TORONTO–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Top Hat, a market leader in student engagement solutions in higher education, is pleased to welcome Nicole Taylor to its Board of Directors. As an independent board member, Taylor’s unique combination of higher education leaders and commitment to advancing social justice issues will be invaluable to guide Top Hat’s mission of empowering educators to deliver personalized, meaningful, and equitable learning to every student in every course to offer.
“Nicole’s longstanding commitment to leading and empowering organizations that fill injustice gaps in our society is truly inspiring,” said Joe Rohrlich, CEO of Top Hat. “Her experience as a senior administrator at some of the most respected universities in the United States is the perfect addition to our board and supports our focus on partnering with institutions to transform the learning experience for students at scale.”
Taylor brings deep expertise in higher education, having served as Vice President of the ASU Foundation and Associate Vice President and Undergraduate Dean at Arizona State University, a school widely recognized as one of the most innovative institutions in the United States. Prior to her current role as President and CEO of the Silicon Valley Community Foundation, the nation’s largest community foundation, she was Associate Vice President of Student Affairs and Dean of Community Involvement and Diversity at Stanford University.
Taylor’s early experience as an educator in the Oakland public school system shaped her lifelong commitment to education and improving the lives of young people. These include leadership roles at the Thrive Foundation for Youth, College Track and the East Bay Community Foundation, where she raised millions for the African American Male Achievement Initiative, a program credited with significantly increasing graduation rates among black male college students. For her many accomplishments and contributions to fighting inequality, Taylor was recently included in Forbes Magazine’s 2022 50 Over 50 list.
“Higher education has been such an important part of my life and despite many challenges, it remains the surest path to success and well-being for our youth,” says Taylor. “I couldn’t be more excited to support an organization that touches so many students and is so committed to ensuring that as many people as possible benefit from an inclusive, quality and engaging university education.”
About cylinder
Top Hat is North America’s premier dynamic courseware platform, empowering educators to leverage best-practice student-centered teaching practices through interactive content, tools and activities in face-to-face, online and hybrid classroom environments. To accelerate student impact and ROI, the company offers a range of change management services, including faculty training and instructional design assistance, integration and data management services, and digital content customization. Thousands of educators at 750 leading North American colleges and universities use Top Hat to create meaningful, engaging, and accessible learning experiences for students before, during, and after class.
