A college professor with over three decades of experience, Hansel Burley graduated from St. Mary's University of San Antonio with a bachelor of arts in English communication arts. Subsequently, he earned a master's degree in English from Stephen F. Austin State University. After serving as a high school English teacher, Hansel Burley enrolled at Texas A&M University-College Station, where he earned a PhD in curriculum and instruction and taught remedial English.

Mr. Burley joined the Texas Tech University (TTU) faculty in 1995 as an assistant professor in learning and instruction and educational psychology. Hansel Burley spent 25 years at TTU in various teaching and leadership roles, including associate dean for graduate education and research and chair of the Department of Educational Psychology and Leadership. He oversaw strategic planning for the department.

In 2020, Mr. Burley served as dean of the College of Education and Human Sciences at the University of New Mexico (UNM). Hansel Burley oversaw improvements in enrollment and fundraising and became a Deans for Impact Fellow. In 2023, he started teaching at the UNM School of Public Administration. Moreover, he has published dozens of articles in peer-reviewed publications, created various specialized workshops and training sessions, and received multiple awards from the Southwest Educational Research Association.

Hansel Burley