Keynote: John Weiner
Assessment industry adviser / former Chief Science Officer
John Weiner is an independent adviser providing strategic consulting to assessment-focused organizations in credentialing, talent assessment, and education. Formerly the Chief Science Officer at PSI, he led global consulting, R&D, psychometrics, and assessment content departments, and supported M&A initiatives. Throughout his four-decade career, he has led the development of solutions for private and public sector organizations, certifying bodies, and regulators. He has served as an expert witness and arbitrator in testing-related cases and gained governance experience as a board member in two non-profit assessment associations. A recognized thought leader, John has authored numerous publications and delivered over 160 conference presentations addressing assessment issues, research, and trends; and he contributed as co-chair and editor of the recent ITC/ATP Guidelines for Technology-Based Assessment. John holds a master’s degree in quantitative psychology and his professional honors include being named a SIOP Fellow and receiving the ATP’s 2024 Professional Contributions and Service to Testing Award.
Don’t miss his session: The Automated Future Of Assessment
Keynote: Andreas Schleicher
Director for Education and Skills, Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)
Andreas Schleicher is Director for Education and Skills at the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). He initiated and oversees the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) and other international instruments that have created a global platform for policy-makers, researchers and educators across nations and cultures to innovate and transform educational policies and practices. He has worked for over 20 years with education leaders around the world to improve quality and equity in education.
Before joining the OECD, Andreas was Director for Analysis at the International Association for Educational Achievement (IEA). He studied Physics in Germany and received a degree in Mathematics and Statistics in Australia. He is the recipient of numerous honours and awards, including the ‘Theodor Heuss’ prize, awarded in the name of the first president of the Federal Republic of Germany for “exemplary democratic engagement”. He holds an honorary Professorship at the University of Heidelberg.
Don’t miss his session: Learning in the world of AI, assessment for the world of AI
Keynote: John Winkley
Education expert
John Winkley is an education expert, and was formerly Director of AlphaPlus, an education business that specialises in the design, development and deployment of qualifications and their underpinning assessments, across primary and secondary schools, vocational and workplace education, and professional education.
John is an experienced leader of projects in education and assessment, and in UK education and technology businesses, and specialised in developing services for standards, qualifications and assessment agencies in the UK and overseas,
John was a founding director of the eAssessment Association and has spoken at numerous conferences internationally on the use of technology in assessment. He is also Chairman of The Beckfoot Trust, a Multi-Academy Trust comprising 10 schools in West Yorkshire.
Don’t miss his session: Transforming formative assessment for the modern era
Ian Brumfitt
Chief Operating Officer, Surpass Assessment
Ian Brumfitt is Chief Operating Officer with full responsibility for the customer journey across the e-assessment lifecycle—from initial implementation through to live service and ongoing support. He leads delivery, customer success, and service operations to ensure that the solution is deployed smoothly and continues to perform reliably in live environments.
With 20 years’ experience in the e-assessment sector, Ian ensures that clients receive the functionality, system performance, and support they need to deliver high-stakes assessments with confidence. His focus on operational excellence and long-term client success helps build trusted partnerships and drives measurable outcomes for education and assessment providers.
Amanda Dainis
CEO | Lead Psychometrician, Dainis and Company, Inc
Saffron Dunk, CAPM
Project Manager, The Chartered Institute for Securities & Investment (CISI)
Saffron Dunk CAPM® is a Project Manager at the Chartered Institute for Securities & Investment (CISI). With a background in exam delivery at British Council, Saffron joined the CISI’s Operations team in 2020, focusing on the delivery of their session-based exam portfolio. In 2021, she moved to the Qualifications team, before developing her skills in project management in 2024. Saffron most recently co-managed the transition of CISI’s multiple-choice question, on-demand exam portfolio to the Surpass Assessment platform.
Adam Foley
Head of Digital Innovation, Surpass Assessment
Adam Foley is a Charted Fellow of the Chartered Management Institute and has led the creation of digital exams and linked innovation for over 20 years. As an early adopter of digital exams, he has directed vocational, professional and high-stakes GQ delivery, and has a wealth of experience creating bespoke and trusted solutions for global blue-chip clients.
Adam has a well-established history in the assessment sector, having previously worked with AAT, Pearson, ACCA, ICAEW and AQA developing alternative assessment solutions and driving sector adoption.
Adam has a keen interest in AI and Machine Learning as well as creative and innovative uses of Edtech. He believes education is the foundation that we build our society on, and it is the very best way to secure a positive future.
Georgie Jones
Assessment Specialist, Surpass Assessment
As an Assessment Specialist, Georgie works in the Business Development team to understand organisations’ assessment needs and advise on their use of Surpass. Georgie joined Surpass Assessment in 2017 as a Technical Author. She has previously managed the Documentation and Training team, overseeing the implementation of the new Surpass Help site. During her time at Surpass, she has worked closely with a range of awarding organisations and industry partners to use Surpass, gaining a wealth of experience in the design and implementation of online assessments.
Georgie’s background in the education sector feeds into her work with Surpass. In 2015, she completed her PGCE in Secondary English, then continued to study for a MA Education part–time with the University of Nottingham while working as an English teacher in secondary schools. Her research focused on the effect of the 2013 changes to the National Curriculum for English, gathering both student and teacher experiences and perspectives. Since moving to Surpass, Georgie has found her wider experience of the education industry invaluable.
Andy McAnulla
Co-Chief Executive Officer, Surpass Assessment
Andy has been heavily involved in the design and implementation of assessment technology for over 20 years. Andy has a strong technology background in software engineering and architecture and is highly experienced in leading software development at large scale. Earlier in his career at Surpass, Andy received the IT Practitioner of the Year Award from the UK’s Chartered Institute of IT for his leadership and implementation of the breakthrough assessment technology that later became known as the Surpass Platform. Surpass now powers many of the world’s largest and most prestigious assessment programmes.
In 2017, Andy relocated with his family from the UK to establish the US office in Pennsylvania to service the North American assessment market. As Co-CEO, Andy works in partnership with Sonya Whitworth to continue the strong growth of Surpass Assessment globally and supports the technology team in the ongoing development of the Surpass Platform and roadmap.
Andy has served as a director for various industry associations, including ATP and the e-Assessment Association, as well as on various industry committees, providing guidance on the judicious use of technology in the assessment process. Andy is passionate about sharing experiences and good practices that may help organisations to provide students with the best possible assessment experiences and outcomes.
Lesley Perry, MInstAM
Senior Manager for Scheduling in Administration, The Chartered Institute for Securities & Investment (CISI)
Lesley is the Senior Manager for Scheduling and Administration at CISI. Lesley joined the CISI in 2007 and has amassed a wealth of experience from the several roles held across the organisation. Day-to-day, she manages the exam publication schedule for 74 multiple-choice computer-based exams, ensuring smooth and timely delivery. In addition to this, Lesley played a key role in the organisation’s transition to Surpass and was instrumental in leading the content migration process and supporting her team through a smooth and successful transition.
Laura Steighner
Director of Test Development Customer Experience, Surpass Assessment
Laura Steighner, PhD, is an industrial-organizational psychologist with over 30 years’ experience consulting with professional associations, non-profit organizations, and federal agencies, delivering data-driven insights with a focus on assessment, program evaluation, and performance measurement. For 14 years, she led the multi-disciplinary test development team for the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT), a high-stakes, nationally administered standardized assessment, leading it through various complex transitions that often required changes to workflow and related processes.
As the Director of Test Development Customer Experience at Surpass, Laura works closely with customers to investigate and understand how they use Surpass to support their test development efforts with the ultimate goal of identifying enhancements to Surpass functionality, as well as ways that customers can derive greater value from the Surpass technology.
In addition, she serves as an accreditation assessor for the ANSI National Accreditation Board (ANAB) for the ISO/IEC 17024, personnel certification. In 2007, she received the Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology’s (SIOP’s) M. Scott Myers Award for Applied Research in the Workplace.
John Turner
Solutions Engineer, Surpass Assessment
As a Solutions Engineer, John is part of the wider Product Management team. His primary responsibility is to design, implement, and optimize solutions that address customer business needs and support effective product change. He works closely with Product Owners, Technical Architects, Business Development, and Customer Success teams to ensure technical delivery aligns with business objectives and platform capabilities. John provides expert guidance on best practices for Surpass API usage and supports migration projects by translating complex requirements into clear, actionable tasks, while maintaining open communication with stakeholders throughout the process.
John joined Surpass in 2021 after completing his undergraduate degree at Millersville University. Since then, he has delivered operational support and automation solutions that have streamlined processes for customers delivering both high and low-stakes exams. He is TOGAF-certified and committed to applying structured architectural principles to deliver scalable, maintainable solutions. John is passionate about bridging the gap between technical execution and business value, ensuring that every implementation meets both immediate needs and long-term strategic goals.