Dr. Cristi Ford of D2L and Dr. Angela Gunder of Opened Culture bring decades of leadership in online learning strategy, design, and quality assurance to international nonprofit’s board

(PRUnderground) June 17th, 2025

Quality Matters (QM), the leading nonprofit organization advancing quality assurance and continuous improvement in digital learning, today announced the appointment of two nationally recognized leaders in virtual learning and academic innovation to its Board of Directors: Dr. Angela Gunder, CEO and founder of Opened Culture, and Dr. Cristi Ford, Chief Learning Officer at D2L.

“Both Angela and Cristi represent the very best of our field and leadership in online and digital learning — bringing with them a proven track record and a unique blend of expertise in digital transformation, course design and technology implementation and evaluation,” said Dr. Deb Adair, CEO of Quality Matters. “At a time when more institutions are embracing digital learning, their strategic insights and field-tested experience will help us deepen our impact and meet the moment. We’re honored to have Cristi and Angela join the innovative, quality-first leaders serving on QM’s board of directors.”

The appointments mark a new chapter for Quality Matters as it enters a period of continued expansion and impact, following the public launch of QM Consulting — a new line of service offerings designed to help institutions and systems implement strategic digital learning solutions grounded in QM’s renowned quality assurance standards. As higher education leaders increasingly prioritize scalable and sustainable approaches to online learning, the expansion of QM’s board strengthens its capacity to guide institutional leadership through a rapidly evolving digital education landscape.

• Dr. Cristi Ford is the Chief Learning Officer at D2L, a global leader in education technology, where she brings over two decades of experience driving innovation across higher education, secondary education and global learning systems. A recognized leader in digital learning strategy, she has guided institutions in scaling online education, strengthening instructional design and advancing faculty development. Her work has spanned the U.S. and the African continent, shaping inclusive, learner-centered approaches across institutional and corporate settings.

A former professor of psychology and academic administrator, Dr. Ford has built and launched dozens of online programs grounded in quality standards. At D2L, she leads efforts to help institutions meet the needs of today’s diverse learners while supporting system-wide transformation in teaching and learning. She was named a 2022 OLC Fellow for her contributions to online education and received the 2024 Mildred and Charles Wedemeyer Award for excellence in distance learning practice.

• Dr. Angela Gunder is the CEO and founder of Opened Culture (OEC), a strategic consultancy that supports institutions in fostering cultures of openness through innovative pedagogy, digital transformation, and academic innovation. Previously, she served as Chief Academic Officer and Vice President of Learning at the Online Learning Consortium (OLC), where she oversaw strategy and operations and led the consortium’s engagement with the Every Learner Everywhere network—advancing equity in digital learning with support from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Gunder’s connection to QM dates back more than a decade to her work at Northern Virginia Community College, later deepening through her leadership of the Digital Learning team at the University of Arizona.

The board expansion comes as QM builds on nearly two decades of international leadership in quality assurance and scales its ability to support institutions through high-touch advising, implementation, and evaluation services. Through QM Consulting and its expanded board, the organization is poised to help even more colleges and universities design student-centered digital learning environments that support retention, completion and equitable outcomes.

About Quality Matters

Grounded in research. Driven by best practices. A community that puts learners first. Quality Matters (QM) is the global organization leading quality assurance in online and innovative digital teaching and learning environments. It provides a scalable quality assurance system for online and blended learning used within and across organizations. When you see QM Recognition and Certification Marks on courses or programs, it means they have met QM Course or Program Quality Standards in a rigorous review process.

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Original Press Release.