In Conversation with Lev Gonick | CIO, Arizona State University – Edu Unlocked Podcast

Lev Gonick

Guest

Lev Gonick is an educator, technologist, and visionary smart city architect with more than 25 years of experience advancing the intersection of technology, education, and community innovation. As Enterprise Chief Information Officer at Arizona State University (ASU), he leads Enterprise Technology, which designs and manages the university’s enterprise infrastructure, applications, services, and analytics. He also serves as Chair of the Sun Corridor Network, Arizona’s Research and Education Network, driving digital connectivity and collaboration across the state.
Recognized as one of the nation’s leading technology executives in higher education, Lev was named Arizona’s Top Large Enterprise CIO by the ORBIE Awards (2023) and one of EdScoop’s Top 50 Educational Technology Leaders (2022). His work continues to shape the digital transformation of universities and smart communities worldwide.
Before joining ASU in 2017, Lev was the Co-founder and CEO of DigitalC, a nonprofit focused on innovation and equity through broadband networks, open data, and IoT solutions for public benefit. Earlier, he served as CIO at Case Western Reserve University (2001–2013), where his team earned international recognition for pioneering projects in community engagement, learning spaces, and high-speed network infrastructure. His Case Connection Zone initiative became a model for national efforts such as US Ignite and Gig.U, expanding gigabit connectivity to empower local communities.
Lev’s leadership has earned numerous national honors, including the Government Technology Top 25 Doers, Dreamers & Drivers Award, CIO 100 Award, ComputerWorld Premier 100 IT Leader, and NATOA Visionary of the Year.
Key Highlights:
1. Enterprise CIO at Arizona State University, leading large-scale digital transformation initiatives.
2. Chair of the Sun Corridor Network, advancing Arizona’s digital research infrastructure.
3. Co-founder and CEO of DigitalC, promoting broadband equity and civic innovation.
4. Former CIO at Case Western Reserve University; led nationally recognized network and smart city projects.
5. Recipient of major awards including ORBIE CIO of the Year (2023), EdScoop Top 50 (2022), and CIO 100.
6. Internationally recognized thought leader in educational technology, community broadband, and smart city design.

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