PRESS RELEASES

Academic Career & Executive Search (ACES) Places CEO for CHESS (Collaborative for Higher Education Shared Services)

(May 22, 2025, WEST HARTFORD, CT) Following a national search, Academic Career & Executive Search (ACES), a leading higher education focused executive search firm, is pleased to announce the successful placement of Dr. Shaun McAlmont securing the role as CEO at CHESS (Collaborative for Higher Education Shared Services).

Dr. Shaun McAlmont will succeed founding CEO Kathy Ulibarri, who will retire after guiding CHESS from its formation in 2021 to its emergence as a national model for shared services in higher education. Dr. McAlmont brings more than 25 years of senior leadership experience in education and workforce development, including serving as CEO of NINJIO, President of Career Learning at Stride, Inc., and CEO of Lincoln Educational Services. Shaun is a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania’s Higher Education Management Doctoral Program, and a recognized innovator in adult learning, career readiness, and education technology. He has consistently led organizations through transformative growth and strategic realignment throughout his career. Dr. McAlmont’s appointment marks a new chapter for CHESS as it moves from startup mode into long-term strategic growth, expanding its services, institutional membership, and national influence.

CHESS (Collaborative for Higher Education Shared Services) is a growing, fully remote nonprofit that aligns diverse, independently governed colleges to share tools and talents to better serve students and streamline administrative processes. Multiple CHESS institutions have embarked on an initiative to align systems and operational processes by procuring and implementing a common Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) and Student Information System (SIS) platform. Formed in 2021, CHESS is transitioning from its startup origins into a phase of strategic growth and development, expanding its reach, capacity and impact.

Affordable Excellence

Academic Career & Executive Search, a higher education focused search firm, specializes in affordable excellence, providing perfectly matched candidates to institutions quickly and accurately. Their methodologies, based on frequent touchpoints, pinpoint ideal candidates with speed and meticulous care resulting in highly successful placements.

They offer flexible service/pricing levels for all positions, ensuring affordability. Contact Jennifer Muller, Managing Partner, at 860-740-2600 or Jennifer@ACESrch.com, or visit https://acesrch.com/.