Executive Leadership Academy
The Executive Leadership Academy (ELA) is a unique leadership development program for senior cabinet officers who are interested in becoming university presidents.
Get notified.Developing the next generation of presidents.
The president’s role, as well as that of other senior administrators, has changed. It now requires an understanding of all aspects of the institution—from enrollment to endowment management and from governmental to alumni relations—not to mention athletics, fundraising, marketing, student affairs, strategic planning, and financial management. The president’s necessary expertise also has expanded beyond institutional borders, to include regulatory and legislative issues and crisis communications. Further, it is more essential than ever that the pipeline of senior leaders prepares a range of candidates from all backgrounds to succeed. ELA develops the wide-ranging skills that new presidents and senior executives will need to meet the challenges of today’s educational environment and serve today’s students.
Who Should Participate
- Campus leaders and cabinet members interested in becoming president/chancellor or other senior executive position.
How You’ll Benefit
- Comprehensive preparation in the areas of most critical concern to presidents.
- Participants complete a Professional Experience Plan (PEP), which assesses leadership strengths as well as the opportunities Build a strong and supportive network of peers and mentors.
- One on one mentoring from current president and program director.
What to Expect
A partnership to prepare future leaders.
The Executive Leadership Academy is cosponsored by AASCU, the Council of Independent Colleges (CIC) and the American Academic Leadership Institute (AALI). Approximately 35 participants are selected each year – half from AASCU member institutions and half from CIC member institutions.
- Discussions of the evolving leadership competencies needed to lead in today’s complex and turbulent times
- Mentorship from experienced presidents
- Opportunity for real-time application and impact of tools and trainings via a Professional Experience Plan
- Strong relational component—commitment to create and support trust, encourage peer-to-peer learning, confidentiality, and safety among the cohort
- Enhance the skills and knowledge of cabinet-level administrators as they contemplate future roles as college or university presidents or other senior executive positions
- Nomination Deadline: February 9, 2026
- Opening Seminar (June 15-16 2026, Washington, DC)
- Regularly scheduled virtual workshops (July 2026–May 2027)
- Closing Seminar (June 10-11, 2027, Washington, DC)
In-person programming will not be livestreamed or otherwise recorded. One-hundred percent attendance and participation is expected.
- Enrollment and marketing
- Endowment and financial management
- Government relations
- Alumni relations
- Crisis communications
- Strategic planning
- Applications that are complete, including a nomination/endorsement from a president/chancellor who will serve as the participant’s mentor, and submitted by the deadline will be considered.
- AASCU and AALI staff review applications and select a cohort that reflects AASCU institutions.
- Preference is given to applicants from AASCU member institutions.
A complete application for ELA includes the following:
- Nomination or endorsement from the president/chancellor from your home institution
- Clear and concise summary of your personal and professional development goals
- Commitment to 100% participation
Seminars are led by a teaching faculty of AASCU and CIC presidents and chancellors, vice presidents and chancellors, and other national subject matter experts.
The program fee for the 2026-2027 academic year is $3,750 per applicant.
The registration fee covers program administration, meals during the in-person seminars, and all materials.
Participants are responsible for their own travel and accommodations to/in Washington, DC.
Limited scholarships are available to accepted applicants from qualifying institutions. AALI and Academic Search provide financial support to enable this program fee to be kept at this level.
cancellation fees
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Cancellations received before May 1 are eligible for a refund, minus a 25% administrative fee.
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Cancellation requests received on or after May 1 are NOT eligible for a refund.
Testimonials
“I found the ELA to be among the most valuable professional development activities in my career. In addition to receiving pertinent information concerning the major trends impacting higher education, participants are provided a broad array of opportunities to network with colleagues who have similar professional aspirations.”
“The Executive Leadership Academy underscores the principle of distributed leadership – every quality that we enhance and any gap in knowledge, skill, or ability that we reduce or eliminate through the program prepares us for the next level while bolstering our effectiveness where we currently lead.”
2026–27 Cohort
Guy-Alain
Amoussou
Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs
Bowie State University (MD)
Kimberly
Battle-Walters Denu
Provost
Westmont College (CA)
Christian
Boniforti
Chief Strategy and Technology Officer, Treasurer
Lynn University (FL)
Mollie E.
Cecere
VPEM
Carlow University (PA)
Travis J.
Chambers
Chief Financial Officer
Fitchburg State University (MA)
Nathan M.
Cochran
Director of Athletics
Harris-Stowe State University (MO)
Stephanie
Cosner
Provost
Simmons University (MA)
Stephannie
DeLong
Vice President for Enrollment Management
Southwestern College (KS)
Minnette
Ellis
Interim Vice President of Student Affairs; Executive Director for University Priorities
University of North Alabama
Karen
Ferrer-Muniz
Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs
University of Massachusetts-Boston
James
Gaddy
Executive Vice President
Albright College (PA)
Justin T.
Gammage
Vice President of Information Technology
California State University-Dominguez Hills
Norman
Golar
VP for Institutional Effectiveness and Research, SACSCOC Liaison, and Transformation Officer
Stillman College (AL)
Meredith
Green
General Counsel
Furman University (SC)
Lou
Guard
Vice President and General Counsel
Hobart and William Smith Colleges (NY)
Keith
Humphrey
Vice President for Student Affairs
University of Northern Colorado
Andrew
Kerkhoff
Provost
University of Puget Sound (WA)
Lara
Luetkehans
Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs
Indiana University of Pennsylvania-Main Campus
Michael
Mancini
Vice President for Institutional Strategy and Chief Operating Officer
Thomas Edison State University (NJ)
Todd
McDorman
Dean of the College
Wabash College (IN)
Chuck
McKinnon
Associate Vice Chancellor, Office of Strategic Communications
Fayetteville State University (NC)
Heather
Moore Roberson
Dean of Student & Community Development
Allegheny College (PA)
Jay
Neal
Associate Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, University of Houston Sugar Land and Katy Campuses
University of Houston (TX)
James
Pillar
Vice President of Student Life
Monmouth University (NJ)
Ahmed
Radwan
Dean and Chief Academic Officer – College of Health Professions
University of Detroit Mercy (MI)
Christine
Reed Davis
Vice Chancellor Student Affairs
University of North Carolina Wilmington
Matthew K.
Robison
Vice President for Student Affairs
Georgia Gwinnett College
Brian R.
Selmeski
Chief of Staff
Fairmont State University (WV)
Alexandra
Socarides
Provost & Vice President for Academic Affairs
Emerson College (MA)
Ted
Song
Chief Innovation Officer
John Brown University (AR)
Deborah
Thien
Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs
California State University-Bakersfield
Sarah
Villarreal
Chief of Staff
California State University-San Marcos
Tonya M.
Wagner
Vice President, Academic Affairs and Institutional Effectiveness
Viterbo University (WI)
Melissa
Wargo
Chief of Staff/Chief External Affairs
Western Carolina University (NC)
Joseph
Wiegand
Vice President for Finance and Administration/Chief Financial Officer
Reinhardt University (GA)
Shoshana
Zeisman-Pereyo
Executive Director, Student Academic Support Services
Portland State University (OR)
Our Partners
2025-2026 ELA applications are closed.
Application Details
A full submission requires the candidate to submit an application form and an endorsement from the president/chancellor or provost from their home institution.
Application Requirements
- Currently serving in a cabinet-or other senior level position
- Endorsement from a president/chancellor from your home institution
Important Dates
- The next program will take place from June 2026 to June 2027
- The deadline for applications and endorsements is February 9, 2026.
Have questions about the Executive Leadership Academy? Let us know.
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