Ep. 77 - Stephen Laster: From Harvard to Panopto - Scaling EdTech That Matters

About this episode

Stephen Laster discusses the importance of technology in making education more accessible and the role of AI in enhancing the learning community.

Stephen Laster is the CEO of Panopto and a veteran leader in digital education whose career spans Harvard Business School, McGraw-Hill, D2L, and Ellucian. Stephen shares how his own experience as a dyslexic learner—and an early adopter of the Apple II—shaped his lifelong mission to use technology to make learning more accessible and human. He unpacks what it truly means to be a “human-centered AI-first” platform, how Panopto is using AI to extend—not replace—the learning community, and why interoperability and focus are more critical than ever in edtech. From navigating institutional change to fostering a culture of smart risk-taking, Stephen offers a candid look at the patterns, challenges, and opportunities shaping the future of teaching and corporate training. Whether you’re leading digital transformation, building learning tools, or thinking about how to scale knowledge in a rapidly changing world, this conversation is packed with wisdom from the front lines. Key Takeaways Technology as an Accessibility Lifeline – Stephen’s dyslexia led him to an Apple II in 1981, where he built his own spell checker and word processor. This personal experience cemented his belief that…

People in this episode

Host: Jeff Dillon

Guest: Stephen Laster

Topics covered

• EdTech
• digital education
• human-centered AI
• accessibility in learning
• institutional change
• corporate training

Keywords

• dyslexia
• AI in education
• learning tools
• digital transformation
• interoperability
• human-centered design

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Panopto, Harvard Business School, McGraw-Hill, D2L, Ellucian

Products: Apple II

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