Adrian McDonnell

Head of Product and Client Success

Adrian McDonnell leads product strategy, delivery, and client success at CAEL, ensuring the organization’s technology-enabled solutions drive measurable outcomes for institutions, employers, and adult learners. In this role, he owns the product roadmap for key offerings, including Credit Predictor Pro, drives market growth and partnerships, and oversees implementation, onboarding, training, and long-term client engagement. Adrian also serves as CAEL’s internal technology lead, optimizing staff systems and cross-functional workflows that support mission delivery.

Prior to joining CAEL, Adrian spent seven years as Vice President of Strada Collaborative, where he supported the growth and sustainability of national education-to-workforce initiatives and contributed to the expansion of Education at Work. He later served as Interim Chief Operating Officer at Education at Work, leading large-scale operations and improving delivery, retention, and outcomes for students and employer partners. Across his career, Adrian brings deep experience in EdTech, SaaS, and technology-enabled services, with a focus on aligning product, implementation, and client success to impact.
A former non-traditional student, Adrian brings a deeply personal perspective to his work. His own experience navigating education alongside work and life commitments fuels his passion for expanding non-traditional pathways, recognizing learning wherever it occurs, and designing products and partnerships that remove barriers—helping adult learners translate skills and experience into meaningful, long-term careers.