Work Experience

Territorium, Inc., San Antonio, TX

Senior Vice President, Business Development – Higher Education (2023 – Present)

ETS, Princeton, NJ

Associate Vice President, Global Higher Education (2021 – 2023)

Executive Director, Global Higher Education (2017 – 2021)

Senior Director, Business Development (2012 – 2017)

Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ

Department Chair, Full Professor, and Dean’s Fellow (2006 – 2012)

President of the College Senate (2006 – 2009)

Associate Professor – Director of Graduate Studies (1998 – 2006)

Radford University, Radford, VA

Assistant Professor (1994 – 1998)

Education

MBA
EUDE European Business School (2017)

Ph.D.
Romance Languages and Literatures, University of Georgia (1994)

M.A.
Spanish and Latin American Literatures, University of Georgia (1990)

B.A.
Hispanic Philology. Universitat de Barcelona. (Summa Cum Laude, 1988)

Other Recent Certifications 

Master´s Artificial Intelligence
Applied AI in Business. Euncet Business School (2024)

Other Academic, Business and Board Experience 

Executive Fellow, Russell Belk Centre, Woxsen University (2020 – Present. Remote) Hyderabad, India. Appointed by the University President of Woxsen, a pioneer among India’s first private universities, to advise on international relations and academic innovation. Role: Support the development of transformative platforms that empower learners to embrace disruptive technologies and drive change in education.

Member, Board of Directors, The Research Institute of United States Spanish (RIUSS) (2015-Present), New York, U.S. Founding board member of this 501(c)(3) nonprofit, focused on advancing research and studies on formal Spanish usage in the U.S., particularly in health care and human services contexts. Role: Advocate for consolidating the linguistic identity of U.S. Spanish speakers by promoting research and dialogue on plain language and effective communication practices.

Member, Board of Directors, North American Academy of the Spanish Language (2006-Present), New York, U.S. Role: Represent the U.S. branch of the Royal Academy of the Spanish Language, supporting initiatives to promote the correct usage, research and study of Spanish in the U.S.

Ed Tech Strategist, PwC (PricewaterhouseCoopers) (2023-2024. Consultant. Remote). Role: Partner with U.S. Research 1 Institutions, Research Centers, and Policy and Evaluation Centers to deliver expert guidance on transformational higher education projects. Design and implement cutting-edge ed tech strategies tailored to align technological solutions with institutional research priorities and academic goals. Engage with institutional leaders to develop impactful frameworks for evaluating and optimizing the outcomes of technology adoption. Deliver thought leadership on emerging trends in higher education and ed tech, strengthening PwC’s reputation as a trusted partner in the academic sector.

Board Chair, Kira Talent. Toronto, Canada (2020-2023). Role: Led the board of directors for Kira Talent, a global leader in holistic admissions solutions. Oversaw strategic direction for the company, which serves over 600 higher education programs worldwide, particularly in the U.S. and Canada, streamlining admissions through innovative video and written assessments.

Member, Board of Directors, ETS India. Delhi, India (2020-2023). Role: Guided ETS’s expansion in South Asia by leveraging the organization’s expertise in education and assessment to deliver impactful solutions to learners and institutions in emerging markets. Supported new business opportunities, contributing to geographic diversification and regional market growth.

Visiting Research Professor and Scholar, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA (2013-2014). Role: Invited to the College of Arts and Sciences in recognition of 120+ peer-reviewed publications and scholarly contributions. Conducted advanced research on 19th and 20th-century Spanish and Latin American literatures and cultures, producing significant scholarly works and presenting at esteemed academic forums.

Selected References

“Alberto has proven contributions in the realm of higher education. Having had the pleasure of interacting with him, I am continually impressed by his unwavering dedication to fostering a collaborative and team-oriented environment. Alberto possesses a unique ability to seamlessly integrate into diverse teams, bringing forth a wealth of knowledge and expertise that significantly enriches the academic experience. His reliability is truly commendable – a dependable resource one can consistently rely on his word and commitment to partnerships. In addition to his remarkable work ethic, Alberto consistently demonstrates a keen understanding of the ever-evolving landscape of higher education. His adaptability and innovative thinking contribute significantly to overcoming challenges and driving positive change within the academic community.” George Haddad, CEO Liaison International.

“Alberto Acereda´s expertise in global higher education, strategic planning and implementation, and leadership is unquestionable. I am most impressed with his creative and analytic approaches to problem solving. He is an extremely thoughtful, considerate and compassionate individual. He is a man of impeccable character and integrity. What I find most delightful is his quick wit and good sense of humor. He is genuine, smart, and fair. He is the whole package!” Carlos Grijalva, Dean and Professor of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of California, Los Angeles.

“Alberto Acereda brings to ETS’s efforts an extraordinary combination of knowledge and experience in the world of education. Few colleagues possess his sense of how innovation is unfolding in the wider world or his avid imparting of that wisdom to the rest of us. In addition to these highly valuable contributions of connections and competence on such critical subjects as distance education and competency based credentialing, Alberto is a gracious and kind colleague whom I feel very lucky to have met in just the last few years. Any Chief Learning Officer would consider him or herself very lucky to have a colleague like Alberto; I know I do.” T.J. Elliott, CLO and Vicepresident, ETS.

“As Dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences at Arizona State University I was consistently impressed by Dr. Acereda. In every circumstance, including leading a particularly complex and difficult faculty process for the College, he demonstrated the highest levels of competence, planning, communication, professionalism, and natural leadership skills. He acts with great integrity and very special interpersonal skill. Given the opportunity, I would welcome the chance to work again with Dr. Acereda under any circumstance. I can recommend him highly as a reliable and inspiring colleague who is an absolute pleasure to work with.” Quentin Wheeler, President, SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry.

“Alberto was a valued and proven partner to the Pennsylvania’s State System of Higher Education for the years that I served there. He brought great insights personally as well as his incredible network to help us address challenges and opportunities. His engagement benefitted me personally and professionally every day!” Peter Garland, Executive Vice Chancellor Emeritus, Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education.

“I have worked with Alberto for several years. He has impressed me in many ways, but the most notable are (a) his ability to hear significant criticism, identify what is reasonable and what isn’t, and respond effectively to what is reasonable, (b) his ability to think creatively and comprehensively about the future of the organization by building on its existing strengths, identifying opportunities for growth, and by de-emphasizing or eliminating areas that have outlived their usefulness, and (c) his appreciation for a diversity of opinions and his understanding that social, cultural, racial, ethnic, religious, and other forms of diversity are important not to check a box, but because the different backgrounds and experiences that people bring help any organization to serve its constituency more effectively.” Kent Holsinger, Vice Provost for Graduate Education and Dean of the Graduate School, University of Connecticut.

“Having stepped into his current position at a time of dramatic change, Alberto has demonstrated remarkable creativity and agility in responding to rapidly changing market conditions. He listens carefully to both potential customers and his colleagues, has a good idea for emerging opportunities and also has the discipline and good sense to know that all of those opportunities are not worth pursuing – at least not at the same time. Collaborative, collegial, all with intelligence and humor. Can’t imagine a person I would more like to have to help me negotiate the way from point A to point B”. Suzanne Ortega, President of the Council of Graduate Schools.

“A standout leader is what comes to mind when I think of Alberto Acereda. Alberto promotes innovation, fearlessly embraces change, and manages to achieve remarkable results while honoring his staff’s humanity. A witty conversationalist, his ability to partner effectively with clients in academia, government or business make him a triple threat!! He is an effective leader versed in subject matter expertise alongside a commitment to inspire those he leads.” Yvette Donado, CEO, Diversity & Inclusion Strategists, LLC.