Stephen W. Beard

Stephen Beard is president and chief executive officer of Adtalem Global Education, Inc.

Adtalem Global Education (NYSE: ATGE) is a leading provider of professional talent to the healthcare industry and is also a premier provider of continuing professional education to the financial services industry. Adtalem expands access to high-quality education at scale and is the parent organization of ACAMS, American University of the Caribbean School of Medicine, Becker Professional Education, Chamberlain University, EduPristine, OnCourse Learning, Ross University School of Medicine, Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine and Walden University.

Stephen was appointed Adtalem’s CEO and a director on its board in 2021.

Previously, Stephen served as Adtalem’s chief operating officer (COO), responsible for the vision, leadership and financial performance of Adtalem Financial Services vertical. In addition, Stephen led the company’s strategy, corporate development, government and regulatory affairs, communications and civic engagement activities, and mobilized a variety of operational and corporate initiatives to accelerate Adtalem’s performance.

Stephen’s experience in refining the company’s portfolio strategy, executing the DeVry University, Carrington Colleges and Adtalem Brazil divestitures, and spearheading the Walden acquisition — coupled with his success in leading the Financial Services segment — have played an integral role in positioning the company for long-term growth.

Prior to taking on the responsibility of COO in 2019 and responsibility for the Financial Services vertical in 2020, Stephen served as senior vice president, general counsel and corporate secretary in 2018.

Prior to Adtalem, Stephen was executive vice president, chief administrative officer and general counsel of Heidrick & Struggles International, Inc. (NASDAQ: HSII), where he directed global legal operations for the company and oversaw a variety of enterprise-level functions including strategy and corporate development.

Prior to joining Heidrick & Struggles, Stephen was in private practice with Schiff Hardin, LLP in Chicago, where he was a member of the firm’s corporate and securities group, advising public and private companies in mergers and acquisitions, corporate finance and corporate governance matters.

Stephen began his legal career as a law clerk for the Honorable Frank Sullivan, Jr. (ret.), associate justice of the Indiana Supreme Court.

Stephen has been active in a variety of community and civic matters and currently serves on the board of venture philanthropy fund A Better Chicago.

Stephen received his bachelor’s degree from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, a juris doctor degree from the Maurer School of Law at Indiana University – Bloomington and completed the Advanced Management Program at the Fuqua School of Business at Duke University.