Behind every great idea is a story — one shaped by experience, perspective, and purpose.

For Pearsana founder and CEO Gareth Maguire, that story began in education, grew through sport, and was solidified by family.

Gareth’s career began in the classroom, where he worked as both a teacher and a school leader. This gave him firsthand insight into the complexities of education systems — the importance of documentation, the challenges of administration, and, most importantly, the barriers that often stand between students and opportunity.

That passion for education and youth development evolved into a new venture: Sport Changes Life, a charity Gareth co-founded to inspire and mentor young people through sport. One of its flagship initiatives, the Victory Scholarship Program, brought U.S. university graduates to Ireland and the U.K. to complete master’s degrees, play their sport semi-professionally, and work with disadvantaged youth.

Through this work, Gareth helped bridge cultures and opportunities between U.S. and U.K./Irish education systems. His experience expanded further when he brought the first NCAA basketball tournaments to Europe with Inspirus Sports Management — a milestone that showcased how sport and education can unite communities across borders. The experience also deepened Gareth’s understanding of how international education functions and strengthened the relationships that would later shape Pearsana’s global vision.

It was also during this time that Gareth saw the pain points of international study up close — the endless paperwork, verification delays, and administrative friction that made cross-border education harder than it needed to be.

Years later, this insight became deeply personal. As a father of three daughters who each earned the opportunity to play college basketball in the United States, Gareth once again encountered the same challenges — this time as a parent. From chasing transcripts to navigating eligibility and admissions, the process was complex, fragmented, and often frustrating for students, families, and institutions alike.

“It became clear to me that the system wasn’t built to support students or institutions in a connected, modern way,” Gareth recalls. “Every step felt harder than it needed to be — for the student, the parent, and the school.”

That realization became the spark that led to Pearsana — a secure, digital platform designed to empower individuals and institutions to manage, verify, and share credentials effortlessly. Built on trust, transparency, and technology, Pearsana exists to make educational and professional transitions smoother for everyone — from secondary school to university, from one institution to another, and from the classroom to the workplace.

What began as one educator’s mission to make opportunity more accessible has evolved into a global effort to redefine trust in education and employment.

Because at its heart, Pearsana isn’t just about technology — it’s about connection, empowerment, and the belief that every journey should be as seamless as the opportunities it leads to.