Team

Will Sánchez is Senior Director of Strategic Partnerships for Asia and Latin America at Minerva Project. In this role, he leads the development and expansion of strategic collaborations with governments, universities, and education institutions across both regions, helping them implement transformational educational initiatives. At Minerva, Will guides institutional leaders in redesigning curricula, scaling active learning pedagogies, and embedding global competencies into their academic programs, leveraging Minerva’s pioneering model of education to drive systemic innovation. With over 11 years of experience in the global higher education sector, Will brings deep expertise in education innovation, data-driven decision-making, and future-focused learning design. Previously based in Singapore, he served as Regional Director at two of the most prominent UK-based global rankings firms, Times Higher Education and QS Asia Quacquarelli Symonds, where he worked with top universities across Latin America, Africa, Korea, and Japan to advance their global education strategies. Will holds an M.A. in Global Economy and Strategy from Yonsei University and a B.A. in International Business from San Diego State University. Fluent in English, Spanish, and Korean, he has delivered keynotes on education transformation across Latin America and Asia. Will is dedicated to reimagining higher education through curricular reform, technological innovation, and inclusive global partnerships that prepare today’s students for tomorrow’s challenges.

Megan Perpich is the Senior Strategic Partnerships Lead at Minerva Project where she develops and nurtures new relationships globally. Previously, she worked in sales for an HR startup focused on the future of work. A Minerva University graduate, Megan’s passion for education reform stems from her experience implementing innovative teaching methods and is complemented by her non-traditional educational background.

Abha Ahuja is the Institutional and Program Design Lead at Minerva Project, where she leads the design of innovative academic programs for higher education partners around the world. Her work is grounded in a deep understanding of how people learn and a systems approach to program design. With a focus on creating rigorous and scalable learning experiences for diverse student populations, she helps institutions translate their missions, visions, and academic goals into coherent programs, including skills taxonomies, learning outcomes, curricular pathways, and models for applied and experiential learning.

Before joining Minerva Project, Ahuja was an Associate Professor in the College of Natural Sciences at Minerva University, where she designed and taught interdisciplinary and STEM courses using evidence-based pedagogy. She previously conducted postdoctoral research at Harvard University and served as a Lecturer and Curriculum Fellow at Harvard Medical School. She studied Zoology at Delhi University in India and earned her Ph.D. in Genetics from McMaster University in Canada.

Sean Hughes is the Learning Science Lead at Minerva Project, where he directs the design of courses, learning experiences, and assessment systems for university partners around the world. He works with institutions to develop rigorous, active learning practices - grounded in the science of learning - that are distinctive to each partner's context and which equip their students with durable, AI-resilient skills. His work on redesigning how universities teach in a post-AI era has been spotlighted by the World Economic Forum and at UNESCO global events.

Prior to Minerva, Sean served as an assistant Professor of Psychology at the University of Ghent and as a visiting scholar at both Harvard and Cornell Universities. He has published over 75 peer-reviewed articles on a wide range of topics, from Learning and AI, to Behavior Change and Influence, as well as Attitudes and Persuasion. He is also the co-author of a book titled, "The Psychology of Learning: An Introduction from a Functional-Cognitive Perspective" currently available from the MIT Press.

Christine Looser is the Transformation Strategy Lead at Minerva Project, where she works with universities to turn ambitious goals into coherent systems for change. Her work blends strategy, behavioral science, and learning science to help leaders close the gap between vision and sustainable execution. Christine has led transformation projects with universities around the world, building new education models from the ground up and helping established institutions change from within.

Before joining Minerva Project, Christine was Head of the Business College at Minerva University, a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at Harvard Business School, and taught in the Harvard Psychology Department as a College Fellow. She holds a Ph.D. in Cognitive Neuroscience from Dartmouth College and an interdisciplinary B.A. from the College of the Holy Cross.

Sarah Spalding is Director of Partner Programs for the Americas at Minerva Project, where she leads a portfolio of higher education partnerships, helping institutions strengthen their academic programs and build lasting capacity for change. Prior to joining Minerva, Sarah was Associate Dean for the College of Business, Innovation, Leadership and Technology at Marymount University, where she oversaw academic operations, curriculum development, and accreditation. As a faculty member, she taught history and designed interactive historical strategy games that fostered active learning and durable skill-building. She is deeply committed to leading change in ways that strengthen institutions and empower the people within them. Sarah has extensive experience in partnership strategy, curriculum and active-learning design, faculty development, and is a certified change management practitioner. She graduated with a B.A. in History from Duke University and an M.A. and Ph.D. in Medieval History from The Catholic University of America.

Erica Yoon is Director of Partner Programs for Asia at Minerva Project. With over a decade of experience in postsecondary program design and evaluation, Erica brings expertise in curriculum architecture, faculty development, and evidence-based program iteration. She previously held program leadership roles at Stanford University, where she led a flagship interdisciplinary course redesign. At College of San Mateo, she served as Associate Professor and designed evidence-based assessment and early-intervention systems. Erica holds a PhD in Developmental Psychology from Stanford University and a B.A.Sc in Cognitive Science from McGill University. Born in Korea, raised in Korea and Canada, and fluent in Korean and English, she is excited to contribute to Minerva's growing global partner network.