Staff
Core Team
Alison Ascher Webber
Director of Strategic Initiatives
Alison Ascher Webber develops and directs innovative projects that advance digital equity and leverage technology to increase the reach and impact of education and workforce programs. Alison co-leads Digital US, a national initiative to close digital skills gaps by 2030. She advises online learning and ICT4D initiatives including for the National Immigration Forum, UNESCO, and the Employment Technology Fund @ JFF. Previous roles include Education Director at mLearning company Cell-Ed and Associate Director at Avasant Foundation. Alison served as first Executive Director of the Leadership Training & Education Fund for janitors across California and helped form the award-winning Building Skills Partnership. Alison holds a Master’s in Education.
Victoria Neff
Assistant Director of the EdTech Center
Victoria Neff is the Assistant Director of the EdTech Center and supports global edtech partnerships, e/mLearning projects and innovative engagements in North America, Africa and Asia. Victoria joins the EdTech Center from World Education’s Asia & Special Projects division, where she managed ICT4D and educational technology initiatives, from using mobile technology to optimize data collection for early grade literacy assessments under the TEST project to advising the Cambodian government and UNESCO to design and pilot the first online equivalency program for out of school youth under the Basic Education Equivalency Project (BEEP). Victoria has spent the last decade working in the education and global development and is passionate about catalyzing innovative partnerships and harnessing mLearning to accelerate learning and life outcomes.
Jeff Goumas
Digital Learning Lead
Ebony Vandross
E-Learning and Communications Associate
Ebony Vandross supports the EdTech Center in addition to multiple projects for the World Education U.S. division. She developed an interest in the field of adult education as a Literacy Volunteer with the Boston Public Library, and as a Resource Center Volunteer with Women’s Lunch Place. After arriving at WEI she became involved with The Change Agent, drawn to the publication and its commitment to center the voices of adult literacy students, immigrants, and people of color. She hopes this work will aid her in her support of social justice and progress for marginalized communities.
Jen Vanek, PhD
Director of Digital Learning and Research
Priyanka Sharma
Project Director
Priyanka Sharma leads innovative projects for the EdTech Center @ World Education on college and career readiness, technology integration, digital transformation, and digital skills development. Priyanka co-leads Digital US, a national initiative to close digital skills gaps by 2030, and also directs the New England Literacy Resource Center (NELRC), leading projects that emerge from collaboration among the policy-makers, professional developers, and practitioners in the five member states.
With a deep commitment to social justice and community involvement, she has served as the Board Chair of The City School, a youth leadership organization based in Boston. She previously served as the Board President of Friends of Community Learning Center, raising resources and public awareness for the Community Learning Center in Cambridge, MA.
Annalisa Crowe
Research and Program Support Associate
Annalisa supports digital inclusion projects including Equity in mLearning and Digital Navigators to advance technology access, digital skills development, and digital learning for millions of adults who have not yet had opportunities to develop digital skills. She holds a B.A. in psychology and education and brings to World Education a commitment to social justice and equity in education. Her background as the granddaughter of a Mexican immigrant who was met with immense barriers to further developing his education sparked her interest in developing innovative projects to improve adult education.