Staff Highlights | Robert Prather

Staff Highlights

Name: Robert Prather

Organization: TAICEP

How long have you been a member of TAICEP? 10+ Years

A Kentucky, USA native, I’m the Executive Director for TAICEP, a role I have proudly held for over a decade and for which I owe an eternal debt of gratitude to Margit Schatzman. I currently live in Harrodsburg, KY (on the river Dix), not far from my hometown of Lexington.

My Role at TAICEP: My main job is to keep the organization running smoothly, enabling our members and volunteers to flourish and ensuring the organization’s success. The most rewarding part of my work is collaborating with our fantastically talented and generous volunteers from around the world. Their commitment to advancing our profession is what makes this organization so special.

If I had to describe TAICEP in just a few words, it would be: Supports our profession.

My Journey in Education: I’ve been working in education since 1984, when I started my career at the University of Kentucky. While my first role was in high school correspondence and other university auxiliary programs, I soon found my calling in the world of international education. Over the last 40 years in public, for-profit, and non-profit organizations, I’ve had the chance to explore nearly every facet of the field—from international admissions, recruitment, marketing, immigration, study abroad programs, to evaluating credentials and managing a credential evaluation agency.

Beyond the Desk: When I’m not focused on TAICEP, you can usually find me:

Reading: I am currently jumping between George Saunders’ “A Swim in a Pond in the Rain” and Morgan Housel’s “The Psychology of Money.”
Media Scrolling: I enjoy following a range of thinkers on social media, such as Tom Bilyeu, Mo Gawdat, Neil Howe, Michael Every, and Geoffrey Hinton, for their thought-provoking ideas (even if I don’t always agree with them!).
Watching late-night YouTube videos: My go-to at 3 a.m. is watching people build almost anything…such as cabins in remote corners of the world or mesmerizing, ear-tickling ASMR videos of chefs whacking and clacking out beautiful dishes in their woks. (Hey, it’s 3 a.m… it doesn’t have to make sense.)
Listening to Music: My tastes vary from traditional and folk to uplifting and soothing. I avoid “nervous” jazz/classical, talking, angry, or irritatingly repetitive music.

One Wish to Make the World a Better Place: Reimagine sports, arts, and entertainment by replacing the centralized, spectator, commercial model with one rooted in decentralized, hands-on, and whole-community engagement.

Just in case you are wondering, the one I hold nearest is Ash.

He’s my 13-year-old Cairn terrier, and the best dog in the whole world.

Looking Ahead: My plan for retirement? To be alive, functioning, and adaptable.