WASHINGTON, April 2, 2020 – UPCEA, the Washington, D.C.-based association for university leaders in professional, continuing, and online education, welcomed Dr. Rovy Branon as the association’s 2020-21 Board President during a virtual Board of Directors meeting on March 18. Branon is vice provost for the University of Washington Continuum College.

Branon notes that the timing of his board presidency comes at a unique moment in history. 

“Unprecedented. Extraordinary. Never before in our lifetimes. These words now wash over us and as leaders in professional, continuing, and online education we are in roles where we make the impossible possible, reach people who were previously considered unreachable, and overcome obstacles that others would avoid,” said Branon. “Now, more than ever, our units are being called into action to serve our students and institutions in new ways. I am honored to serve as the UPCEA Board President this year and stand with each of you as we make our way in this new, and hopefully temporary, normal.”

Branon previously served as a Director-At-Large on the UPCEA Board of Directors, chair of the UPCEA Diversity & Inclusion Committee, and chair of the 2019 UPCEA Annual Conference Advisory Committee.

“To say that higher education finds itself at a crossroads is an understatement. What is needed, now more than ever, is innovation,” said UPCEA CEO Bob Hansen. “Rovy brings the vision and creativity necessary for UPCEA to expand its leadership role in fostering innovation in the most dynamic sector of higher education today.”

As vice provost, Branon oversees all UW Professional & Continuing Education programs and staff. Previously, Branon was the associate dean for online learning and the executive director of the Academic Advanced Distributed Learning Co-Lab at the University of Wisconsin-Extension in Madison. Prior to his work in higher education, he helped found several start-ups and led an instructional design team at Eli Lilly and Company.

Branon earned a Master of Education in Instructional Systems Technology from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte and a Ph.D. in Instructional Systems Technology, as well as a minor in human-computer interaction, from Indiana University. He currently lives in Seattle with his wife, who teaches second grade, and 26-year-old son. They are active in the community as members of the Seattle Art Museum and as ardent supporters of the Seattle Sounders FC.

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About UPCEA

UPCEA is the leading association for professional, continuing, and online education. Founded in 1915, UPCEA now serves the leading public and private colleges and universities in North America. The association supports its members with innovative conferences and specialty seminars, research and benchmarking information, professional networking opportunities and timely publications. Based in Washington, D.C., UPCEA builds greater awareness of the vital link between adult learners and public policy issues. Learn more at upcea.edu.

CONTACT:

Molly Nelson, UPCEA Vice President of Communications and Marketing, 202.659.3130, [email protected]