How a VIU alum is shaping the future of learning
As Manager of Customer Enablement at D2L, a Canadian-based company that makes learning management software, Whitney Williams spends her days helping educators around the world use technology to inspire learning and connection.
She graduated in 2019 with a Bachelor of Education and a clear sense of purpose – to make a difference in how people teach and learn.
“Any success I have found today has been, in large part, due to the lessons I learned about critical thinking, decision making, professional presence and innovative educational practice at VIU,” she says. “I felt deeply valued and celebrated at VIU, and I'm so grateful to have had such a supportive launching pad.”
Why did you choose VIU for your education?
When I was considering making the switch from UVic to VIU, I met with an education professor and adviser, David Sufrin. At the time, I had been studying Music at UVic but was seriously thinking about pursuing a career in education. David’s genuine dedication and guidance were instrumental in helping me make that decision. He truly went above and beyond to help me understand why VIU was the right fit. He spoke about the smaller class sizes, the exceptional education faculty and their commitment to preparing future teachers in modern, practical ways. Looking back, those conversations with David were a turning point, and they set me on the path toward a career that has continued to grow and evolve in ways I never could have predicted.
What have you been up to since graduating from VIU?
I graduated in 2019 with a Bachelor of Education. Shortly after graduating, I began teaching elementary music in the Saanich School District just as the COVID-19 pandemic transformed how education was delivered. I found a passion for supporting my colleagues in developing new teaching techniques supported by technology. In September 2020, I took a position at South Island Distance Education School (SIDES), where I was introduced to D2L's Brightspace, the learning management system that would later become central to my career journey.
After 2.5 years at SIDES, I decided to take a leap and transition into the private educational technology sector by joining D2L’s Customer Success team in July 2022. When the BC Ministry of Education's Online Learning Branch selected Brightspace as the official learning management system for the Provincial Online Learning Schools initiative, D2L needed someone in BC who understood both the K-12 online education landscape and the Ministry’s goals for the project – and that’s where I came in!
Today, I live and work in Victoria and serve as Manager of Customer Enablement at D2L, where I lead a team of specialists who help our global customer base to align their pedagogical practice with the tools and features in Brightspace. My journey from the classroom to Ed Tech has been incredibly rewarding and I still feel like an educator every day, just on a different stage. My passion for supporting teaching and learning hasn’t changed, it’s simply grown to reach classrooms and educators all around the world.
Can you share some highlights from your time at VIU?
My professors at VIU were some of the most intelligent, kind, and forward-thinking folks I'd ever spent time with and I forged some very important friendships with many of them. Allyson Fleming, Anne Jenkins and Lenore Underhill were stand-out mentors and teachers. The common thread across those leaders, and everyone I learned from at VIU, was that they were always pushing the boundaries of what an educator could and should be.
What are you most proud of since completing your VIU program?
I’m most proud of the role I’ve played in actively reshaping online and classroom education across British Columbia. Seeing how Brightspace has empowered educators to transform their classrooms, whether fully online or through blended models, has been incredibly rewarding.
I’m also proud of the professional connections and friendships I’ve built. These relationships have fostered collaboration, innovation and a shared commitment to improving learning outcomes for students across the province. BC’s K–12 education system is more connected today, thanks in part to the work we’ve done and that is so important to me. Being part of that collective effort and seeing the tangible results of our work has been continuously inspiring.
You’re now doing something very different from what you started out doing after graduating from VIU. Was there anything that surprised you about this career switch in terms of skills transfer?
Absolutely. What surprised me most was how transferable my teaching skills were. Moving from the classroom into the educational technology world, I expected a steep learning curve, and there certainly was one, but I quickly realized that so many of the core skills I developed as a teacher translated directly to my new role. Skills like relationship-building, communication, empathy, adaptability and instructional design are just as essential when supporting educators and school leaders as they are when teaching students.
What’s next for you?
I’m most excited about continuing to grow as a people leader and manager. Leading an incredibly talented team of former educators at D2L has shown me how powerful it is to create an environment where others can thrive. I’m passionate about fostering a culture of curiosity, mentorship and continuous learning, just as I experienced from my professors and teachers at VIU. What’s next for me is about helping people grow, and by extension growing organizations and the learners we serve.
What advice would you give your first-year self?
I would tell my first-year self to trust the process and believe in your ability to grow and change. Looking back, every challenge was part of building the confidence and resilience I needed in the classroom and in my current role. I’d remind myself that what matters most is staying curious, being open to learning and willing to take the next step even when it feels uncertain.
Professor Anne Jenkins, who sadly passed away in June 2023, gifted each member of my graduating class with a magnifying glass. She told us that it would be a reminder to always stay curious. I've kept it and treasured that sentiment ever since. It's a very special reminder of what's important and the quality of my experience at VIU.
Most importantly, I’d say...you’re (much!) more capable than you think. You are being prepared for opportunities you can’t even imagine yet – enjoy it!