Marcel Valenta

Chief Legal and Compliance Officer

Marcel is responsible for all legal, regulatory, and compliance matters for the company.

Prior to joining, Marcel was General Counsel and Head of Enterprise Development at ASU Enterprise Partners, a nonprofit that supports Arizona State University. He previously served as senior corporate counsel at Hewlett Packard and worked as a corporate transaction’s attorney at multinational law firms in Chicago and Silicon Valley.

As a lifelong learner with an entrepreneurial spirit, Marcel is an enthusiastic advocate for expanding access to high-quality, affordable degrees that advance individuals’ careers and social impact.

Marcel completed undergraduate legal studies in Germany and Italy and holds a J.D. and an LLM from Northwestern University. Marcel and his wife Kimberly have three children. He played tennis competitively in Europe and enjoys fitness activities and traveling.


What traits do you admire in a leader?

Humility and an awareness that leadership is a great responsibility. You never want people to follow you blindly.

What are your core values and principles and how have they informed your career?

It’s less of a value and more of an approach: keep an open, critical mind, stay curious, and do the right thing. I’ve always sought challenges and it’s taken me a long way from the little town in Germany where I grew up.