Dr. Jo Allen, a nationally respected higher education leader, joins Academic Search’s parent organization, the American Academic Leadership Institute (AALI), as the 2026–2027 President in Residence. In this role, Dr. Allen will mentor aspiring higher education executives, share insights from her decades of leadership experience, and work closely with participants in AALI’s leadership development programs.
Dr. S. Georgia Nugent joins the American Academic Leadership Institute (AALI) as the 2025–2026 President in Residence. A nationally respected leader and devoted advocate for the liberal arts, Dr. Nugent brings a wealth of experience and a distinguished record of leadership in higher education to this role.
The college presidency has always been demanding, and the post-pandemic era presents intensified challenges such as political polarization, campus unrest, demographic shifts, and financial constraints. Effective presidential competencies evolve with these contexts, requiring a constellation of adaptable skills, highlighted in this research.
Dr. Katherine (Kate) Conway-Turner joins AALI as this year’s President in Residence. Dr. Conway-Turner is a nationally and internationally recognized higher education administrator and scholar of applied social psychology. In this role, Dr. Conway-Turner will mentor leaders in the 2024-25 AALI program cohorts, contribute to program development, and lead seminars and workshops.
We are thrilled to announce the expansion of our team with two experienced higher education professionals, Mr. Michael C. Maxey and Dr. Timothy Mottet, joining as Senior Consultants. Their extensive experience and profound insights promise to bolster our capability to support academic institutions in achieving strategic success.
We are pleased to welcome Meg Richtman as the new Director of our Executive Coaching Practice. Ms. Richtman’s extensive experience and visionary leadership will help expand our capabilities and impact. In this new role, she will lead our coaching practice operations and enhance the resources to support our Senior Executive Coaches, ultimately building on the momentum and impact of the Executive Coaching Practice and advancing our unique commitment to leader effectiveness and well-being.
As our executive search practice continues to keep pace with the past two years of growth, we are delighted to expand our team to enhance our support for our ongoing searches. We recently welcomed four associate consultants and two consultants to our team, each with a diverse background in higher education.
Dr. Ann Die Hasselmo’s dedication to shaping independent higher education has been recognized with the distinguished 2024 Council of Independent Colleges Allen P. Splete Award for Outstanding Service. This accolade is a testament not just to her enduring commitment but also to the indelible mark she has left on the fabric of higher education. We are so thankful to have Ann with us at Academic Search and for the years she contributed to leading our parent organization, the American Academic Leadership Institute.
We are proud to announce the establishment of the Academic Search Fund for Leadership Development through $1 million in gifts to be split equally between the American Association of State Colleges and Universities and the Council of Independent Colleges. The organizations have each established permanent funds to enhance leadership development initiatives for their member presidents and institutional leaders. AASCU and CIC stand as two major national higher education presidential associations, each with a unique focus and mission. Through this endowment, we reaffirm our commitment to nurturing leaders in both public and private higher education institutions across the United States.
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