Wayne Chen is the Vice President for Finance and Administration at Dharma Realm Buddhist University (DRBU), where he provides strategic leadership across institutional finance, operations, admissions, and long-term planning. Since joining DRBU in 2009, Wayne has played a central role in University’s development and growth, working to align resources and systems in service of a mission rooted in wisdom and compassion.

Wayne is deeply committed to the transformative power of higher education—especially when it is grounded in self-cultivation, community, and meaningful inquiry. He is particularly drawn to the ways organizational culture and leadership shape how people learn, work, and grow together. He sees DRBU as a thoughtful response to the challenges of modern education: an institution that places wisdom and character at its core and offers a living model of how Buddhist higher education can nurture whole persons, integrating profound inner transformation with rigorous academic learning.

Prior to his current role, Wayne served as Director of Development and Strategic Planning, as well as Director of Admissions and Financial Aid—a position he continues to hold. In these roles, he helped shape the enrollment strategy, financial aid model, and student experience, ensuring alignment with the University’s educational values and small-scale, mission-driven model.

Wayne holds an Ed.D. in Organizational Change and Leadership from the University of Southern California, an MBA from The University of Chicago Booth School of Business, and a BS in Economics and Finance from Washington University in St. Louis. Before coming to DRBU, he worked as a management consultant at McKinsey & Company and PricewaterhouseCoopers.

Education

Ed.D., University of Southern California, CA, 2024

M.B.A., University of Chicago Booth School of Business, IL, 2006

B.S. in Economics and Finance, Washington University in St. Louis, MO, 1999

Positions

Vice President for Finance and Administration, Dharma Realm Buddhist University, 2025 to Present

Director of Admissions and Financial Aid, Dharma Realm Buddhist University, 2013 to Present

Director of Development and Strategic Planning, Dharma Realm Buddhist University, 2009 to 2025

Consultant, McKinsey & Company, 2006-2009

Project Coordinator, Dharma Realm Buddhist Association, 2001-2004

Management Consultant, PricewaterhouseCoopers, 1999-2001