Meet the Executive Director

Roderick Lewis serves as the inaugural W. Howard Upchurch, Jr. Executive Director of Global Engagement & Community Impact at the Wake Forest University School of Business, where he provides vision and leadership for initiatives that advance the School’s mission through global engagement, cross-cultural collaboration, and strategic community partnerships.

In this role, Lewis is responsible for designing and implementing school-wide strategies that promote student success, cultivate meaningful connections with regional and international communities, and align with institutional priorities around innovation, excellence, and long-term impact. His work centers on strengthening global awareness, developing cross-cultural competencies among students, and facilitating learning opportunities between students from domestic and international backgrounds. These efforts are intended to prepare students not only to thrive in an interconnected world but also to contribute thoughtfully to the organizations and communities they will serve.

Lewis brings more than two decades of experience in higher education, workforce development, and organizational effectiveness, having served in a variety of leadership roles at the intersection of education, industry, and community. Prior to joining Wake Forest, he served as Executive Director for University Career Services at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where he led campus-wide efforts to connect students with employers, improve career readiness programming, and introduce innovative assessment tools to track outcomes and drive continuous improvement.

Lewis holds a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering from the University of Alabama and an MBA from the Georgia Institute of Technology. His background in both technical and business disciplines informs his data-driven and outcomes-focused approach to leadership. A global citizen by experience and legal status, he holds dual citizenship in the United States and Portugal, reflecting a lifelong commitment to cross-border learning and international collaboration.

At Wake Forest, Lewis continues to advance institutional goals through a commitment to innovation, strategic partnerships, and initiatives that prepare students to lead with integrity in a rapidly changing world.