As Chief Executive Officer of XanEdu Publishing and NA Publishing, Inc., Alar oversees the global products and services operations for both companies.

Prior to joining XanEdu Publishing, Inc. in August 2011, Alar was Executive Vice President at Cengage Learning and Training Solutions and also worked for McGraw-Hill College Division. Alar’s extensive experience in higher education, publishing, sales, and management will help extend XanEdu’s history as a trusted and valued partner of universities, academic programs, faculty, bookstores and students around the world.

Alar received his B.A. from Colgate University and has completed MBA coursework at Seton Hall University.

As Chief Financial Officer, John manages finance and human resources.

Previously, John served as CFO at Applimation, Inc., a world-wide provider of application data management software that was acquired by Informatica in early 2009. His experience at Applimation included all facets of financial management, from acquisitions to international tax to treasury management. John also worked for Allied Domecq and Price Waterhouse.

John earned his Bachelor’s degree from Central Michigan University, has completed executive studies at the University of Michigan and Babson College, and is a registered Certified Public Accountant in the State of Michigan.

As Chief Technology Officer (CTO), Marc designs, manages, and supports digital strategies and systems to deliver maximum value to our customers. His portfolio spans all facets of technology, including architecture, engineering, infrastructure, and customer-facing technical support.

Marc previously held technical leadership roles at SkillCheck and First Advantage, most recently acting as Senior Director of Software Development for First Advantage.  Marc began his career writing curriculum and software for QWIZ (now part of SHL).

Marc earned his undergraduate degree at Wesleyan University in Middletown, Connecticut.  He is based in Boston, Massachusetts where, in addition to all things technical, he pursues music composition and enjoys almost any DIY project, from amplifier circuit design to whole-house renovation.

As Senior Vice President of Product Development, Nicole is responsible for setting the strategic direction of the company’s technology products, including the award-winning Folio-X e-learning platform.

Over her 15 year career, Nicole has built and led teams in developing innovative print, digital, and e-learning products. She has held leadership positions such as VP, Publisher at Course Technology and Executive Director, Learning Solutions at Course Technology Cengage Learning. Her specialties include education market experience in acquisitions, divestitures, contract negotiation, and digital transformation, as well as management of editorial, marketing and technology teams.

Nicole received her B.A. from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst.

As Vice President of Sales, Mike focuses on identifying growth opportunities, designing and implementing strategic sales initiatives, and overseeing the day-to-day operations of the XanEdu worldwide sales division.

Mike has a distinguished career in higher education, custom publishing, and technology.  He has held positions ranging from Sales Director, Regional Sales Manager and Executive Marketing Manager.  At Pearson, Mike was a four time winner of Regional Manager of the Year.  Earlier in his career, Mike helped drive strong sales growth at Cengage, where he identified and managed expansion into new markets.

At the heart of Mike’s success is his passion to find and deliver solutions that meet and exceed customer expectations.

Mike earned his  B.A. in Business Management from the University of West Florida. Mike and his wife, Sue, reside in Las Vegas, Nevada.

As Vice President of Service and Fulfillment, Karen is responsible for overseeing the XanEdu Operations team which includes fulfillment and customer service.

Karen has over 20 years of publishing experience, including the migration from print-focused to electronic workflows, the implementation of digital publishing programs, content acquisition and development, and vendor management.  She has held leadership positions as Interim Director at University of Michigan Press, Executive Director of Content and Media Production at Cengage Learning and VP of Editorial Development at Thomson Gale.

Karen earned her Bachelor’s degree in Biological Sciences from the University of Michigan–Dearborn and also received her MBA from Universitas Global 21, Singapore.

As Vice President of Marketing, Dianne oversees all aspects of marketing, advertising, and public relations for XanEdu.

Dianne has over 18 years of professional experience in technology, marketing strategy, lead generation, public relations, advertising, writing and event management.  She has held leadership roles such as Marketing Manager at Compuware Corporation, Marketing Director at Applimation, and Senior Account Executive at Campbell-Ewald.

Dianne earned her B.A.  in English and Communications from the University of Michigan and her M.A. in Journalism and Public Relations from Wayne State University.