Meet our speakers

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  Fadl Al Tarzi

  Chief Executive Officer

  Fadl founded Nexford University in 2018, with a vision to enable greater social and economic mobility through high-quality, affordable education. His vision stemmed from having built four startups employing over 500 people across 10 emerging markets. Throughout his entrepreneurial journey he witnessed how lack of access to affordable, high-quality education impacts societies across the world.

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  Fadl became an entrepreneur at 18, and has accumulated 17 years’ experience founding digital marketing and SaaS startups, leading award winning digital engagement and digital transformation projects. Cumulatively, his startups have raised over $15 million in growth capital and employ more than 500 people globally. Under News Group International, he launched and grew SOCIALEYEZ from two to more than 120 people globally. He has worked with Fortune 500s, global consumer brands such as Starbucks, and governments in the US, Europe and MENA regions. Fadl has lived in Cairo, Paris, Washington DC, Dubai and London. He holds a BBA from the American University in Cairo and management degrees from George Washington and Middlesex Universities.

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  Dr. Cathy Plunkett

  Chief Academic Officer

  Dr. Cathy Plunkett serves as Nexford’s Chief Academic Officer. She has more than three decades of experience in education, starting as a teacher and principal in K-12 and moving to post-secondary education over 15 years ago.

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  Dr. Plunkett has had leadership positions in both the academic and business sides of an institution, serving as a Campus Director, Regional Director, Executive Vice President of Academic Affairs and Director of Regulatory Compliance. The knowledge and experience gained in all of these positions provide solid platform to provide support and guidance to all all departments of the university to ensure compliance with accreditation and state licensing standards. She is passionate about learning and providing students with a positive educational environment for them to meet their educational goals and ultimately succeed in their chosen career.

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  Carlos Gutierrez

  Former US Secretary of Commerce and Former CEO of Kellogg Company

  Born in Havana, Cuba, Carlos Miguel Gutierrez is an American former CEO and former United States Secretary of Commerce. He is currently a Co-Founder and Executive Chairman of EmPath and was also a former Chairman of the Board and CEO of the Kellogg Company.

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  Carlos is not just a captain of industry, appointed by former US President George W. Bush, he also served as the 35th U.S. Secretary of Commerce from 2005 to 2009, and was actively involved in U.S.-Cuba policy alongside Co-Chair Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice. Regarding matters of higher education, in February 2009, Gutierrez was named a Scholar at the University of Miami’s Institute for Cuban and Cuban American Studies and In April 2009 he joined the university's board of trustees.

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  Morgan Davis

  Chief Executive Officer of TowneBank

  Morgan Davis is a founding officer, director and CEO of TowneBank where he oversees growth and profitability. He is an alumnus of Old Dominion University and served as founding President and CEO of Princess Anne Commercial Bank for 13 years prior to forming TowneBank. Active in the community, he's served on the boards for dozens of profit and nonprofit organizations during his 40-plus-year career.