Alex Parraga is the chief digital officer at UC Santa Barbara, a position he's held since 2014 when he first joined the university. He oversees university branding and digital strategy and is leading the charge to build marketing capabilities across campus.
Prior to joining UC Santa Barbara, Parraga spent the majority of his professional career in the advertising industry. That's where he originally found his passion for brand building and integrated marketing communications at agencies including Ogilvy and BBDO and with client partners such as Mars Chocolate, General Electric and American Express.
He's a graduate of NYU's Stern School of Business where he earned a bachelor's degree in marketing and management.

Nels Henderson has taught marketing courses in strategy, web commerce, and web analytics for over 30 years. He also has been responsible for web optimization and content management for Citrix Systems, managed and consulted for political campaigns from Mayor to Congress, and served as president of the board to several non-profit organizations in Santa Barbara, California. Highly trained in Agile methodology, leadership, and facilitation skills, Nels received his BA in Political Science at the University of California at Santa Barbara. He also holds a Master's Degree in Organizational Management from Antioch University.

The representative from the Digital Marketing Institute (DMI) is Dr Alex Tierney. As a Global Partner Account Manager, Alex works with education partners around the world to implement DMI content into their curricula. With experience in operational and educational roles, Alex brings a learner-centred approach to her work with partners.