Education

1987 graduate of Plano Senior High School

Plano Senior High School

Plano Senior High School is a public secondary school in Plano, Texas, USA, serving students in grades 11–12. The school is part of the Plano Independent School District, with admission based primarily on the locations of students' homes...

, where he helped the '86 football team win a Texas State Championship. Howard is a 1991 distinguished graduate of the United States Air Force Academy

United States Air Force Academy

The United States Air Force Academy is an accredited college for the undergraduate education of officer candidates for the United States Air Force. Its campus is located immediately north of Colorado Springs in El Paso County, Colorado, United States...

, earning a bachelor of science in political science. While at the Academy, he served as his class president, and as a cadet group

Group (air force unit)

A group is a military aviation unit, a component of military organization and a military formation. Usage of the terms group and wing differ from one country to another, as well as different branches of a defence force, in some cases...

 commander. He was selected as a First Team Academic All-American as the starting running back on the Air Force Falcons football team

Air Force Falcons football

The Air Force Falcons are a college football team from the United States Air Force Academy, located just outside of Colorado Springs, Colorado. The team competes in the Football Bowl Subdivision of the NCAA Division I and the Mountain West Conference.-Style:...

. Howard was named a Rhodes Scholar, and he attended Oxford University from 1991 to 1994, earning a Master of Philosophy and a Doctorate of Philosophy in Politics. In 2003, he earned a Master of Business Administration

Master of Business Administration

The Master of Business Administration is a :master's degree in business administration, which attracts people from a wide range of academic disciplines. The MBA designation originated in the United States, emerging from the late 19th century as the country industrialized and companies sought out...

 degree, with distinction, from the Harvard Business School

Harvard Business School

Harvard Business School is the graduate business school of Harvard University in Boston, Massachusetts, United States and is widely recognized as one of the top business schools in the world. The school offers the world's largest full-time MBA program, doctoral programs, and many executive...

.

Military career

While in the Air Force, Howard served as a UH-1 “Huey” helicopter pilot and an intelligence officer. He was handpicked to accompany Secretary of Defense William Cohen

William Cohen

William Sebastian Cohen is an author and American politician from the U.S. state of Maine. A Republican, Cohen served as Secretary of Defense under Democratic President Bill Clinton.-Early life and education:...

 to Cape Town

Cape Town

Cape Town is the second-most populous city in South Africa, and the provincial capital and primate city of the Western Cape. As the seat of the National Parliament, it is also the legislative capital of the country. It forms part of the City of Cape Town metropolitan municipality...

, South Africa

South Africa

The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...

 as a military advisor in 1998. He served with the 24th Special Tactics Squadron

24th Special Tactics Squadron

The 24th Special Tactics Squadron is one of the Special Tactics units of the United States Air Force Special Operations Command .-Disposition:Based at Pope Air Force Base the 24th STS is among the premier Special Tactics Squadrons in the Air Force....

 and earned the Joint Service Commendation and NATO Medals for service in Bosnia. He is currently a lieutenant colonel

Lieutenant Colonel (United States)

In the United States Army, United States Air Force, and United States Marine Corps, a lieutenant colonel is a field grade military officer rank just above the rank of major and just below the rank of colonel. It is equivalent to the naval rank of commander in the other uniformed services.The pay...

 in the Air Force Reserve. He was called to active duty for one year during 2003, serving as the Chief of the Human Intelligence Operations Cell in Afghanistan

Afghanistan

Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...

 where he was awarded the Bronze Star. He currently serves as the US Air Force Reserve Air Attaché to Liberia

Liberia

Liberia , officially the Republic of Liberia, is a country in West Africa. It is bordered by Sierra Leone on the west, Guinea on the north and Côte d'Ivoire on the east. Liberia's coastline is composed of mostly mangrove forests while the more sparsely populated inland consists of forests that open...

.

Civilian career

In 1999, Howard worked in various capacities for Bristol-Myers Squibb

Bristol-Myers Squibb

Bristol-Myers Squibb , often referred to as BMS, is a pharmaceutical company, headquartered in New York City. The company was formed in 1989, following the merger of its predecessors Bristol-Myers and the Squibb Corporation...

, most notably, serving as a manager on a $100 million HIV/AIDS initiative in southern Africa called Secure The Future.

Howard is the chairman and founder of the Impact Young Lives Foundation, a non-profit organization that provides scholarship and travel opportunities for South African students of color. He also serves on the Advisory Board of Carolina for Kibera

Carolina for Kibera

Founded in 2001 by Rye Barcott, Salim Mohamed, and the late Tabitha Atieno Festo, Carolina for Kibera is a 501 international non-governmental organization based in the Kibera slum of Nairobi, Kenya. CFK has an office and youth center in Kibera, as well as support services based at the Center for...

, a non-profit that fights ethnic violence and abject poverty in the Kibera

Kibera

Kibera is a division of Nairobi Area, Kenya, and neighbourhood of the city of Nairobi, located from the city centre. Kibera is the largest slum in Nairobi, and the second largest urban slum in Africa...

 slum of Nairobi

Nairobi

Nairobi is the capital and largest city of Kenya. The city and its surrounding area also forms the Nairobi County. The name "Nairobi" comes from the Maasai phrase Enkare Nyirobi, which translates to "the place of cool waters". However, it is popularly known as the "Green City in the Sun" and is...

, Kenya

Kenya

Kenya , officially known as the Republic of Kenya, is a country in East Africa that lies on the equator, with the Indian Ocean to its south-east...

.

Beginning in May 2003, Howard served in General Electric

General Electric

General Electric Company , or GE, is an American multinational conglomerate corporation incorporated in Schenectady, New York and headquartered in Fairfield, Connecticut, United States...

’s Corporate Initiatives Group where he reported to the Chief Information Officer. While working with GE, he led several initiatives, including the company’s effort to expand its African businesses.

In September 2005, Howard became Associate Vice President for Strategic & Leadership Initiatives, and later Vice President at the University of Oklahoma

University of Oklahoma

The University of Oklahoma is a coeducational public research university located in Norman, Oklahoma. Founded in 1890, it existed in Oklahoma Territory near Indian Territory for 17 years before the two became the state of Oklahoma. the university had 29,931 students enrolled, most located at its...

 where he also served as the Director of the Honors College Leadership Center, Associate Professor, and a President’s Associates Presidential Professor.

Howard is also a Senior Advisor of Albright Stonebridge Group

Albright Stonebridge Group

The Albright Stonebridge Group is a global strategy company led by former Secretary of State Madeleine Albrightand former National Security Advisor Samuel Berger, and former Senator Warren Rudman...

 where he advises clients on Africa-related issues.

External links

• President's page at Hampden-Sydney College
  Hampden-Sydney College
  Hampden–Sydney College is a liberal arts college for men located in Hampden Sydney, Virginia, United States. Founded in 1775, Hampden–Sydney is the oldest private charter college in the Southern U.S., the last college founded before the American Revolution, and one of only three four-year,...