FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Melinda Leonardo, Director of Interim Search and Senior Executive Search Consultant
Email: melinda.leonardo@agbsearch.com    Phone: 202-776-0856

Washington, D.C., April 23, 2025 – The AGB Institute for Leadership & Governance in Higher Education has announced the selected participants for the class of 2025/26. Now entering its seventh year, 25 participants from institutions around the country will begin their experience with an in-person symposium in Washington, D.C. in September.

The Institute has shown incredible success since its inception, reflected in the demonstrated achievements of its Fellows. To date, 24 of the past participants have become presidents or chancellors of higher education institutions, and many other participants have successfully progressed on the pathway to the presidency with commendations and new positions.

The success of the Institute comes at a critical moment in higher education. “Now more than ever, colleges and universities need talented and motivated leaders who are prepared to navigate the ongoing changes to the higher education environment,” said Dr. Rod McDavis, AGB Search’s Managing Principal & CEO. “The AGB Institute for Leadership and Governance in Higher Education was created for the distinct purpose of preparing aspiring leaders for successful service, and we are excited to engage and support the growth of the next cohort of leaders.” 

The participants of the Class of 2025/26 (Cohort 7) are:

Dr. Stephanie Adams
Dean, Erik Jonsson School of Engineering and Computer Science
University of Texas at Dallas

Dr. Cristina Alcalde
Vice President for Transformational and Inclusive Excellence
Miami University of Ohio

Dr. Keyimani Alford
Associate Vice President of Student Access & Success
Madison Area Technical College

Dr. Lorin Basden Arnold
Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs
Kutztown University

Dr. Michael Bean, Jr.
Director of Community and Engagement/Educational Leadership Program Chair
Concord University

Dr. James Bridgeforth
Assistant Vice President for Student Affairs
Virginia Tech University

Dr. Bryan Cain
Senior Vice President
Endicott College

Dr. Tim Carroll
Sara Hart Kimball Dean, College of Business
Oregon State University

Dr. Lowell Davis
Vice President for Student Affairs
University of Texas Arlington

Dr. Valeda Dent
Vice Provost, University Libraries, Michael C. Carlos Museum, & Emory Center for Digital Scholarship
Emory University

Dr. Wanda Ford
Vice President for Finance and Administration
Florida State College at Jacksonville

Dr. John Harrell
Assistant Vice President for Student Services & Student Engagement
Texas Tech Health Sciences Center El Paso

Dr. Claude Hutto
Dean & Assistant Vice Provost, Division of Professional and Continuing Studies
Morehouse College

Mr. Jonathan Knee
Michael T. Fries Professor of Professional Practice of Media and Technology Columbia Business School
Columbia University

Dr. Weronika Kusek
Provost Fellow
Northern Michigan University

Dr. Kawanna Leggett
Senior Vice President for Student Affairs
Loyola Marymount University

Dr. Pamela Luckett-Smith
Chief Digital Officer
Dallas College

Dr. Pedro Mago
Glen H. Hiner Dean, College of Engineering and Mineral Resources
West Virginia University

Dr. Juan McGruder
Senior Vice President for Institutional Advancement
Meharry Medical College

Dr. Julie Payne-Kirchmeier
Inaugural Vice President for Student Success
Indiana University

Dr. Jay Perry
Vice President
University of South Dakota

Dr. Adam Roth
Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences
Quinnipiac University

Dr. D’Angelo Taylor
Vice President for Hope, Unity, and Belonging
Belmont University

Dr. Anibal Torres-Bernal
Chief Academic Officer
Penn State Lehigh Valley

Dr. Michael Weeks
Dean and Robert A. Jolley Chair of Business Administration, Tommy and Victoria Baker School of Business
The Citadel

Download Institute cohort members’ bios and photos.

To learn more about the Institute, visit www.leadandgovern.com.

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The AGB Institute for Leadership & Governance in Higher Education is designed for small groups of participants who aspire to presidencies at four-year public research universities and regional comprehensive institutions. Presented by AGB Search and the Association of Governing Boards of Universities and Colleges (AGB) the Institute is designed to bolster the pipeline of qualified and diverse presidential candidates in preparation for higher education leadership.