Dr. Esther Ra is a higher education administrator and lecturer with 22 years of experience, specializing in career development and management. She has expertise in the areas of writing, communications, and education. Currently, she works in Philadelphia as an Associate Director at the University of Pennsylvania’s Career Services. She also enjoys co-leading her office’s International Committee and collaborating with many internal and external campus partners to ensure the needs of the Penn international student community.

In addition to advising, Dr. Ra is also a Lecturer at The Wharton School at Penn, teaching MBA students in the Communications Program. Internationally, she has served as Visiting Professor at Seoul National University and Korea University in Seoul, South Korea, teaching students the power of critical thinking, writing, and communications skills. In both roles, she has taught students from all over the globe.

Previously, she has worked as a researcher, faculty member, supervisor, professional developer, and a K-12 teacher in New Jersey, New York, Michigan, and Pennsylvania.

Currently, she also serves as an Executive Board Member and Chair of the Governance Committee of Mustard Seed Generation (MSG), a non-profit organization dedicated to mental health literacy and dialogue among Korean Americans. 

In her free time, she freelances for publishing companies, including HarperCollins & Chronicle Books, writing educator guides for multicultural literature. She specializes in writing guides for Asian American authors, many who are NY Times bestselling authors.

Education

• University of Pennsylvania, Doctorate of Education in Language & Literacy

• Columbia University, Master of Arts in Curriculum & Teaching

• Cornell University, Certificate in Women’s Entrepreneurship

• Biola University, Graduate Certificate in TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages)

• Barnard College, Columbia University, Bachelor of Arts in English, Sociology Minor

Certifications

• The Academies, Certified Strengths Coach (ACSC)

• The Academies, Certified Career Management Coach (CCMC)

• The Academies, Certified Executive Leadership Development Coach (CELDC)

• The Myers-Briggs Foundation, MBTI Personality Type Indicator

• New Jersey State Certified Teacher

• New York State Certified Teacher

Above all, she enjoys spending time with her beloved family, sipping a cup of matcha latte reading a good book, or curled up while watching a Korean drama.