New role focuses on the educator experience and amplifying the power of teaching as the company scales for global growth
SALT LAKE CITY — September 18, 2023 — Instructure, the leading learning platform and maker of Canvas, today announced Melissa Loble as its Chief Academic Officer. Loble, a one-of-a-kind edtech leader with extensive experience as an educator in both K-12 and higher education institutions, will build out the global academic strategy function to ensure the educator experience remains core to everything the company does.
A well-known thought leader in the edtech space with extensive experience as an educator in both K-12 and higher education institutions, Loble is an ideal fit for the role of chief academic officer. At Instructure, she has held executive leadership positions for over nine years in roles overseeing support, client success, services, community, partnerships and platform. She has also taught throughout her career, starting as a high school social science teacher and now teaches higher education courses that focus on managing technology for educational change and crafting innovative learning environments.
In this expanded role, Loble will help bring a focus on innovation and creating positive learning experiences worldwide to every organization in the company. She will continue to interface closely with customers as she leads Instructure’s customer success, support, community and services organizations. Loble will work with every organization to provide greater visibility into the challenges facing educators worldwide as Instructure serves higher education, K-12, government and professional services customers.
“As Instructure continues to rapidly scale globally to meet the evolving needs of learners, infusing an understanding of the nuanced needs of customers into every process is crucial,” said Steve Daly, CEO of Instructure. “Creating the role of chief academic officer reflects our shared priority of protecting the integrity of the academic experience and amplifying the power of teaching globally. Melissa’s unique mix of edtech and academic experience along with her empathetic approach to leadership make her the perfect fit for this strategic position.”
The creation of the chief academic officer role underscores Instructure’s commitment to keeping educators at the center of the teaching and learning experience. While generative AI creates concerns among some about a reduced role of experienced teachers in the classroom, Instructure believes the role of technology is to free up educators to focus on what they do best. Throughout its 15-year history Instructure has built educator-focused teams, many with real-world teaching experience. Empowering forward-thinking educator advocates throughout the global organization is essential to delivering relevant solutions that elevate student success at any educational level.
“I’m excited to continue this incredible journey at Instructure as we work to inspire everyone to learn together,” said Melissa Loble. “As I develop this new role, working alongside the Instructure executive team, employees, customers and partners, I look forward to elevating the voice of educators and reinforcing the critical role of teachers in creating a better future.”
Loble has been a powerful advocate for expanded access to quality education for all students worldwide while serving in various edtech industry positions. She currently serves as Chair of 1EdTech Board of Directors, the world’s leading non-profit collaboration dedicated to powering learner potential by fostering an open, trusted and innovative edtech ecosystem. She also holds several advisory roles at organizations such as Internet2, Terracotta and Utah Valley University.
Loble earned a bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of California, Los Angeles, a master’s degree in educational policy from Teachers’ College, Columbia University and a Master of Business Administration with an emphasis on leadership from the Columbia Business School.
