Stephen Backman
International Education Leader; Project Director; Chief of Party; Technical Expert in Language, Literacy, Policy, and Systems
- Role
- Program Manager - Englishconnect at Byu-Pathway Worldwide
- Location
- Saratoga Springs, UT, US
- LinkedIn followers
- 500 followers
About Stephen Backman
I am a compassionate and strategic international development and education leader with over 20 years of experience directing large-scale development and humanitarian programs across Africa and Asia. I’ve served as Chief of Party, Director, and senior technical advisor on nine USAID-funded projects, with a focus on foundational learning, teacher professional development, policy reform, and systems strengthening.My work bridges research and practice—leading field-based studies, shaping national education strategies, and partnering with ministries, NGOs, and communities to build equitable, sustainable learning systems. I’m passionate about improving learning opportunities, expanding access to quality education, strengthening communities, and building resilience in underserved and crisis-affected settings.With a PhD in education policy and extensive experience in cross-cultural leadership, I bring both strategic and grassroots insight to every project. I’ve presented and published widely on international development, literacy, language, policy, and education reform, and remain deeply committed to supporting resilience, self-reliance, and human connection through education and community development.
Experience
Program Manager - Englishconnect
Oct 2025 — Present · US
Program Manager for various EnglishConnect programs, including, EnglishConnect 1 & 2, EnglishConnect for Misisonaries, EnglishConnect for Church Schools, and EnglishConnect for Youth under the Succeed in School program.
Education
Michigan State University
PhD, Education
2003 — 2009
Brigham Young University
BA, Anthropology
1997 — 2002
Skills
- Program Management
- Research
- Qualitative Research
- Program Evaluation
- Grant Writing
- Nonprofit Organizations
- International Development
- Program Development
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