Educator & Entrepreneur
20 years of experience in leadership, administration, consulting & project management.
bryanthand@gmail.com
I was raised in a family of several generations of dedicated educators, including my mother Christine Hand, a lifelong teacher, mother of six, and a passionate educator who had a vast and positive effect on our community. She has been deeply influential in my work over the years.
After graduating from university, I began my career in New York City as an Americorps volunteer building natural science programs and rooftop gardens for inner city public schools and libraries, and teaching a natural science course at the Rikers Island Prison Complex. These first vital experiences began to shape my ideas about learning and teaching, inspire me to build Oxford Language Center and create the NGO, Las Manos de Christine, and would eventually lead me full circle to the founding of the Green School in Antigua, Guatemala.
Summary
Accomplished leader with 20 years of experience in education, entrepreneurship and business administration. Proactive and resourceful professional with a strong commitment to fostering trusting and productive relationships with stakeholders in the community. Dedicated to helping community members and administration teams progress in an efficient and people-centered work environment.
Core knowledge and skills:
Strategic visionary leadership
Organizational and business development
Risk management; assessment, protocols, training
Budgets, financial reporting and fiscal oversight
Board of Directors experience
Marketing, sales, CRM and online platforms
Fundraising, events and grant writing
Recruitment, hiring and team supervision
Antigua Green School
Head of School
Founding Director
2010 – 2018
Developed the school’s mission and vision to build a child-centered curriculum based on the Montessori method, that met the needs of students and the standards of the Ministry of Education of Guatemala.
Managed the accreditation process to meet the strict standards for facilities, staff, and curriculum to become a certified Cambridge International School in 2015.
Designed and oversaw development of policies, procedures, and performance and assessment standards for students, teachers and administration to meet strict standards of the school board, Ministry of Education, and Cambridge International.
Recruited, hired, oriented and trained a team of educators. Mentored teachers and staff to align with the values and goals of the school, to meet performance standards, and to grow professionally.
Developed staff and parent handbooks, created school schedules and calendars, and facilitated and led parent/teacher conferences and the formation of the Parent / Teacher Organization.
Ensured the financial stability of the school through close analysis of quarterly and annual financial reports, including reports to the board of directors.
Fostered the growth of the school by opening one new grade per year, achieving an increase in annual revenue by 10x over 8 years establishing the school as the community standard for quality, child-centered, and environmentally-focused education in Guatemala.
Las Manos de Christine
Las Cruces, NM USA
Founding Director
Board of Directors Chairman
2007 - Present
Established a new 501(c)(3) organization to meet the educational needs of the underserved population in Guatemala City. Built the NGO, as Director from 2007-2010, to provide early childhood, English language, and continuing education programs to communities in need.
Develop and implement fundraising strategies by identifying, researching, contacting and building relationships with prospective donors as well as organizing fundraising events and campaigns.
Design promotional materials, wrote the newsletters and website to increase awareness of the organization’s work, goals, and financial needs.
Partnered with the Guatemalan public school of El Hato, Sacatepequez to build needed infrastructure for the Early Childhood program and library and develop curriculum and teacher training programs to support at-risk students throughout the community.
Responsible for the legal and financial stability of the organization to provide sustainable educational services and continuing education scholarship programs to disadvantaged students.
Oxford Language Center
Guatemala City, Gt
Founder / Director
2004 – 2010
Executive Director
2018 – Present
Founded and built the educational institution from initial investment to the market leader in English language learning, educational consulting, exam preparation and university admission services.
Managed all budgets and financial reporting, including; income, profit and loss, cash flow analysis as well as all billing and payroll for the company.
Fostered and maintained strategic relationships with local board members, business owners, community leaders, and other leading schools and organizations.
Developed strategies and managed the transition of all classes and educational services to an online format and platform, and now manage online service strategies and development.
Recruit and manage the sales team, including setting sales targets, tracking progress through a CRM platform, and issuing commissions and bonuses.
Managed the successful accreditation process to become an official Cambridge Assessment Centre.
Recruited, hired, trained and mentored staff members to create a company environment dedicated to the highest level of service, professionalism and industry practices and standards.
Managed marketing and public relations, building a team to create, build and manage our brand.
Education
University of Massachusetts Amherst, MA
Master of Education (M.Ed.)
May 2024 (expected)
University of New Mexico Albuquerque, NM
Bachelors of Arts (B.A.)
December 1999
North American Montessori Association Columbia, MD
Whole School Management in Administration
May 2011
Selected Achievements
Founded and/or managed seven individual schools, academies and educational nonprofits in Guatemala, developing unique concepts designed to meet the needs of each individual community. All of the projects have been financially successful / sustainable and are still in operation.
Developed and wrote the grant, created the curriculum, and managed a program where I taught inmates at Rikers Island Prison Complex in New York a course designed to learn botanical science through observation and application of different styles and techniques of visual arts.
Managed a team of architects, contractors, investors, educators and parents in designing and building new school facilities to align with the U.S. Green School Council standards, and to serve as a modern progressive educational environment with individualized spaces for our Early Childhood, Kinder, Elementary and Secondary School, with a focus on environmental sustainability.