As Harvard’s Commencement Director, Stephan works with leadership and partners across each school and unit to bring to life Harvard’s oldest, still-observed tradition which is celebrated with over thirty-five thousand guests and participants in person and hundreds of thousands viewing this online from afar. After more than two decades at Harvard, before overseeing Commencement, he served at the Center for Workplace Development, Neiman Foundation for Journalism, Faculty of Arts and Sciences Development Office, and Alumni Affairs and Development’s Events Office. Stephan has supported or managed the launch of schools (SEAS, 2007), capital campaign launch events (2013), alumni global series (2014), presidential inaugurations (2007, 2018), and hundreds of other events for the Harvard community around the world before being named the University’s second Commencement Director in 2016.