External Advisory Board

The UNYP External Advisory Board meets twice a year to provide guidance to the university’s leadership. It evaluates UNYP’s position in both the Czech and international academic environments and suggests ways to enhance education quality. This includes improving programs, refining delivery methods, and ensuring content aligns with societal and economic needs.

The board consists of nine distinguished members from public life, business, and academia. They are selected for their expertise, which helps shape UNYP’s growth, success, and impact on the communities it serves.

The members of the UNYP External Business Advisory Board are as follows:

Ing. Andrea Ferancová Bartoňová

Chair of the Board & Founding Partner at ESPIRA Investments

Ms. Ferancová Bartoňová has over 20 years of experience in emerging market finance.

Before joining ESPIRA, Andrea was a co-owner of Wood & Company, a leading Central European investment bank and brokerage.

Under her leadership, Wood & Company’s market share in the Czech equity market grew from 5% to a market-leading 30%, a position the firm still holds. She also pioneered electronic trading access in Prague, Warsaw, Budapest, Vienna, Frankfurt, Istanbul, and Dubai.

Andrea has been ranked multiple times among the Top 25 businesswomen in the Czech Republic by Hospodářské noviny and Forbes. For more information about Mrs. Ferancová Bartoňová, click here.

Dr. William Barnard, Ph.D.

Former Dean of Academic Development at UNYP
Center Director of Council on International Educational Exchange

Originally from the United States, Will has twenty years of experience in international education in the Czech Republic.

He holds a Bachelor’s degree from Princeton University, a Master’s from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and a Doctoral degree from the University of Michigan.

Will has over fifteen years of experience with UNYP, having previously served as Vice President for Academic Affairs and Operations Manager, among other roles.

He is currently the Center Director in Prague for CIEE: Council on International Educational Exchange. For more information about Mr. Barnard, click here.

Ing. Senta Čermáková

CEO of Czechitas
Teacher at CEMS – The Global Alliance in Management Education

Ms. Čermáková graduated in biocybernetics from the Faculty of Electrical Engineering at the Czech Technical University.

She develops strategic projects in new technologies and innovations, supports startups both locally and internationally, and teaches critical thinking in futurology in the international CEMS program. She is also active in social innovations in education and mentoring.

Ms. Čermáková leads the SheXO program for women in leadership, KidsXO for talented children in technology, and 3XO, which connects senior business professionals. At Deloitte Czech Republic, she launched and manages an internship program.

She has won Deloitte’s Central Europe Regional Impact Award twice for startup programs and company transformation. In 2011, she became the first woman to receive the Manager of the Year award. For more information about Ms. Čermáková, click here.

Ing. Jan Fischer, CSc.

Former Czech Prime Minister

Jan Fischer is a former Prime Minister of the Czech Republic and Vice-President of the EBRD. He currently advises the President of the Czech Statistical Office and teaches at the University of Economics, Prague.

Fischer holds a PhD in economic statistics and began his career at the Federal Statistical Office. He led teams on election results and managed relations with Eurostat, serving as President of the Czech Statistical Office from 2003 to 2009.

In the private sector, Fischer was Director of Production at Taylor Nelson Sofres Factum and Director for Strategic Projects at CE Group. He also helped establish a statistical service in East Timor with the IMF in 2001.

From 2010 to 2012, Fischer was Vice-President of the EBRD and led research centers at the University of Economics. As Prime Minister (2009–2010), he led the Czech government during its EU Council Presidency and later served as Vice-Prime Minister and Minister of Finance.

He is a member of several academic and governmental councils, including the Board of Trustees of the University of Economics, Prague.

PhDr. Jindřich Fryč

Chief State Secretary

Jindřich Fryč graduated from the Faculty of Education at Charles University in Prague and built his career at the Ministry of Education, Youth, and Sports.

He has held key positions, including Director of the Department for Youth, Director General for International Relations and European Affairs, Deputy Minister (2012–2014), and later Secretary General. His expertise lies in education and international relations.

For his contributions to education, science, and culture, he has received the French Order of Academic Palms and Germany’s Grand Cross of Merit.

He currently serves as Chief State Secretary at the Ministry of the Interior, focusing on improving public administration and strengthening the role of civil servants. For more information about Mr. Fryč, click here.

Dr. Hadi Salavitabar

Former Dean of SUNY New Paltz University
Founder & CEO of Summit Academic Leadership Advisors

Dr. Hadi Salavitabar earned his Ph.D. from the State University of New York at Binghamton in 1982.

He has held faculty and administrative positions at SUNY New Paltz, The College of Saint Rose, and the University at Albany – SUNY. His research articles and books have been published by internationally recognized publishers.

Dr. Salavitabar has served on numerous national and international boards. He is currently on the Board of Trustees of Ulster Savings Bank, the Board of Directors of Mohonk Mountain House, and the Business Advisory Board of the University of New York in Prague.

He has received many awards, including the SUNY Chancellor’s Award and Alumni Award. In May 2013, he was inducted into the SUNY New Paltz School of Business Hall of Fame. For more information about Mr. Salavitabar, click here.

Ing. Miroslav Singer, Ph.D.

Former Governor, Czech National Bank,
Director of Institutional Affairs, Chief Economist CEE, Generali CEE Holding, BVV

Miroslav Singer is a prominent Czech economist.

He earned a degree in mathematical methods in economics from the University of Economics in Prague and obtained his Ph.D. from the University of Pittsburgh in 1995.

Before joining the Czech National Bank (CNB), Singer held senior management roles at Expandia and PricewaterhouseCoopers, focusing on finance, industry, and restructuring.

In 2005, he became a member of CNB’s Bank Board and served as Vice Governor until 2010. He was then appointed Governor, a position he held until 2016.

Since January 2017, Singer has been the Director of Institutional Relations and Chief Economist at Generali CEE Holding, overseeing operations in Austria, Central and Eastern Europe, and Russia. In January 2018, he joined the company’s Executive Committee.

Additionally, he chairs the Supervisory Boards of Česká pojišťovna and Generali Pojišťovna (CZ) and serves as Vice-Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Moneta Money Bank. Among his accolades,

Singer was named “Central Banker of the Year in Europe” in 2014 by The Banker, a Financial Times publication. For more information about Mr. Singer, click here.

prof. PaedDr. Radka Wildová, CSc.

Chief Director of the Higher Education, Science and Research Section at MŠMT

Radka Wildová graduated from the Faculty of Education at Charles University, specializing in primary school teaching.

Since 1989, she has worked at the Department of Pre-primary and Primary Education, focusing on early literacy and preliteracy through research and teaching.

She has held several leadership roles at Charles University, including Vice-Dean for Studies (2003–2009), Dean of the Faculty of Education (2009–2017), and a member of the Rector’s Board (2016–2017).

She is currently a member of the Dean’s Board, Vice-Rector for Quality of Educational Activities, and Chief Director of Higher Education, Science, and Research at MŠMT.

Radka is also active in professional organizations, including the International Reading Association and the Council of Europe’s Committee for the Development of Educational Action.

Blake Wittman, B.S.

CGO of GoodCall

Blake Wittman is the European Business Director at GoodCall. He has worked with both Fortune 100 corporations and small startups, thriving in both environments.

With over 20 years of experience, he is driven by a passion for people and purpose. After a brief time at Citibank, he entered recruitment, building a career on strong relationships, ethics, and a commitment to positive impact.

He founded and expanded the executive search firm SpenglerFox across Central Europe, serving top financial institutions. He later joined Philip Morris International as an HR Business Partner for Sales & Marketing. His biggest shift came with Lime&Tonic, a venture-backed startup that sharpened his perspective on business and market influence.

Now a shareholder and Director of Europe at Good Group—comprising GoodCall, Recruitment Academy, and Datacruit—Blake is focused on transforming the recruitment industry and advancing the human relations market. For more information about Mr. Wittman, click here.