In Conversation with Robert Oliva | Vice President of Enrollment Management & Community Relations at St. Francis College – Edu Unlocked Podcast

Robert Oliva

Guest

Robert Oliva serves as the Assistant Vice President for Enrollment Management at St. Francis College, where he leads the admissions and financial aid teams in developing and executing strategic initiatives that attract, enroll, retain, and graduate a talented and diverse student body. His leadership ensures that students not only find their academic home at St. Francis but also receive the financial resources and support needed to thrive.
Since joining the College in 2009, Oliva has held several key positions, including Director of Recruitment, Director of Community Partnerships, Special Events and Campus Security, and Adjunct Professor. Beyond his administrative leadership, he has also been the public address announcer for St. Francis College’s men’s and women’s basketball teams since 2015—an embodiment of his deep connection to campus life and community engagement.
Before joining St. Francis College, Oliva was Director of Alumni Relations at Xaverian High School in Brooklyn and served as Chairman of the Police Officer Christopher Hoban Memorial Run Committee for 14 years. He also dedicated six years as a Director at St. Francis de Sales School for the Deaf, underscoring his commitment to service and educational access.
Oliva’s professional involvement extends across state and national organizations. He is a member of the Executive Board of the New York State Association for College Admission Counseling (NYSACAC), where he co-chairs the Winter Institute and the Scholarship Committee of CACNY. Additionally, he serves as a Member-at-Large for Study New York, promoting the state as a global education destination.
He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and Government from St. Francis College and a Master’s in Public Administration from Baruch College, City University of New York, where he was inducted into the Global Honors Society for Public Affairs and Administration. He also earned a Certificate in Leadership in Enrollment Management from the University of Southern California’s Rossier School of Education.
Key Highlights:
1. Leads enrollment management strategy, admissions, and financial aid at St. Francis College.
2. Nearly two decades of experience in higher education and alumni engagement.
3. Executive Board Member, NYSACAC; Member-at-Large, Study New York.
4. Former Director of Alumni Relations, Xaverian High School.
5. Deep community engagement and leadership across education and nonprofit initiatives.

Ashish Fernando

Host

Founder & CEO, EDMO
Ashish Fernando is the visionary founder and CEO of EDMO, a revolutionary educational technology platform that's transforming how people learn and grow. With over 15 years of experience in education and technology, Ashish has dedicated his career to making quality education accessible to learners worldwide. Before founding EDMO, Ashish held leadership positions at several prominent EdTech companies and worked as an educational consultant for Fortune 500 companies. He holds an MBA from Stanford Graduate School of Business and a Master's in Computer Science from MIT. Ashish is a frequent speaker at educational conferences and has been featured in publications such as EdTech Magazine, Learning & Development Today, and TechCrunch. He's passionate about the intersection of technology and human potential, believing that the right tools can unlock extraordinary learning outcomes for everyone. Under his leadership, EDMO has grown to serve over 100,000 learners globally and has partnerships with leading educational institutions and corporations. Ashish continues to drive innovation in personalized learning, adaptive assessment, and educational analytics.
Key Achievements:
1. Founded EDMO in 2019, now serving 100,000+ learners globally
2. Named 'EdTech Innovator of the Year' by Learning Technology Awards 2023
3. Featured speaker at Global Education Summit 2024
4. Published researcher in educational technology and learning analytics
5. Advisor to multiple EdTech startups and educational initiatives