Practitioner-faculty who teach what they practise.

Dr. Stuart Kewley is President and Provost of the University of Business, Innovation and Sustainability (UBIS), with over 30 years of experience in higher education leadership. A graduate of the University of Cambridge and former Director of Studies at the University of Oxford, he brings deep expertise in curriculum design, international partnerships, and regulatory frameworks across Europe, Asia, the US, and the Middle East. Prior to UBIS, he served as Senior Vice President of Partnerships and International Development at the IDM Education Group.

Dr. James Booker is an experienced academic leader who transitioned into higher education after more than 20 years in local and state government. He previously served as Graduate and Online Dean at the University of the Potomac and held senior academic leadership roles at the University of Phoenix. Dr. Booker holds a PhD in Educational Leadership from Capella University and teaches within UBIS’s doctoral programs.

Dr. Antonina Santalova is a senior academic and policy expert with over 20 years of experience in social policy, higher education, and international development. A graduate of the University of Oxford, she has taught extensively across Europe and Central Asia and has played a key role in shaping national education policy and large-scale development initiatives. She previously served as Director of the DBA and founder of the Research Institute at UBIS and currently holds the role of Academic Dean at Glion Institute of Higher Education.

Dr. Sean Jasso is an academic practitioner with nearly two decades of teaching and research experience across management and political economy. He specialises in global strategy, leadership, political and economic risk, and emergent markets, and currently serves as Professor of Practice in Management at the University of California, Riverside, and Professor of Economics and Public Policy at Pepperdine University. With extensive industry experience and international board appointments, he brings real-world global perspectives directly into the classroom and executive education environments.

Dr Larry Adams is a senior academic leader, researcher, and executive with over 25 years of experience across higher education and corporate leadership. He currently serves as Vice Chancellor of the Institute of Knowledge Academia in Sri Lanka and Associate Dean at BMS – Business Management School, with prior roles including Deputy Vice Chancellor, Group CEO, and Country Head of Xerox Sri Lanka. Educated at leading institutions across Asia, North America, and the UK, his work spans business administration, leadership, and interdisciplinary research with a strong Asian perspective.

Dr. Lenora Spicer is a scholar and higher education leader whose research focuses on the history and advancement of African American women in academic leadership. Her work examines management, diversity practices, and pathways to increasing representation of minority women in senior leadership roles within higher education. With over 17 years of experience across faculty and senior administrative roles, she currently serves as Director of Education at Southern Careers Institute and holds a PhD in Management from Colorado Technical University.

Dr Hiba Ewaiwi is an experienced higher education professional with over a decade of expertise spanning education, organisational development, and international development. Her work focuses on curriculum design, strategic planning, people operations, and institutional growth, supported by strong capabilities in communication, entrepreneurship, and change leadership. She holds a DBA from the University of Business Innovation and Sustainability and currently serves as Adjunct Faculty at UBIS.

Professor Kalani Rice is an experienced educator and business professional with over 20 years of industry and academic leadership experience. She currently serves as a Program Manager at Arizona State University and has previously held senior roles at Zenith Education and Everest College Phoenix. Professor Rice holds an MBA in Human Resource Management, an MA in Education, and brings real-world expertise into the classroom to enhance student learning.

Naiara Rodriguez-Pena is a postdoctoral researcher whose work examines unfulfilled migration aspirations and their impacts on individuals, families, and societies. Her research focuses on the migration–development nexus and the dynamic relationship between aspirations, capabilities, and socio-political change. She is an award-winning scholar, receiving the IMISCOE 2023 Rinus Penninx Best Paper Award and the APSA 2024 Best Dissertation Award on Migration and Integration.

Professor Anneke Edmonds is the Founder of AI Compliance, Inc., where she leads the development of AI compliance audit tools addressing regulatory, technical, and reputational risks across the USA, EU, and UK. With a background in strategic marketing and communications, her research and practice focus on women entrepreneurs, women in STEM, and experiential learning for tech start-ups. She also advises organisations through her consultancy, Inbound Marketing, specialising in marketing strategy, brand positioning, and market research for SMEs across technology, higher education, and creative industries.

Dr. Femina Syed is a senior academic and researcher with over 21 years of experience in teaching, training, and research across business and management disciplines. She specialises in HR analytics, organisational behaviour, ambidexterity, and innovation, and currently serves as Head of the Research Institute at UBIS. Dr. Syed holds a PhD in Management and is an award-winning scholar with extensive publications in indexed journals and international conferences.

Dr. Elisa Forestan Barnes is an educator and researcher specialising in educational inequality, education policy, and digital transformation in teaching and learning. She holds a DPhil in Sociology from the University of Oxford and advanced degrees in research methods and education technology from the University of Reading and University College London. Her work focuses on learning analytics, digital innovation, and improving student engagement and retention in higher education.

Cole McEuen, CPA is a senior internal auditor with extensive experience in financial accounting, auditing, and internal controls within a publicly listed S&P 500 company. He currently serves as Senior Internal Auditor at Axon and teaches undergraduate and graduate courses in Accounting, Finance, Economics, Business, and Marketing at UBIS. Cole holds a Master of Accountancy from Utah Valley University and brings real-world auditing expertise into the classroom to prepare students for professional success.