Dr. Touchstone will be based in China and serve as our Deputy Dean of Business Programs. She will work directly with our DBAC and MBAC students, faculty, partners, and Global College. Ellen’s presence underscores our Sofia values of service, stewardship, and commitment to academic excellence.
Dr. Touchstone recently held the role of Associate Dean of Responsible and Sustainable Business Education (RSBE) at the International Business School Suzhou (IBSS) at Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University (XJTLU) for the past five years. Her commitment to engaging creative and academic excellence has been demonstrated by her ability to build unique partnerships with community and global organizations like Dulwich College, UWC Changshu, DKU, and the Urban Development Institute of Suzhou ESG Innovation Center. Through her spirit of collaboration, Climathons, and International Women’s Day events are some of the networking opportunities she has co-created for students and faculty. Dr. Touchstone’s commitment to applied learning in our global world is a hallmark of the engaged leadership she demonstrates.
CVs identify the roles a leader holds, and Dr. Touchstone certainly demonstrates cultural humility as an American with her home base over time in China. What we have also learned in our conversations with Dr. Touchstone is that she shares the values and principles we hold here at Sofia University with our transpersonal history. She is deeply curious and a serial entrepreneur passionate about transformational meaning-making in collaboration with others. Despite the upheaval of moving and learning about a new organization, every communication demonstrates the value she holds of kindness and the well-being of others.
We are delighted to have Dr. Touchstone add her wisdom and perspectives to our global community dialogues. We are delighted by the support that allows us to have this critical role in supporting the learning and the growing body of students who are part of our Sofia family.
