Dr. Seth Houston, prior to founding UQ, enjoyed a successful early career in higher education, serving on the faculties of Carroll University and the University of California, Irvine, where he was also associate chair.

A choral conductor and composer, he established programs under his direction as centers of excellence, innovation, and collaboration. While at UCI, Seth was selected to participate in the Provost’s Leadership Academy, a year-long training program for emerging academic leaders. Seth also completed an MBA at UCLA Anderson, where he focused on business strategy and finance, and went on to work at the data and consulting firm Gray Associates.

In addition to his MBA, Seth holds a doctorate from USC Thornton and degrees from Oberlin and the University of Michigan, where he received the Regents Fellowship. Seth lives in Charlottesville, VA.

Dr. Gary Daynes, in his over-25-year career in higher education, has served as Provost (at two institutions), Vice President for Student Engagement, and Vice President for Enrollment Management.

Gary has led initiatives on economic development, service-learning, learning communities, and retention, and mentored student research and electronic portfolios. His scholarly work has addressed social change in America, the activism of Jane Addams, and the role of local organizations in community well-being. His current academic work focuses on the ways that small schools and small communities can succeed in the face of competition from larger institutions.

Gary has consulted with dozens of colleges, independent schools, and community organizations. His consulting work focuses on strategic planning, program design, operational efficiency, and building tools to help small, focused institutions flourish in difficult markets. Gary lives in Winston-Salem, NC.