Ryan GUFFEY
Biography
Parent, La Châtaigneraie Secondary
Guffey is the Executive Vice President and CEO for Webster International, which offers degree programs to 9,000 students in Austria, China, Greece, Georgia, the Netherlands, Switzerland, and Uzbekistan.
Prior to Webster, Guffey was the Vice President of Student Development and Global Affairs at Lindenwood University, where he was also an Associate Professor of International Relations and Education and Chair of the departments of International Relations and Chinese Studies.
He is a two-time United States Fulbright recipient. His first Fulbright Scholar Award took him to Chulalongkorn University in Bangkok, Thailand, followed by a Fulbright Specialist Award with the Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Innovation in Tashkent, Uzbekistan.
BS in Political Science, Public Administration, & Nonprofit Administration from Lindenwood University
MA in International Politics from the Queen’s University of Belfast
MBA from Lindenwood University
MS in Finance from Webster University
PhD in Higher Education from Saint Louis University
PhD (In Progress) in Innovation, Economics, Governance & Sustainable Development from (Joint) Maastricht University and the United Nations University
Certificate: Harvard University’s Institute of Educational Management Program.
What are your main motivations for becoming a Board member?
Supporting
- organizational sustainability,
- human resource development, and
- student development.
What skills/expertise would you bring to the Governing Board?
- Governance
- Financial management and oversight
- Sustainability
- Use of technology and data as a mean to drive transformational change
- International pedagogy
In light of the Ecolint Governing Board’s interest in primarily seeking individuals with skills/expertise/experience in financial management, governance, and fundraising, please share concrete examples of how your experience would be relevant, and how this could benefit Ecolint.
Finance: I am the CEO of a multi-national educational system, carrying chief fiduciary and legal responsibility.
Governance: Each country location has a board, which I chair (7 in total).
Fundraising: Each location also has fundraising initiatives/targets, which are centrally planned via my office.
Ultimately, my professional work mirrors the described needs of the Ecolint board.
How would you support the mission of the Foundation if you are elected to the Governing Board? Emphasising the skills/expertise that were highlighted above, and other leadership and soft skills you would bring to the Board Governing.
As a life-long educator, working in the higher education and the related commercial sectors, I specialize in financial turn-arounds, focusing on strategic development, data analytics, fiscal planning, quality assurance, human resource development, and, of course, student progression. As needed, I could draw from my 25 years in the field to support the established and forthcoming initiatives.
Finally, could you describe your understanding of relationships within the Governing Board and your approach to the Governing Board culture? How do you imagine the collaboration between the Board members with other stakeholders such as staff, other parents and the local community?
The ideal relationship should be a collaborative, high-trust culture focused on improving student outcomes. In principle, members should operate with mutual respect, maintain open and sincere communication, and support final board decisions (even in the case of dissension). Hopefully, the shared commitment to the common good will ensure the activities are tailored, constructive, and focus on continuous improvement.