Rebecca Hayward

Rebecca Hayward is an executive leader at the University of Pennsylvania, currently serving as the Executive Director of Academic Innovation & Strategy at Penn Engineering since 2016. In this role, Rebecca drives academic innovation and strategic initiatives, overseeing nearly 40 professionals focused on online education, learning design, enrollment marketing, and graduate admissions. Previously, Rebecca led Penn Engineering Online, managing a large-scale online education operation for over 2,000 graduate students. As the Founding Director of Penn Engineering Online, Rebecca launched the school’s first online degree program and multiple open online courses. Prior experience includes strategic research support roles and managing educational outreach initiatives aimed at expanding STEM access, as well as advanced degrees in Global Higher Education Management and Technology Management from the University of Pennsylvania and Villanova University, respectively.