The Champions Coffee Podcast
A podcast series of 10-15 minute live virtual conversations (with virtual coffee) between Ben Hallett (CEO/Co-Founder, Vygo) and various industry professionals in the education or student success space.
Episodes
In this episode of the Champions Coffee Podcast, Vygo Co-Founder & Co-CEO Ben Hallett sits down with Nadine Zacharias, Managing Director and Founder of Equity by Design. A national leader in student equity and engagement, Nadine brings deep expertise in driving systemic transformation at the intersection of practice, research, and policy. Her work challenges the status quo in tertiary education to build a more equitable and hig...
In this episode of the Champions Coffee Podcast, Vygo Co-Founder & Co-CEO Ben Hallett chats with Jeremiah Shinn, Interim President and former Vice President for Student Affairs & Enrollment Management at Boise State University. A first-generation college student turned seasoned higher ed leader, Jeremiah brings over two decades of experience transforming institutions through creativity, student-centered strategy, and inclus...
In this episode of the Champions Coffee Podcast, Vygo Co-Founder & Co-CEO Ben Hallett speaks with Yeo Lay, Dean of Students at the Student Success Centre, Singapore University of Social Sciences. A passionate educator and leader in experiential learning, Yeo Lay brings a visionary approach to nurturing student growth within a supportive and values-driven community. With a leadership style rooted in integrity, responsibility, an...
In this episode of the Champions Coffee Podcast, Vygo Co-Founder & Co-CEO Ben Hallett connects with Shane Long, Assistant Dean of Students at the University of New England. With over two decades in student affairs, Shane brings a wealth of experience in driving student success through innovative leadership, policy development, and cross-functional collaboration. A consultant and coach, he empowers higher education professionals...
Recorded at the backdrop of UA Solutions Summit 2025, this special episode of the Champions Coffee Podcast features a conversation between Vygo’s Co-Founder & Co-CEO, Ben Hallett, and Professor Romy Lawson, Senior Deputy Vice-Chancellor at Flinders University.
With an extensive career spanning leadership roles across Australian and UK universities, Romy is a recognised expert in educational transformation, learning innovation, a...
In this episode of the Champions Coffee Podcast, Vygo Co-Founder & Co-CEO Ben Hallett sits down with Tim Winkler, Director at Twig Marketing and Rocketshop, and Publisher of Future Campus. With an unconventional start sterilising infectious waste in a university lab, Tim’s journey has evolved into a powerhouse career in journalism, communications, and strategy—particularly in the higher education sector.
In this episode of the Champions Coffee Podcast, Vygo Co-Founder & Co-CEO Ben Hallett sits down with Jake Garman, Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Vice President, International at Edith Cowan University. With a sharp focus on strategic growth and global engagement, Jake leads ECU’s international priorities during a pivotal time for Australian higher education. A respected leader known for building strong global partnerships and foste...
Recorded at the backdrop of UA Solutions Summit 2025, this special episode of the Champions Coffee Podcast features a conversation between Vygo’s Co-Founder & Co-CEO, Ben Hallett, and Professor Jessica Vanderlelie, Deputy Vice-Chancellor Academic at La Trobe University. Jessica also serves as Co-Chair of Universities Australia Women and Deputy Chair of the Universities Australia DVC Academic Committee.
A nationally recognised le...
Recorded at the backdrop of UA Solutions Summit 2025, this special episode of the Champions Coffee Podcast features a conversation between Vygo’s APAC Director of Sales, Lyndin Francis, and Michelle Crosby, Chief Operating Officer at Charles Sturt University.
A transformative, people-focused leader, Michelle brings extensive senior executive experience across government (Commonwealth and State) and the private sector, spanning gover...
Recorded at the backdrop of UA Solutions Summit 2025, this special episode of the Champions Coffee Podcast features a conversation between Vygo’s APAC Director of Sales, Lyndin Francis, and Mark Erickson, Academic Registrar at the University of Sydney.
A seasoned higher education leader, Mark brings a proven track record as a Director/Registrar, driving excellent outcomes and spearheading transformative change. With deep expert...
In this episode of the Champions Coffee Podcast, Vygo Co-Founder & Co-CEO Ben Hallett sits down with Dr. Marlene Tromp, President of Boise State University. With a trailblazing career spanning AAU institutions like UC Santa Cruz (provost) and Arizona State (dean/vice provost), Marlene has driven Boise State into global partnerships like UPWARDS at the G7 Summit and the U.S. Council on Competitiveness. A champion of access, she’...
Recorded at the backdrop of UA Solutions Summit 2025, this special episode of the Champions Coffee Podcast features a conversation between Vygo’s APAC Director of Sales, Lyndin Francis, and Professor Geoff Hinchcliffe, Interim Pro Vice-Chancellor (Learning & Teaching) at The Australian National University (ANU).With a strong background in design, digital technology, and data visualisation, Geoff is leading ANU’s efforts to crea...
In this episode of the Champions Coffee Podcast, Vygo Co-Founder & Co-CEO Ben Hallet sits down with Glen Babington, Chief Operating Officer at the University of Technology Sydney. With extensive experience in mergers, transformations, and leadership across education, utilities, and defence, Glen is passionate about building resilient teams, driving process simplification, and leveraging data analytics and digital innovation to ...
In this episode of the Champions Coffee Podcast, Vygo’s APAC Head of Partner Engagement, Lyndin Francis sits down with Professor Guy Littlefair, the outgoing Pro Vice-Chancellor International and Executive Dean at Auckland University of Technology (AUT). With a distinguished career spanning academia, industry, and global partnerships, Guy has been instrumental in shaping innovative and inclusive education models that drive real-wor...
In this episode of the Champions Coffee Podcast, Vygo Co-Founder & Co-CEO Ben Hallet sits down with Jonathan Powles, Vice President of Student Success at CQUniversity. As an executive leader in higher education, Jonathan has a proven track record in driving change and innovation across universities. With expertise in curriculum transformation, learning technologies, learner analytics, and academic development, he has led instit...
In this episode of the Champions Coffee Podcast, Vygo Co-Founder & Co-CEO Ben Hallet sits down with Richard Dobek, former Interim Executive Principal, Student Experience at the University of New England (AU), an executive leader with a passion for people, transformation, and operations. With extensive experience in human resources, strategy, and change management. He plays a key role in enhancing student engagement and operatio...
In this episode of the Champions Coffee Podcast, Vygo’s Head of Partner Engagement, Lyndin Francis, sits down with Professor Elizabeth Johnson, Senior Deputy Vice-Chancellor Academic at Deakin University.
In this episode of the Champions Coffee Podcast, Vygo's Regional Director of Partners for EMEA, Hannah Gardner, sits down with Ellie Garraway, CEO of Grit, an organization reshaping mindsets in universities, schools, and local authorities. With a diverse background in theatre, coaching, and positive psychology, Ellie has dedicated over 20 years to empowering students and communities, fostering self-belief, and promoting studen...
In this episode of the Champions Coffee Podcast, Vygo Co-Founder & Co-CEO Ben Hallet sits down with Russell Bailey, Head of Transformation at Murdoch University. With over 25 years of experience across higher education, Russell leads a diverse team of IT professionals, including enterprise architects, business analysts, and project managers. His expertise in strategic planning, project management, and IT architecture drives Mur...
In this episode of the Champions Coffee Podcast, Vygo Co-Founder Ben Hallet sits down with Dr. Omer Yezdani, Chief Data Officer at the University of the Sunshine Coast, whose career spans over 25 years in public, nonprofit, and higher education sectors. Known for his expertise in data, AI, and governance, Dr. Yezdani has led transformation across multiple industries, from his early work in communications technology with an ASX-list...
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