Mr. Hester is a seasoned, visionary leader with over 30 years of experience in managing large-scale programs for nonprofits and educational institutions. In addition to having expertise in strategic management and organizational processes, Mr. Hester has demonstrated expertise in connecting minority institutions of higher education and small businesses to contracting opportunities in the federal marketplace.Mr. Hester has invaluable experience in all facets and levels of education administration ranging from K-12, community college, four-year institution and STEM educational policy at the federal level. In addition to holding a number of administrative positions in higher education in areas such as accreditation and outcomes assessment; program evaluation; institutional research and planning, he continues to teach as an adjunct professor in nonprofit management, business administration and graduate level statistics. Mr. Hester continued his work in grants and contracts administration during his tenure with NASA Headquarters in Washington, DC. While there, he managed multiple contractual projects valued at over $12M for the NASA Minority University Research & Education Division. Immediately prior to working with the MSI STEM Research & Development Consortium, Mr. Hester served as Vice President & COO and later assumed the role of CEO of the UNCF Special Programs Corporation (UNCFSP). Mr. Hester managed a $78M portfolio of federally funded programs and applied his experience in federal contracting to chart new enriching paths for minority serving institutions in Global Competitiveness Initiatives.Since founding and leading the MSI STEM Research & Development Consortium in 2015 of more than 75 minority serving institutions of higher education, he has garnered in excess of $45M in government research dollars to conduct innovative R&D projects of great value to the Nation. The Consortium has garnered the participation of 135+ minority serving institution members, including their majority and private partner collaborators.Mr. Hester graduated from Duke University with a Bachelor of Arts in English and received the Master of Public Administration degree from North Carolina Central University. He has served as an adjunct faculty member at Southeastern University, Guilford Technical Community College, and Saint Augustine’s College and is currently an adjunct assistant professor at the University of Maryland, Global Campus. He also currently serves on the Board of Advisors to the School of Business Leadership at the University of South Africa.