about Whigham

Our Leadership

Dove carrying an olive branch symbolizing global understand, global leadership, and global benevolence at The Whigham School.

Meet Our Executive Leadership Team

At The Whigham School, our executive leadership team shares a conviction that education should develop the character, wisdom, and courage to serve others well. Bringing together experience in entrepreneurship, higher education, international program design, strategic communications, and student development, our leaders unite academic depth with practical understanding. Their backgrounds include advanced degrees in education, languages, and comparative literature, leadership roles at established universities, and firsthand experience across cultures. Together, they guide a learning environment rooted in integrity, compassion, and purpose, preparing a new generation to lead thoughtfully, engage globally, and do substantial good in the world.

Our Founder & president

Steve Whigham

Steve Whigham is an entrepreneur, educator, leadership thinker, and author whose work focuses on preparing leaders to navigate an increasingly interconnected and rapidly changing world.

As founder of The Whigham School and author of The Leader's Guide to Tomorrow, Steve has dedicated much of his career to exploring a fundamental question: What kind of leadership does the future require?

His work sits at the intersection of leadership development, global understanding, human flourishing, cultural intelligence, and ethical decision-making. Through his writing, speaking, and educational initiatives, he challenges conventional assumptions about leadership by emphasizing service, adaptability, courage, benevolence, and a commitment to improving others' lives.

Steve believes leadership is not reserved for the powerful, the wealthy, or the exceptionally gifted. Rather, it is a responsibility available to ordinary people willing to confront meaningful problems, act with integrity, and contribute to something larger than themselves. This philosophy serves as the foundation for both The Whigham School and The Leader's Guide to Tomorrow.

Recognizing the growing need for leaders capable of working across cultures, languages, and worldviews, Steve helped create The Whigham School's Master of Global Studies program, an immersive educational experience that combines graduate-level academics, international residencies, language acquisition, and intercultural learning. The program was designed to cultivate leaders who can operate effectively in diverse environments while remaining grounded in compassion, wisdom, and service.

Throughout his work, Steve advocates for a simple but demanding principle: leadership should leave people, communities, and systems better than we found them. His mission is to help develop leaders equipped not only to succeed professionally, but to do substantial good in the world.

Portrait of Bailey Brown, Communications Research Analyst at The Whigham School, supporting global leadership development, cultural intelligence, and international education through strategic storytelling and communication research.

Chief Operating Officer & Dean

Beth Crews

Beth Crews serves as Chief Operating Officer and Dean of The Whigham School, overseeing student experience, operational excellence, institutional development, and academic support. With more than two decades of experience across higher education, program development, student advising, faculty leadership, and organizational strategy, Beth brings a rare combination of operational excellence and human-centered leadership to The Whigham School.

Before joining The Whigham School, Beth served as Director of Undergraduate Evening Studies at Furman University, where she led one of the university's primary continuing education initiatives through a period of growth and innovation. During her tenure, she launched Furman's first hybrid undergraduate learning model, expanded academic offerings, recruited and managed more than 65 faculty members, developed faculty training programs, and established a community advisory board to strengthen stakeholder engagement and program relevance.

Her experience also includes leadership roles at Clemson University, independent consulting work focused on higher education and organizational development, and facilitation of strategic planning and stakeholder engagement initiatives for educational organizations.

As Chief Operating Officer and Dean of The Whigham School, Beth helps guide the development of the school's academic and operational framework, translating vision into action while ensuring students, faculty, and partners experience a learning environment built on excellence, clarity, and purpose. She plays a central role in shaping policies, systems, and student support structures that allow the school's innovative global learning model to flourish.

Beth holds a Master of Education in Counselor Education and Student Affairs from Clemson University, and is a certified Global Career Development Facilitator. Her work is grounded in a belief that education should not simply prepare people for careers, but help them develop the confidence, perspective, and wisdom needed to make meaningful contributions to their communities and the world.

Portrait of Dr. Jeremy Patterson, Vice President of Academic Affairs and Senior Interculturalist at The Whigham School, specializing in global education, intercultural leadership, and cultural intelligence.

Areas of Expertise

Global Education
Intercultural Leadership
Language Acquisition
Cultural Intelligence
International Program Design
Study Abroad Administration

Vice President of Academic Affairs & Senior Interculturalist

Jeremy Patterson, DML, Ph.D.

Dr. Jeremy Patterson is a globally minded academic leader, intercultural strategist, and language expert dedicated to preparing the next generation of thoughtful, compassionate, and globally capable leaders.

As Vice President of Academic Affairs at The Whigham School, Jeremy plays a foundational role in shaping the institution’s academic vision, leadership philosophy, and immersive educational model. As a key architect of the program itself, he reflects a deep commitment to preparing students not simply for professional success but for meaningful leadership in an increasingly interconnected world.

With advanced academic training in comparative literature, modern languages, translation studies, and intercultural development, Jeremy brings exceptional intellectual depth to his work. Yet what distinguishes him most is his lived experience navigating diverse cultures, languages, and global environments firsthand.

Fluent in four languages and deeply experienced in international education, Jeremy understands that true leadership is not built through information alone. It is cultivated through humility, adaptability, cultural understanding, emotional intelligence, and human connection.

Throughout his career, he has designed transformative study abroad programs, led language and culture initiatives, developed globally focused curriculum, and guided students and faculty through meaningful intercultural experiences.

Jeremy believes the most effective leaders are those willing to listen well, learn deeply, and engage the world with wisdom, compassion, and courage. His work directly supports The Whigham School’s mission to prepare leaders to do substantial good in the world.

Director of Marketing

Whitney Vadeboncoeur

Whitney Vadeboncoeur is a growth strategist, brand architect, and communications leader specializing in mission-driven organizations, higher education, healthcare, and nonprofit development. As Director of Marketing, Growth & Strategic Partnerships for The Whigham School, Whitney leads the marketing strategy, public relations, digital ecosystem, enrollment marketing, thought leadership initiatives, strategic partnerships, and brand development efforts.

Her work extends beyond traditional marketing. She helps translate complex ideas into compelling narratives that attract students, donors, faculty, media, and community leaders. By integrating content strategy, search optimization, public relations, social media, podcasting, and stakeholder engagement, she helps amplify The Whigham School's mission of preparing global leaders to do substantial good in the world.

Whitney's professional background spans healthcare innovation, executive advisory services, nonprofit development, digital marketing, media production, and business growth strategy. She has worked alongside entrepreneurs, healthcare executives, nonprofit leaders, educators, and Fortune 100 organizations to develop brands, launch initiatives, strengthen community engagement, and accelerate organizational growth.

She believes meaningful growth happens when mission, strategy, and storytelling are aligned—and that the most powerful brands are those that inspire people toward a purpose larger than themselves.

Communications Research Analyst

Bailey Brown

Bailey supports storytelling, digital communications, content creation, and community engagement initiatives. Drawing from behavioral science, communication research, emotional intelligence, and the psychology of trust, Bailey helps individuals and organizations strengthen their ability to connect, influence, and communicate with purpose.

At The Whigham School, Bailey supports research and development, academic content creation, editing, communications strategy, and storytelling initiatives. Her work helps translate complex ideas into meaningful conversations that inspire learning, foster understanding, and strengthen engagement across diverse audiences.

Bailey brings a unique perspective to leadership development through her study of how people build trust, navigate difficult conversations, make decisions, and form lasting relationships. Her approach emphasizes practical application, thoughtful communication, and the belief that leadership begins with understanding people.

Her work reflects a conviction shared by The Whigham School: that meaningful leadership is not simply about knowledge or expertise, but about the ability to connect with others across cultures, perspectives, and experiences.