Leadership Team

The Board of Directors appointed Shaun R. Carver as Executive Director of International House at the University of California, Berkeley in early August 2020.

Shaun brings a wealth of experience to this position, with over twenty years of leadership in international education and a lifetime of living and working in cross-cultural environments. He served as Assistant Dean for Graduate Programs in the Rady School of Management, UC San Diego (2017-2020) and as Executive Director of the Hult International Business School (Boston, New York, San Francisco, Shanghai; 2013-2017), where he oversaw 750 students representing 82 countries. Before that he served in leadership positions in institutions of international higher education in China (2002-2013) at the University of International Business and Economics in Beijing, Tsinghua University, and the Sino-British College of the University of Shanghai Science and Technology (USST).

Shaun’s father is American and his mother British, thereby allowing Shaun to hold citizenship in both the United States and the United Kingdom. As a child, the family moved around often, within the US and lived for two years in Ireland. Shaun traveled widely during his years in Asia, through China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Mongolia, Japan, and many other countries throughout the continent. He feels at home in cross-cultural situations.

Shaun became International House’s sixth Executive Director at a pivotal time in I-House’s history. While the COVID-19 pandemic and consequent temporary closure of the building for the Fall of 2020, and likely the full 20/21 academic year, has created unprecedented challenges, Shaun believes this has also created a unique opportunity to ensure that I-House is well prepared to continue advancing its mission well into the future.

Learn more about Shaun's leadership experience

Chory joined the International House Team in July 2021. He is the Director of Board Relations & Engagement. Located in the Executive Office, Chory serves as the ED’s principal aide in building collaborative relationships across the I-House community to advance the organization’s mission, vision, and goals; supporting the development of the Board policies, processes, practices; and advancing a changing portfolio of high-priority Board projects from idea to execution. He is also the Executive Representative to UCB Chancellor’s Office and Vice Chancellor’s Office. Chory manages and executes all administrative and logistical functions for the Board of Directors of the International House corporation and serves with the official title of Secretary of the International House Corporation as an officer of the Board.

Chory has a background in catholic education, spanning 17 years, which has given him the concrete foundation to cross into the corporate world and higher education. He entered corporate, supporting the Director of Corporate Marketing for a financial institution, armed with years of experience in communicating effectively with multiple personalities, a great skill set in conflict resolution, as well as superb organizational and time management skills. Chory’s experience as an Office Manager and Administrator in the financial corporate world, Executive Assistant, President’s House Manager, and assistant Board Secretary in the Office of the President at the former Mills College, has enabled him to excel as an Executive / C-Suite professional.

In his service to the community, Chory is President - Emeritus of the Board of Directors for Oakland Elizabeth House, a residential transitional program for women and children who have experienced homelessness, violence, addiction, or poverty. He continues his service for OEH on the Advisory Council. Chory sits on the Board of Directors for The Golden State Road Warriors, the Golden State Warriors affiliated wheelchair basketball team. His link to many organizations, individuals, and communities is a testament to his well-established connections. Chory has a passion for doing good and doing the right thing when it comes to helping others. Chory is bilingual in Tagalog and English and is a first-generation-born Filipino-American. He is a lifetime Berkeley resident.

As Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Ernie oversees all financial operations and provides strategic financial leadership to support the organization's mission. The CFO works closely with the Executive Director and Board of Directors to develop and implement financial strategies that support the organization’s mission and goals, as well as foster the organization's growth and impact in the global community. The CFO is responsible for ensuring the organization’s financial health and sustainability and will play a pivotal role in maintaining compliance with relevant laws and regulations.
 
Ernie most recently served as the Senior Assistant Dean and CFO for the School of Natural Sciences at UC Merced, responsible for Finance, Instructional Lab Operations, Personnel, Faculty Support, and Research Operations. His other roles in higher education have included serving as Assistant Dean, Executive Director of Extension Ventures, and instructor at UC Berkeley Extension. His professional career prior to UC Berkeley was in Strategic Planning, Corporate Development, and Finance in the semiconductor industry with Globalfoundries, eSilicon, and Xilinx. In these roles, he led strategy processes, conducted M&A activities, facilitated internal venturing, placed corporate venture investments, and managed multi-billion-dollar capital budgeting processes.

Before his stint in the semiconductor industry, Ernie worked as a consultant creating and executing growth strategies for high technology companies such as Sun Microsystems, Hewlett-Packard, Hexcel, Loral, Etec, Macromedia, BestBuy, Intermedia, and PrimeCo. He began his career as an R&D engineer and engineering manager with Loral Space and Range Systems and Eaton/AIL Systems.    
 
Ernie grew up in Andover, Massachusetts.  He received undergraduate degrees in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science from Duke University and received his MBA at Santa Clara University.  
 
When he’s outside the office, Ernie enjoys the outdoors through running, cycling, and hiking. He also loves to cook and brew beer, earning gold medals in some state and national brewing competitions. 

Margie Ryan (IH 1992-93) joined I-House in January 2022 as our Alumni Engagement Manager, a fitting role as she is a proud alumna of UC Berkeley, Cal’s Education Abroad Program (EAP), and I-House. She currently serves as Director of Alumni Relations and Philanthropy. 

Margie has more than two decades of fundraising experience with local nonprofits, including the Trust for Public Land, California College of the Arts, Bay Nature Magazine, and Save Mount Diablo. She has also worked on projects for the Library of Congress Folklife Center, the Smithsonian Folklife Festival, the North Carolina Arts Council, and
the Marin Arts Council. She received an undergraduate degree from UC Berkeley in Cultural Anthropology and completed master level coursework in folklore with a focus on oral history at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

When asked about being back at I-House, Margie says, “It’s truly wonderful being back here. The building is as beautiful as I remember and it’s so exciting to hear the many languages and accents that fill the house each day. Most importantly, the spirit of the I-House community remains strong. I love helping current residents, alumni, and the public connect (or reconnect!) with each other and with wonderful I-House.”