Dr. Eleanor Grace Witte serves as Chair of the Academic Board at the Institute for Advancing Education in Business and Management (IAEBM), where she provides academic leadership, strategic oversight, and mentorship across all instructional and research divisions. Her career spans over 25 years of service as a faculty member, academic administrator, and national policy advisor in the field of business and management education.
Dr. Witte holds a Ph.D. in Organizational Leadership from the University of Southern California. She previously held faculty and high-ranked executive roles at several West Coast institutions, including San Diego State University and Portland State University. In addition to her academic leadership, she served on U.S. Department of Education advisory committees under both the George W. Bush and Obama administrations, contributing to national strategies for higher education quality, workforce development, and accountability. She has also advised the State of California on small business innovation, regional economic development, and ethical leadership initiatives.
At IAEBM, Dr. Witte leads the Academic Board in shaping educational excellence, guiding faculty affairs, and expanding institutional partnerships. Known for her clarity, pragmatism, and inclusive leadership style, she enjoys coastal hiking, poetry, and mentoring young women in academia.

Dr. Robert Kent Halberg serves as Director for the Strategic Development Program at the IAEBM. In this role, he leads the institution’s long-term planning, organizational growth strategy, and external relations, aligning IAEBM’s academic mission with future global business education trends. Dr. Halberg holds both a Ph.D. in Higher Education Leadership from the University of Missouri and an MBA from the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee. Prior to joining IAEBM full time, he served in senior administrative roles at several universities across the East Coast of the U.S., including Associate Provost and Director of Strategic Initiatives. He also spent over a decade as a consultant for university innovation projects, advising on accreditation, enrollment strategy, and academic program design.
Known for his cross-disciplinary vision and pragmatic leadership style, Dr. Halberg brings a systems-thinking approach to institutional growth. He is a regular speaker at education and leadership conferences and has authored several white papers on adaptive strategy in higher education. Off campus, he enjoys woodworking, distance running, and restoring vintage motorcycles.

Ms. Marisol Elena Rivera serves as the Senior Board Member of Community Engagement and Public Education Initiatives at IAEBM, where she leads efforts to expand access to business education for underserved communities. Her work focuses on designing outreach programs, student support services, and policy advocacy to advance equity in education. Ms. Rivera holds a Master of Public Policy (MPP) from the University of Texas at Austin and has dedicated over 25 years to working in Texas state and local government. She has held leadership roles in the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board and several city education offices, where she led programs targeting low-income, first-generation college students. At IAEBM, she helps create strategic partnerships with school districts, community colleges, and nonprofit organizations to build bridges for students entering business education pathways. She is fluent in Spanish and English, mentors young Latina professionals, and enjoys hosting family gatherings centered around traditional Mexican cooking.

Richard Alastair Penrose serves as Director of Global Finance and Capital Markets Programs at the Institute for IAEBM. In this role, he leads curriculum design and industry engagement for courses and certificates related to investment management, banking operations, and global financial strategy. A Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA), Mr. Penrose brings over 30 years of experience in the European banking sector, having held senior positions in capital markets, fixed income strategy, and corporate risk management. He began his career in London at HSBC before moving into European roles with Deutsche Bank in Frankfurt, where he led cross-border financial services strategy for institutional clients. At IAEBM, Mr. Penrose leverages his practical expertise to connect students with real-world finance applications, particularly in global investment trends and regulatory frameworks. He also leads IAEBM’s Finance Industry Advisory Roundtable and supports student placement in international financial firms. Off duty, he enjoys rowing, reading post-war British literature, and collecting vintage fountain pens.

Dr. Alyssa Marie Fontaine is the Coordinator of Digital Learning Innovation Taskforce at IAEBM. In this role, she leads the development of digital pedagogy strategies, hybrid course models, and immersive learning technologies that enhance the reach and impact of IAEBM’s academic offerings. Dr. Fontaine earned her Doctor of Education in Educational Technology and Instructional Design from the University of Ottawa, with a research focus on adaptive learning systems in postsecondary education. Before joining IAEBM, she was an instructional design lead at Concordia University and served as an advisor for curriculum modernization projects funded by Canada’s Department of Innovation, Science and Economic Development. An advocate for learner-centered design, Dr. Fontaine specializes in integrating gamification, mobile platforms, and virtual simulations into business and management education. Outside of work, she enjoys photography, yoga, and volunteering with local STEM education initiatives for girls.

Dr. Lin earned his Ph.D. in Economics from UC Davis, and he draws from a unique background in both private-sector analytics and employee training strategy. Dr. Lin’s early career included consulting roles at McKinsey & Company and PwC, where he specialized in market intelligence and organizational growth. He later joined Amazon as a senior analyst and internal training mentor, focusing on consumer market forecasting and professional upskilling for analytics teams. At IAEBM, Dr. Lin oversees curriculum design for the Applied Market Analytics track and collaborates with industry partners to ensure student readiness for real-world business environments. His current interests include human-centered analytics training, industry-academic collaboration, and Southeast Asian market trends. Outside of work, Dr. Lin enjoys traveling with his family.

Mr. James Bradley Whitlow serves as Coordinator of Business Law and Regulatory Affairs Taskforce at IAEBM, where he oversees the development of legal and regulatory curriculum. His work bridges academic instruction with real-world legal practice, offering students practical insights into contract law, business formation, compliance, and dispute resolution. Mr. Whitlow earned his J.D. from the University of Colorado Law School and is a licensed attorney in California and Colorado. He is the founding partner of Whitlow & Pierce LLP, a boutique business law firm based in Sacramento, where he continues to advise mid-sized companies on corporate governance, intellectual property, and regulatory risk. Prior to joining IAEBM, Mr. Whitlow was an adjunct lecturer at a regional law college and a frequent CLE presenter on startup law and professional ethics.

Dr. Liwen Zhao serves as Coordinator of Global Accounting Standards and Pedagogy Taskforce and oversees the IAEBM’s Data and Research Center in Hong Kong. She leads curriculum development for financial accounting, IFRS education, and comparative audit systems, helping students gain a robust understanding of international accounting frameworks. Originally from Nanjing, China, Dr. Zhao earned her Ph.D. in Accounting from the University of Queensland, Australia. She previously held academic appointments at Nanyang Technological University in Singapore and the City University of Hong Kong. Dr. Zhao’s research focuses on financial reporting transparency, audit quality in Asia-Pacific markets, and the evolving role of digital technologies in accounting education.

Dr. Mamadou Sylvain Diarra is responsible for courses and programs related to Development Economics and Global Policy Training at IAEBM. Dr. Diarra earned his Ph.D. in Economics from Sciences Po Paris, specializing in poverty reduction strategies and institutional development. He spent over 15 years working with the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs and the European Union’s Directorate-General for International Partnerships, where he helped shape training programs for young public officials across Africa and Southeast Europe. His research and teaching interests focus on the intersection of economic theory and practical capacity-building in low-income regions. At IAEBM, he develops executive training modules for civil servants, NGO leaders, and policy professionals, ensuring that global development remains a core part of the institution’s mission. Outside work, Dr. Diarra enjoys playing classical guitar, mentoring first-generation scholars, and hiking with his dog.

Ms. Marieke van Dijk serves as Director of European Research and Development Program at IAEBM, where she oversees the IAEBM Data and Research Center in Amsterdam and leads fundraising efforts across Western Europe. Her work bridges academic research, nonprofit partnerships, and sustainable resource development for IAEBM’s global mission. Ms. van Dijk earned her MBA from Erasmus University Rotterdam and brings over 20 years of experience in program leadership and strategic development within European nonprofit organizations. She has held senior roles at NGOs focused on social enterprise, youth workforce readiness, and international development, including coordinating EU-funded research projects and advocacy campaigns across multiple countries. At IAEBM, she leads external funding strategy, facilitates collaborations with research institutions, and supports publication and dissemination of faculty and student research.

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