Academic Career & Executive Search Seeking Chief Information & Technology Officer for the Massachusetts College of Art and Design
November 6, 2025 – Academic Career & Executive Search (ACES) has been retained by the Massachusetts College of Art and Design (MassArt) to lead in its search for a chief information and technology officer (CITO). Jennifer Muller, managing partner, is leading the assignment. The position offers an extraordinary platform to shape the college’s culture, strategy, and technology enterprise, positioning MassArt at the intersection of art, design, and digital transformation.
This position will report to the president through the vice president of strategic engagement and chief of staff. This executive will direct the next technology master plan, implement forward-thinking systems and align technology strategy with the college’s academic and operational goals. ACES explained that this is a rare leadership opportunity to build and inspire a high-performing IT team, drive innovation across academic and administrative systems, and ensure MassArt remains ahead of the curve in creative technology solutions. With a focus on innovation, security, and strategy, the CITO will anticipate emerging trends in cybersecurity, academic technology, and enterprise systems while maintaining a robust, resilient IT infrastructure.
Founded in 1873, Massachusetts College of Art and Design is the nation’s first and only independent, free-standing public college of art and design. It is an inclusive community of thinkers, doers, makers, educators, innovators, and leaders striving to shape the future through art and design. Located in Boston’s hub of arts and culture along the Avenue of the Arts, MassArt enrolls 2,000 students and offers a comprehensive range of undergraduate and graduate degrees in 18 disciplines, as well as continuing education and youth programs.
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.
Related: Academic Career & Executive Search Tapped by the Cleveland Institute of Art to Recruit CFO
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 develop.
Washtenaw Community College Search
ACES recently assisted in the recruitment of Amanda Holdsworth as chief public affairs officer of Washtenaw Community College (WCC) in Ann Arbor, MI. “Congratulations to Washtenaw Community College and Dr. Amanda Holdsworth on being chosen as the chief public affairs officer,” ACES said in a LinkedIn post. “Wishing Dr. Holdsworth and the WCC community continued success in this exciting new chapter together.”
In her new position, Dr. Holdsworth will be responsible for positioning the president and the college as an educational leader and shaping public engagement, communications and the institution’s overall brand and reputation.
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Dr. Holdsworth was recently senior director of external communications at Risepoint, an education technology company providing services for colleges and universities. She founded the award-winning consulting practice, Cultivate & Engage, and served as executive director of the Michigan Association for Career and Technical Education, guiding state and federal advocacy.
Washtenaw Community College, established in 1965, has grown into one of the nation’s premier community colleges with an annual enrollment of more than 18,000 students in credit classes each year, and thousands more in economic and college development classes. The diverse student body includes more than 1,000 students from 100+ foreign countries.
Contributed by Scott A. Scanlon, Editor-in-Chief and Dale M. Zupsansky, Executive Editor – Hunt Scanlon Media
