Kristi Kerr
Manager of Procurement Services
Connecticut College
As Procurement Manager at Connecticut College, Kristi Kerr leads initiatives to modernize procurement processes, enhance compliance, and drive strategic sourcing. With a focus on optimizing procurement operations, Kristi has been instrumental in streamlining workflows and improving supplier relationships.
Her expertise includes strategic sourcing, contract negotiations, and supplier relationship management. Kristi is also a founding member of E&I’s Strategic Advisory Board, contributing to collaborative procurement strategies in higher education.
Christopher Rust, APPM
Former Director of Purchasing at Connecticut College & Mount Holyoke College
Director of Consulting Services, Unimarket
As Unimarket’s Director of Consulting Services, Christopher helps institutions modernize procurement and contract management by applying real-world expertise from nearly two decades in higher education.
With a background leading purchasing departments at Connecticut College and Mount Holyoke College, Christopher brings deep insight into the challenges institutions face—transforming legacy processes into streamlined, compliant, and value-driven operations.
Gilda Izad-Panahi
Director, Education & Research – Huron
As Director in Huron’s Education & Research practice, Gilda Izad-Panahi brings deep expertise in travel and expense (T&E) program design, deployment, and optimization for higher education and global enterprises alike.
With more than a decade of experience leading global T&E programs—including managing a $370M program spanning 35+ countries—Gilda has a proven track record of helping institutions streamline operations, strengthen compliance, and drive significant cost savings.
At Huron, she partners with education clients to modernize T&E systems and policies, leading projects that have reduced cycle times by 44%, cut processing costs by 23%, and enhanced readiness through strategic back-office improvements. Prior to Huron, she led major global Concur implementations and credit card renegotiations, delivering measurable financial and operational impact.
.png?width=300&height=300&name=Unimaket%20Kevin%20Owens%20v2%20(600x600).png "Unimaket Kevin Owens v2 (600x600)")
Kevin Owens
Regional Director
Unimarket
As Regional Director at Unimarket, Kevin Owens brings two decades of experience helping higher education institutions modernize their operations through innovative SaaS solutions. His expertise spans the full spectrum of spend management, encompassing sourcing and procurement, as well as travel and expense management.
Before joining Unimarket, Kevin held leadership roles at SAP Concur, Workday, and Zycus, where he worked closely with hundreds of colleges and universities to implement scalable financial technology that improves transparency, streamlines operations, and enhances institutional oversight. With a deep understanding of the higher ed landscape, Kevin is passionate about empowering institutions to optimize their source-to-pay strategies and unlock greater value from every dollar spent.
