NEW YORK, Jan. 19, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- World Education Services (WES) today announced the appointment of Audrey Hendley as chair of the WES Board of Trustees. Hendley takes over the chairmanship from long-time trustee Hans de Wit.
Hendley leads American Express’ Global Travel and Lifestyle Services, one of the largest multi-channel consumer travel agencies in the world. During her thirty years with American Express, Hendley has established a reputation as an influential and innovative leader and won many of the company’s top awards. Originally from Ireland, she is widely viewed as one of the most powerful women in the travel industry. Hendley joined the WES Board in 2018.
De Wit, a globally renowned international education scholar and former Director of the Center for International Higher Education at Boston College, began his tenure as chair of the WES Board in January 2019, overseeing a period of leadership transition, organizational transformation, and growth. Prior to his tenure as chair, De Wit served as on the WES board for more than 20 years, helping to shape many of the organization’s sector-leading credential evaluation practices and the core values that have established WES as a leader in the field of global student and immigrant mobility.
“We are grateful to Hans for his extraordinary stewardship of WES throughout the years and for his unwavering advocacy for international students from all backgrounds. He is a leader who has shaped the field of international education for many years,” said Esther Benjamin, CEO and Executive Director of WES.
“We are equally excited to welcome Audrey to her new position as chair. Audrey’s global perspective on business remains firmly rooted in the idea that all people deserve the opportunity to make the most of their skills and capacities,” Benjamin continued. “With her extraordinary business acumen and commitment to our mission, she has already proven herself an invaluable partner to WES. I look forward to building on that partnership to further improve the lives and outcomes for the international students, immigrants, and refugees WES serves.”
“I am excited to take on this role at a critical juncture as WES embarks on the second year of an ambitious and achievable five-year strategic plan that will transform its services and technology and dramatically increase its impact on the lives of the individuals and communities it serves,” said Hendley.
WES also announced the appointment of a new member to its Board of Trustees. Caroline Gayle is Managing Director for the Technology Health and Public Sector practices at Accenture Canada. During more than two decades with the firm, she has successfully led multiple large-scale business and technological transformation projects in the public sector and financial and health industries, among others. Through executive sponsorships and volunteer activities, she has also established a proven track record of nurturing a diverse and inclusive new generation of technology and community leaders.
“Caroline is a mission-driven leader who comes to the WES Board of Trustees with exceptional tri-sector insight into business, government, and non-profits,” said Benjamin. “Her expertise in leading complex technology transformation projects is invaluable as WES expands its portfolio of services to deliver more seamless credential evaluation services to hundreds of thousands of applicants each year.”
About WES
Founded in 1974, World Education Services (WES) is a 501(c)3 non-profit social enterprise dedicated to helping international students, immigrants, and refugees to achieve their educational and career goals in the United States and Canada. For more than 45 years, WES has set the standard of excellence in the field of international academic credential evaluation. It serves some 500,000 individuals annually. WES works with institutional partners, community-based organizations, and policymakers to help immigrants and refugees who hold international credentials fully utilize their talents and education to achieve their academic and professional goals. Its philanthropic arm, the WES Mariam Assefa Fund, supports catalytic leaders and organizations working to build inclusive economies and to ensure that immigrants and refugees can achieve their aspirations and thrive.
For more information, contact Ashley Craddock, Director of Strategic Communications, World Education Services T: 512.212.3998 E: acraddock@WES.org
