Our CEO & Chairman of the Board
Dr. Mark Defusco
Dr. DeFusco also served as chief executive officer/president at Vatterott Education Holdings, a private equity-held, for-profit college with 20 campuses in nine Midwestern states. Earlier in his career, DeFusco served in several senior management capacities with the University of Phoenix (Apollo group). He also served as assistant to the president at Ohio Dominican University in Columbus, OH.
He holds a B.A. from Villanova University and a M.S. and Ph.D. from the University of Southern California. He sits on the board of several education companies and many nonprofit boards. He currently serves as the executive director of the Education Foundation, a leader in sponsoring for-profit joint ventures with nonprofit colleges and universities.
UBIS was designed to be an American-style institution with the vision of bringing western education to the emerging middle classes around the world.
The owners, who were involved in other American educational institutions, saw an opportunity to pursue a unique global mission with a European-based institution. The differentiation for the global student who attends UBIS and its sister institutions is that they receive a globally-centric, American education and benefit from expanded career opportunities within their host countries.
Not only are graduates’ candidates for leading positions with local firms, but they are, more selectively, candidates for positions in western firms operating within their country.
Our Board of Directors
Dr. Oksana Malysheva
Cathi Raffaeli
Mary Keane
Executive Leadership Team
Dr. Mark Defusco – Chief Executive Officer
B.A. from Villanova University and a M.S. and Ph.D. from the University of Southern California
Dr. DeFusco also served as chief executive officer/president at Vatterott Education Holdings, a private equity-held, for-profit college with 20 campuses in nine Midwestern states. Earlier in his career, DeFusco served in several senior management capacities with the University of Phoenix (Apollo group). He also served as assistant to the president at Ohio Dominican University in Columbus, OH.
He holds a B.A. from Villanova University and a M.S. and Ph.D. from the University of Southern California. He sits on the board of several education companies and many nonprofit boards. He currently serves as the executive director of the Education Foundation, a leader in sponsoring for-profit joint ventures with nonprofit colleges and universities.
Shannyn Stern, CPA – President
BS Business Administration, California State University
With a proven track record of leading financial transformations and enhancing operational efficiency, Shannyn is well-equipped to guide UBIS into its next phase of transformation. She has been an integral part of UBIS, serving first as Chief Financial Officer (CFO) and then as Chief Operating Officer (COO). Her leadership in these roles has been pivotal in driving financial stability and operational excellence at the university.
Shannyn has held significant roles at several higher education institutions, including Aspen University, Brookline College, and Remington College, where she served as Chief Financial Officer. In these roles, her strategic insights and financial acumen have consistently led to improved institutional performance and student outcomes.
With her extensive background in the school business Shannyn is poised to drive innovation and strategic development at UBIS, ensuring we continue to deliver high-quality education to our global community.
Dr. Stuart Kewley – Chief Academic Officer/Provost
MPhil and DPhil, University of Cambridge
Dr Stuart Kewley is a graduate of the University of Cambridge (MPhil and DPhil). Dr Kewley’s first academic role was as a Director of Studies at the University of Oxford. After leaving Oxford, he took up the post of lecturer in international business and strategy at the University of Kent and then became a senior lecturer in international business and strategy at the University of the West of England. Dr Kewley has taught strategy and international business, predominantly to executives, across the World and has also acted as the module convener for the University of Ulster’s (London) Strategy MBA.
An academic practitioner, in 2009, Dr Kewley founded the strategy consulting company Eurasia Global. The company’s core competencies lie in the areas of strategic innovation, market access strategies, and international business development. Having secured contracts worth several million dollars from the Russian and Malaysian governments to develop market access strategies for university spinouts, Eurasia Global was shortlisted for the Queen’s Award in International Business in 2015. By 2024, the consulting division, now based in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, manages other companies’ market access strategies, brand visibility, and sales objectives in numerous markets, supporting clients from Switzerland, Russia, Malaysia, Brazil, Vietnam, and the USA.
In November 2020, Dr Kewley joined The University of Business and Innovation and Sustainability (UBIS) as its Senior Vice President of Partnerships and the Director of the DBA, which became one of the University’s most popular degrees. He also supported the University’s accreditation initiatives. In January 2022, Dr Kewley joined the IDM Education Group as Vice President of Strategy and International Development, where he increased its partnership portfolio by four new UK universities. Dr Kewley rejoined UBIS in September 2024 as the University’s Provost and is looking forward to supporting the international growth of this highly innovative University in this exciting period of its development.
Alison Wilson – VP, Academic Affairs
BS Business Administration, California State University
Alison Wilson our VP of Academic affairs comes to us with over 12 years of higher education experience in Academic dean roles. She obtained her masters degree in Administration from Brookline college, bachelor’s degree in healthcare management from University of Phoenix, and Associate degree in Surgical Technology from Waukesha County Technical College. She has worked in higher education as faculty, program director and campus academic dean over the past 12 years. In my higher education experience I have managed large campuses with 1000 students and over 60 faculty. My responsibilities include faculty management, curriculum writing, student services and management of all academic policies and procedures to name a few.
What sets Alison apart is not just her impressive professional track record, but also her profound dedication to the transformative power of education. She firmly believes in the profound impact education has on shaping the lives of students and is driven by a passion to facilitate this change. Outside of work I love spending time with family and friends and helping my daughter with her growing bakery business.
Kamal Dadashov – Director of Business Development
Kamal Dadashov is a business expert who is focused on a variety industries. He was educated in the field of finance business administration in prestigious European Universities. Kamal has acquired 13 years’ professional experience in various fields of finance. He has developed himself as a manager in the Oil and Gas Industry in SOCAR, Mckinsey last 8 years. Over the past several years, Kamal has been taught how to work with perspectives and how to follow through with the work ethics in both teamwork and individual tasks, bringing up the best uprising possible for the his responsibilities. He is also currently a visiting professor at UBIS. His working languages besides English include Turkish, Azeri, Russian, Ukranian and French.
Elise Alva – Director of Delivery Innovation
Master’s of Education, Northern Arizona University
