses the challenges faced by universities in maint...

In this episode of the Broken Education Podcast, Joel Di Trapani sits down with Professor Zlatko Skrbiš, Vice-Chancellor and President of Australian Catholic University (ACU), for a thoughtful conversation about the role of universities in shaping ethical futures, flourishing lives, and thriving communities. Drawing from his own journey as an international PhD student who came to Australia through...

In this episode of the Broken Education Podcast, host Joel Di Trapani, Co-Founder & Co-CEO of Vygo, sits down with The Hon. Bill Shorten, Vice-Chancellor and President of the University of Canberra, to explore the future of higher education and how universities can better unlock opportunity for all students. Drawing on his background in federal politics and public service, Bill shares the pers...

In this episode of the Broken Education Podcast , Vygo Co-Founder & Co-CEO Joel Di Trapani and Vygo’s Director of Sales Lyndin Smith-Francis sit down with Professor Nick Klomp , Vice-Chancellor and President of CQUniversity , for a candid conversation about the realities, responsibilities, and untapped potential of regional higher education. With more than five years at the helm of one of Aust...

In this episode of the Broken Education Podcast , host Joel Di Trapani , Co-Founder of Vygo, sits down with Professor Pascale Quester , Vice-Chancellor and President of Swinburne University of Technology , for a refreshingly direct conversation about leadership, strategy, and why higher education must let go of nostalgia if it wants to remain relevant. Pascale is one of Australia’s most distinctiv...

In this episode of the Broken Education Podcast , host Joel Di Trapani , Co-Founder of Vygo, sits down with Renee Leon , Vice-Chancellor and President of Charles Sturt University , for a candid and deeply grounded conversation about equity, regional education, and what it truly means for universities to serve the public good. Renee brings an extraordinary perspective to higher education leadership...

In this episode of the Broken Education Podcast, host Joel Di Trapani, Co-Founder and CEO of Vygo, sits down with Professor Rufus Black, Vice-Chancellor and President of the University of Tasmania, for a deep and unflinching conversation about what’s broken in education and what it will take to fix it. Rufus brings a rare blend of academic depth, ethical clarity, and real-world leadership. A Rhode...

In this episode of the Broken Education Podcast, Vygo Co-Founder & Co-CEO Joel Di Trapani sits down with Professor Alex Zelinsky AO, Vice-Chancellor and President of the University of Newcastle. An internationally recognised researcher, leader, and innovator, Alex has built a career at the intersection of technology, higher education, and national impact. Joel and Alex explore his journey from...

In this episode of the Broken Education Podcast, Vygo’s Co-Founder & Co-CEO, Joel Di Trapani, sits down with Mark Kopec, International General Manager at Bupa, who brings over 20 years of global leadership experience across the insurance, healthcare, and startup sectors. With a background in engineering and a mindset driven by curiosity and impact, Mark shares his philosophy on building people...

Recorded at the UA Solutions Summit 2025, this Broken Education Podcast episode features Vygo’s Co-Founder & Co-CEO, Joel Di Tripani, in conversation with Professor George Williams AO, Vice-Chancellor and President of Western Sydney University. Starting as the fifth Vice-Chancellor in July 2024, he leads an institution known for expanding access to higher education and driving social, environm...

In this episode of the Broken Education Podcast, Vygo’s Co-Founder & Co-CEO, Joel Di Trapani, sits down with Alphia Possamai-Inesedy, Pro Vice-Chancellor Student Success at Western Sydney University. Alphia leads strategic initiatives that enhance student success from pre-admission through to graduation and employment, ensuring a holistic approach to academic achievement, well-being, and caree...

In this episode of the Broken Education Podcast, Vygo’s Co-Founder & Co-CEO, Joel Di Trapani, sits down with Sam Jacob, Chief Executive Officer at Collarts (Australian College of the Arts). With over 30 years of experience in higher education, Sam has held pivotal roles, including Deputy Vice-Chancellor of Students & VET at Charles Darwin University, as well as other senior positions at To...

In this episode of the Broken Education Podcast, Vygo’s Co-Founder & Co-CEO, Joel Di Trapani, sits down with Ray Batra, Co-Founder of Future of Higher Ed. Ray is dedicated to solving complex problems by deeply understanding challenges, connecting innovative ideas, and executing with agility. His work focuses on shaping the future of higher education through transformative strategies and meanin...

In this episode of the Broken Education Podcast, Vygo’s Co-Founder & Co-CEO, Joel Di Trapani, sits down with Jamie Fitch, Co-Founder of OnlineMedEd, driving transformative solutions in higher education .Jamie spent nine years scaling OnlineMedEd’s educational platform, enhancing learning methodologies, and streamlining operations to prepare the next generation of healthcare professionals. Now...

In this episode of the Broken Education Podcast, Vygo’s Co-Founder & Co-CEO, Joel Di Trapani, sits down with Ron Reed, Founder & Former Executive Producer of SXSW EDU. With a background in educational publishing and technology, Ron helped pioneer the use of technology in education funding and later founded SXSW EDU in 2011. The event has since become a leading platform for innovation and c...

In this episode of the Broken Education Podcast, Vygo’s Co-Founder & Co-CEO, Joel Di Trapani, sits down with Kevin Bell Ed. D, Head of Higher Education and Research - ANZ at Amazon Web Services (AWS). A pioneering force in the realm of digital education, Kevin has been an early developer of large-scale online programs and EdTech initiatives. His focus is on leveraging digital innovation to emp...

In this episode of the Broken Education Podcast, Vygo’s Co-Founder & Co-CEO, Joel Di Trapani, sits down with Kai Talas, Co-Founder and Partner at Sparkmind.vc. As a seasoned Edtech VC investor, Kai specialises in pre-seed and beyond investments across Europe. With 20 years of expertise in strategy, business development, venture capital, and M&A, his career spans tech startups to multinatio...

In this episode of the Broken Education Podcast, Vygo’s Co-Founder & Co-CEO, Joel Di Trapani, sits down with Justin Downey and Jack Marsh, Co-Founders and Partners at Clearpact. Both experienced investment banking professionals and serial entrepreneurs, founded Clearpact, a next-generation investment bank. With extensive experience advising founder-led and private equity-backed companies in th...

In this episode of the Broken Education Podcast, Vygo’s Co-Founder & Co-CEO, Joel Di Trapani, sits down with Joshua Nester, Managing Director of SEEK Investments. With nearly two decades at SEEK, Joshua is on a mission to help millions find meaningful work. His leadership journey spans roles as CEO, Managing Director, and Chief Strategy Officer, where he’s been pivotal in reshaping global educ...

In this episode of the Broken Education Podcast, Vygo's Co-Founder & Co-CEO, Joel Di Trapani, sits down with Ryan O'Hare, CEO of Keypath Education Australia & Asia-Pacific. As the Founder & CEO, Ryan has driven Keypath's growth to become the largest Online Program Management company in APAC, specializing in postgraduate education. With over 20 years of experience in higher education, R...

In this episode of the Broken Education Podcast, Vygo's Co-Founder & Co-CEO, Joel Di Trapani, sits down with Seong Kim, Vice President of Corporate Strategy at Chegg. Seong shares his insights on driving corporate strategy for a leading publicly-traded B2C education technology company. With deep expertise in strategic research, growth planning, mergers and acquisitions, and investments, Seong...

In this episode of the Broken Education Podcast, Vygo’s Co-Founder & Co-CEO, Joel Di Trapani, sits down with Chase Williams, CEO and Co-Founder of Pathify. Since 2017, Chase has led Pathify, a company transforming student experiences by connecting them with essential resources. He previously served as Executive Director until 2021, overseeing various functions including Sales, Marketing, and C...

In this episode of the Broken Education Podcast, Vygo’s Co-Founder & Co-CEO, Joel Di Trapani, sits down with Joe Diamond, the CEO of AllCampus. With over 20 years of experience in higher education, Joe has been instrumental in generating awareness and driving positive student outcomes. Joe's commitment to creating a positive work environment and his dedication to student success have been key...

In this episode of the Broken Education Podcast, Vygo’s Co-Founder & Co-CEO, Joel Di Trapani, sits down with Reilly Davis. Reilly is the Co-Founder of PeopleGrove, a company on a mission to connect every student and professional with the mentors, advisers, and networks needed to realize their full potential and find fulfilling careers. PeopleGrove's mentorship and advising platform has been su...

In this episode of the Broken Education Podcast, Vygo’s Co-Founder & Co-CEO, Joel Di Trapani, sits down with Erin Mayhood. Erin is the CEO of Mentor Collective, a company dedicated to empowering individuals to realize their full potential through transformative mentorship. With over 20 years of experience in higher education and education technology development, Erin has a profound understandi...