Meet the experienced consultants guiding institutions worldwide. Our team brings decades of leadership in higher education to every project.
Certificate Executive Management, Wharton School of Business, Pennsylvania
M.S., University of Louisville, Kentucky
B.A., Urbana University, Ohio
Dean Hoke brings more than 40 years of experience as a higher education leader, consultant, and storyteller. As Co-Founder of Edu Alliance, a higher education consulting services firm located in Bloomington, Indiana, and Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates, he helps institutions navigate change, foster innovation, and build sustainable futures both in the U.S. and internationally.
A Senior Fellow at The Sagamore Institute, Dean is passionate about strengthening rural colleges, which serve as vital economic and social anchors in their communities. His past leadership includes serving as President and CEO of the American Association of University Administrators (AAUA), where he championed ethical and effective leadership in higher education.
Dean is also a pioneering voice in higher education podcasting. He co-founded HigherEd PodCon and produces and co-hosts the Small College America podcast, which spotlights the challenges and innovations shaping small colleges today. Whether speaking, writing, or consulting, Dean brings deep insight and a global perspective to the evolving landscape of higher education.
Ph.D., Civil Engineering – Rice University, Houston, Texas, USA
Executive Education, Educational Leadership – Harvard University, USA
Executive Education, Executive Management – MIT, USA
M.S., Civil Engineering – Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, India
B.E. (Honors), Engineering – National Institute of Technology, Trichy, India
Dr. Senthil Nathan is the Co-Founder of Edu Alliance and a senior higher education leader with over 30 years of experience in the UAE and the broader Middle East. He has successfully directed more than 50 Edu Alliance projects for over 20 universities in the region, including Khalifa University (KU), Zayed University (ZU), United Arab Emirates University (UAEU), Higher Colleges of Technology (HCT), and NYU Abu Dhabi (NYUAD).
Senthil played a pivotal role in the establishment and growth of HCT, the UAE’s second university, where he served for 24 years in academic and leadership roles—faculty, Chair, Dean, and College Director—before becoming Deputy Vice Chancellor of Planning and Administration for 8 years. In this capacity, he led strategic planning, budgeting, operations, HR, and workforce development across 17 campuses.
As Dean of Engineering and Health Sciences, he pioneered more than 35 industry-sponsored programs and spearheaded commercial initiatives as Chief Planning Officer for CERT Technology Park.
D.P.A., Public Administration – University of Southern California
M.P.A., Public Administration – University of Southern California
M.A., Government and International Affairs – University of Virginia
A.B., Government – Harvard University
Dr. Chet Haskell brings over four decades of leadership and consulting experience in higher education, with a career spanning the U.S., Europe, Latin America, and Asia. He has held senior roles including President of the Monterey Institute of International Studies and Cogswell Polytechnical College, Dean and de facto Provost at Simmons College, and 13 years of leadership positions at Harvard University and five in senior administrative roles at the University of Southern California.
As Provost and Chief Academic Officer of Antioch University, he helped lead the creation of the Coalition for the Common Good, a groundbreaking alliance with Otterbein University. Internationally, Dr. Haskell has advised universities in Mexico, Spain, Holland, and Brazil and served as a consultant to the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA), the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) and the Council on International Quality Group.
A respected accreditation expert, he has served as a WSCUC peer reviewer and as an international advisor to ANECA (Spain) and ACAP (Madrid). He is a frequent speaker at global conferences and meetings.
Ph.D., History – University of California, Santa Barbara
J.D., Law – University of California, Berkeley
Postgraduate Studies – University of Oxford
U.S. Supreme Court Fellow
Dr. Barry Ryan is a seasoned higher education executive, legal scholar, and former president of five universities.
With more than 25 years of leadership experience, Dr. Ryan has served in numerous roles, including faculty member, department chair, dean, vice president, provost, and chief of staff at state, non-profit, and for-profit universities and law schools. His extensive accreditation experience includes two terms on the WASC Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC), serving a maximum of six years. He is widely recognized for his expertise in governance, accreditation, crisis management, and institutional renewal.
In addition to his academic career, Dr. Ryan has contributed extensively to charitable organizations and is experienced in board leadership as well as large-scale fundraising. He remains a trusted advisor to universities and boards seeking strategic alignment and transformation.
Certificate, Executive Management – Wharton School of Business, Pennsylvania
M.S., Michigan State University
B.A., University of Nebraska
Nancy K. Hoke brings over 40 years of experience in media, education, and event management. She began as a radio and TV producer and programmer and later transitioned into education, working as an instructional designer and digital media producer in higher education settings.
During her six-year tenure at Khalifa University in the UAE, Nancy led the implementation of learning management systems, instructional technologies, and blended learning programs. She also played a critical role in the university's start-up phase, overseeing research and technology recommendations for classrooms. She is an expert in online learning and learning management systems and has presented and trained in Europe, South Korea, Oman, the United Arab Emirates, and the United States.
In 2024-2025, Nancy coordinated registration, promotional materials, and event logistics to support the successful execution of the American Association of University Administrators Conference in Indianapolis and the inaugural HigherEd PodCon Conference in Chicago.
Certificate, Executive MBA Program – University of Chicago
M.S.HDR – National Louis University
B.S. – University of Rio Grande
Tom Davisson has over 30 years of leadership experience as Executive Vice President and COO of Sullivan University System in Kentucky. During his tenure, he guided the institution’s transformation from a two-year college to a regionally accredited doctoral-granting university, spearheading the addition of baccalaureate and master’s programs, as well as a Doctor of Pharmacy and a Ph.D. in Management.
Tom also oversaw the growth of Sullivan’s online education division, expanding enrollment to over 3,000 online students each term. He is a recognized expert on bridging higher education with workforce needs, having authored White Papers for governors in two states and contributing to manpower planning efforts in a third.
In addition, Tom has served on and chaired visiting committees for the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools in the U.S. and five other countries. He is a Trustee Emeritus of the Board of Trustees of the University of Rio Grande in Ohio.
Certificate, Computer Data Processing – City & Guilds, London, UK
MBA – Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh, UK
B.Com (Bachelor of Commerce)
Jessie Kamalavani is a skilled project manager, institutional researcher, and policy coordinator with over 20 years of experience in higher education, energy, and corporate sectors. She specializes in translating business processes and user requirements into data-driven solutions that improve efficiency and reduce operating costs.
She previously served as Assistant Registrar at the Higher Colleges of Technology Central Services, where she developed and implemented student service procedures. From 2015 to 2023, Jessie worked as Project Manager for Business Development at Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation (ENEC), leading the creation of a 3-year departmental strategy and a 10-year strategic roadmap. She oversaw vendor selection, funding, and project delivery, ensuring alignment with corporate objectives.
Jessie also contributed to developing the Nuclear Research Policy, Localization Policy, and In-country Value Strategy, while building strong governance and operational frameworks.