Title: Executive Director for the Center for Innovative Leadership, Furman Innovation Lab Co-Founder
Company: Furman University
Location: Greenville, South Carolina, United States
Garrett Stern, Executive Director for the Center for Innovative Leadership and Co-Founder of the Furman Innovation Lab at Furman University, has been recognized by Marquis Who’s Who Top Executives for dedication, achievements, and leadership in Higher Education Strategy and Transformation.
With a career marked by expertise in education and nonprofit leadership, Mr. Stern has distinguished himself as an expert in higher education strategy and transformation work. His expertise encompasses helping institutions with strategic thinking and development, innovation initiatives, design thinking applications, instructional design, leadership development, and the applied use of artificial intelligence in both educational and business settings. Mr. Stern’s commitment to solving complex challenges facing universities, whether related to products or strategy, has earned him recognition as a leader in his field.
Since 2023, Mr. Stern has served as the executive director of the Center for Innovative Leadership at Furman University in Greenville, South Carolina. In this role, he was recruited to establish the center as a new venture for the university, building its business and technology infrastructure and developing a funding model independent of traditional university structures. Under Mr. Stern’s guidance, the center has become a catalyst for integrating university resources with economic development efforts across South Carolina.
Since founding the Center for Innovative Leadership, which Mr. Stern considers the crowning achievement of his career to date, he has established strategic partnerships with major corporations, such as Michelin, BMW, Bosch and Milliken, embedding the center’s work into local business workflows. In 2025, the center received two national awards from UPCEA, the largest association for online and continuing education institutions, providing significant external validation for its impact.
In 2024, Mr. Stern also co-founded the Furman Innovation Lab. This initiative serves as a hub for all non-undergraduate activities at Furman University, including technical assistance for nonprofits and businesses, support for local entrepreneurs, corporate and executive education offerings, and management of career-oriented master’s degree programs. The lab operates with a mission to redefine how universities engage with businesses, not merely as program providers but as strategic partners in talent development across entire organizations.
Before joining Furman University, Mr. Stern contributed significantly to his alma mater, the University of Richmond, from 2015 to 2024. As a senior program manager between 2017 and 2022 and again as a consultant from 2022 to 2024, he led efforts to redevelop professional educational portfolios aimed at adult learners seeking new skills or career transitions. Earlier roles included managing nonprofit relationships for the Center for Civic Engagement between 2015 and 2017. During his tenure at the university, Mr. Stern also held the position of senior director at LERN from 2020 to 2021, one of the nation’s largest continuing education associations, where he contributed to national conversations on lifelong learning.
Mr. Stern’s experience in the classroom previously included teaching high school biology and middle school music at Thai-Chinese International School in Bangkok between 2014 and 2015 after living abroad in Thailand for over a year. His diverse background also involved service on AmeriCorps NCCC’s field team in 2013 and leadership roles in environmental conservation projects across multiple states. From 2010 to 2012, Mr. Stern co-founded and led Valley Crop Mob, a nonprofit organization focused on connecting farmers with local customers. Notably, he served as its executive director while simultaneously working as a research specialist at James Madison University and program coordinator for Harrisonburg Farmer’s Market Association.
Mr. Stern’s academic background has been instrumental in shaping his systems-thinking approach to problem-solving within higher education. He earned a Bachelor of Arts in anthropology, magna cum laude, from James Madison University in Harrisonburg, Virginia, where he was lauded with departmental honors, such as Outstanding General Anthropology Student of the Year and induction into the Phi Beta Kappa Society and the Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society. Mr. Stern later completed a master’s degree in nonprofit public and organizational management studies at the University of Richmond, followed by a Mini-Master of Business Administration on campus.
In addition to his formal education, Mr. Stern’s commitment to continuous learning is further reflected through multiple credentials, including a political campaign management professional certificate from the University of Richmond, a permaculture design certificate from the Shenandoah Permaculture Institute, and several certifications from the Center for Creative Leadership.
Throughout his career, Mr. Stern has been actively involved in industry organizations and civic associations. He has served on the board of advisors for the Greenville Chamber of Commerce since 2022 and has held leadership positions within UPCEA, including vice chair of the Credential Innovation Network and vice chair at large of the Alternate Credentials Network since 2024, as well as membership on UPCEA’s Council for Credential Innovation since 2025. He has also been active on the TenAtTheTop’s PIQUE Committee since 2024. Among other engagements, Mr. Stern’s volunteer work has included collaboration with AmeriCorps NCCC, serving as the team leader for an environmental conservation project, and volunteering on Pine Ridge Reservation as well as camps serving adults with disabilities.
Creative endeavors have also played an important role in Mr. Stern’s journey. He co-produced “The Seed Saver,” a film featured in the PBS Short Film Festival that explored themes of heritage farming and cultural identity in Sonoma Valley, from 2018 to 2020. Mr. Stern is currently producing “Leading Out Loud,” a public radio show set to launch with South Carolina Public Radio, featuring weekly broadcasts along with podcast and video content.
Mr. Stern’s contributions have been recognized with numerous awards, including a President’s Award for Volunteer Service Gold from the U.S. Government in 2013, recognition as a UPCEA Marketing Award Gold Winner for Mixed Media Campaign in 2018, two national UPCEA awards in 2025 and, among others, several marketing awards from higher education associations.
Born in Roanoke, Virginia, Mr. Stern attributes much of his success to an openness toward diverse experiences cultivated during his 20s through varied roles, such as archaeologist, farmer and wildland firefighter before finding his calling in higher education, a field where these experiences converge meaningfully. Looking ahead, he is committed to transforming how universities interact with their surrounding communities by fostering lifelong learning opportunities that extend far beyond traditional undergraduate populations. Mr. Stern’s vision centers on leveraging university resources not only as academic institutions but also as vital social pillars that strengthen communities through collaboration across diverse groups.
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