Academic Career & Executive Search Retained by Central New Mexico Community College to Find CIO
February 13, 2026 – Academic Career & Executive Search (ACES) has been retained by Central New Mexico Community College to lead in its search for a chief information officer. Jennifer Muller, managing partner, is leading the assignment.
This role is designed for an experienced CIO with strong business acumen, who is ready to lead at scale, shape enterprise direction, and leave a lasting institutional legacy. Reporting directly to the president, the CIO serves as a trusted advisor to the president and executive cabinet and engages with the governing board on technology strategy, digital risk, and institutional readiness.
As a cabinet-level executive, the CIO is empowered to modernize enterprise platforms, strengthen digital foundations, and deliver measurable improvements in institutional performance, shaping CNM’s future and leaving a lasting institutional legacy. The CIO will provide executive oversight for an established chief information security officer (CISO) and a highly capable IT leadership team, setting enterprise direction and ensuring alignment across cybersecurity, digital platforms, and institutional priorities.
Preferred Qualifications
- Master’s degree in a relevant field (e.g., information systems, business administration, data analytics).
- Experience in complex mission-driven organizations, higher education, or public sector.
- Experience operating within shared services or consortium-based environments.
Central New Mexico Community College is a public community college based in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Founded in 1964, it serves students across the Albuquerque metropolitan area through multiple campuses and centers. It offers a range of academic programs, including associate degrees, certificate programs, workforce training, and transfer pathways to four-year institutions.
Based in West Hartford, CT, Academic Career & Executive Search focuses on executive search services, career planning, and candidate coaching. Specializing in challenging faculty to senior administrative positions, the firm offers six a la carte services spanning full search, candidate generation, interim, multi-hire, and contingency search. Candidate support services include webinars, career planning, and candidate coaching. Its team has served in virtually every capacity in higher education including president, vice president, provost, dean, chief human resources officer, and faculty members across all types and sizes of institutions.
Ms. Muller has more than 20 years of research and development experience in higher education and Fortune 500 companies. She has led over 70 higher education searches both domestically and internationally spanning presidents, vice presidents, associate chancellors, deans, directors, chairs, and faculty level positions. Ms. Muller is former vice chair of the American Council on Education (ACE) Executive Search Roundtable and serves as an advisor in the numerous ACE leadership development forums.
Cleveland Institute of Art Search
Academic Career & Executive Search recently assisted in the recruitment of Melanie Walker as vice president of business affairs and chief financial officer of the Cleveland Institute of Art (CIA). “We’re thrilled to welcome Melanie as CIA’s next vice president of business affairs and CFO,” said president and CEO Kathryn Heidemann. “She brings exceptional financial acumen and a thoughtful, transparent approach to leadership. Melanie’s ability to balance strong fiscal stewardship with a deep respect for our mission and values will serve CIA well as we continue to navigate the increasing complexities of higher education and build a resilient, vibrant future for the college.”
Ms. Walker most recently served as associate dean of finance and administration at Case Western Reserve University’s School of Law, where she served as the law school’s chief business officer on the executive leadership team and created fiscal policies and procedures to enhance internal controls.
The Cleveland Institute of Art is a nationally recognized college of art and design committed to nurturing creativity, innovation, and artistic excellence. Founded in 1882, CIA offers a rigorous studio-based education in 13 majors, including illustration, animation, industrial design, game design, painting, sculpture + expanded media, and more.
Contributed by Scott A. Scanlon, Editor-in-Chief and Dale M. Zupsansky, Executive Editor – Hunt Scanlon Media
