UPCEA CEO Robert J. Hansen to Retire in 2027; Board to Launch National Search for Successor

Hansen will leave an organization that has nearly quadrupled its annual revenue and become the leading association for online and professional education

WASHINGTON, DC, UNITED STATES, October 21, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — The UPCEA Board of Directors today announced that Dr. Robert J. Hansen, who has led UPCEA, the online and professional education association, for more than 16 years, will retire as Chief Executive Officer in early fall 2027. The Board will launch a national search for his successor in February 2027.

Hansen came to UPCEA in 2010 from the field it serves, after senior leadership roles at public and private universities and earlier service as an education policy aide to former Illinois Governor Jim Edgar. He holds a Ph.D. in English from the University of Notre Dame.

During Hansen’s tenure, UPCEA grew from its roots in continuing education to become the national leader for online and professional education. The association marked that growth with a brand refresh and a new tagline, “The Online and Professional Education Association.” UPCEA’s annual revenue nearly quadrupled under his leadership, and its staff more than doubled. Highlights include:

– Leadership in online learning through the Center for Online Leadership and Strategy and the Summit for Online Leadership and Administration (SOLAR), which gave chief online learning officers a professional home. SOLAR is now the sector’s premier event for these leaders and their teams.
– Vibrant professional Networks aligned with nine core areas of practice, from marketing, enrollment and student success to instructional design, business operations and, most recently, graduate education.
– The UPCEA Hallmarks of Excellence, field-defining frameworks for digital learning enterprises, professional and continuing education, and credential innovation. The newest, the Hallmarks of Excellence in Digital Learning Enterprises, was developed with more than 80 chief online learning officers and endorsed by nine national organizations, including the American Council on Education, EDUCAUSE and Quality Matters.
– Convergence: Credential Innovation in Higher Education, presented with AACRAO, which helps institutions build credential strategies that serve learners and employers.
– Leadership development for the field, including a flagship certificate program that prepares professionals to lead online and professional education enterprises.
– UPCEA Research and Consulting, whose market research, benchmarking and consulting help institutions decide which programs to launch and where to invest.

UPCEA enters this transition in a commanding position, with a diversified revenue base, record cash and investment balances, and no outstanding debt.

UPCEA’s members are navigating enrollment pressure, tighter budgets, new federal and state policy, and rapid changes driven by AI and credential innovation. The Board will look to UPCEA’s next CEO to build on the association’s strengths and grow the value members rely on to lead through that change.

“Bob built UPCEA into the professional home for leaders in online and professional continuing education, and the whole field is stronger for it,” said Asim Ali, Ph.D., 2026–2027 UPCEA Board President and Executive Director of the Biggio Center for the Enhancement of Teaching & Learning at Auburn University. “Thanks to his leadership, UPCEA is positioned to do even more for members in the years ahead, and the Board is committed to finding a leader who will build on that momentum.”

“Leading UPCEA has been the privilege of my career,” said Hansen. “Today, our members are leading their institutions through some of the most important changes in the history of the academy. Everything UPCEA has accomplished belongs to them, and to an extraordinary staff and Board.”

Search for the next CEO

The search will be led by a CEO Search Committee of UPCEA Board members, supported by a national executive search firm. Hansen will lead UPCEA through the transition.

When the search opens in February 2027, UPCEA members and others may apply for the role or nominate candidates. All inquiries, nominations and applications will be held in strict confidence. Read the full announcement at upcea.edu.

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About UPCEA
UPCEA is the online and professional education association. Our members continuously reinvent higher education, positively impacting millions of lives. We proudly lead and support them through conferences and seminars, professional development, networking and mentorship, stakeholder advocacy, and research that fuels innovation across the field. Learn more at upcea.edu.

Molly Nelson
UPCEA
mnelson@upcea.edu
+1 2026593130

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