AGB Search Fills Senior Position for Western Colorado University 

December 16, 2025 – Washington, D.C.-based recruitment firm AGB Search, which specializes in higher education leadership assignments, has recently assisted Western Colorado University with the recruitment of Shelley Thompson as vice president of advancement and executive director of the WCU Foundation. Kimberly Templeton and Andrew Bowen led the assignment. “Shelley has extensive experience in the philanthropic sector, both in higher education and beyond,” Western president Brad Baca said. “She has demonstrated a strong ability to build relationships, lead teams, and secure transformational support for the institutions she serves. We are thrilled to welcome her to Western.”

Ms. Thompson brings fundraising experience, a passion for access to education, and a desire to live and lead in a rural community. She most recently served as associate vice president of university advancement at Metropolitan State University of Denver, where she helped guide a successful $100 million fundraising campaign. Prior to that, she held leadership roles with Outward Bound USA, the Denver Museum of Nature & Science, the Colorado Community College System, and the Women’s Foundation of Colorado, among others.

“Good fundraising happens when the donor and the University are completely aligned in what they are trying to accomplish,” Ms. Thompson said. “Fundraising is really about building relationships. It’s my job to figure out what change a potential donor is trying to make in the world, how their desire aligns with the priorities of the university, and then to make the right match so that everyone gets what they want and need. It’s not just the scenery that has enticed me to make the move. I appreciate how people in a rural community care for one another, and I have wanted to be part of that for 15 years now. I really can’t wait to join the Western and the Gunnison Valley communities.”

Ms. Thompson’s affinity for Western goes back even further, too early in her career. She said one of the board members she previously worked with and greatly admired is a Western alumnus who spoke often about the outsized role the University played in his “notable success.” That endorsement stayed with her, and when the opportunity to join Western came calling, she was ready to answer.

“Philanthropy will continue to make Western more accessible to everyone who wants to attend,” she said. “One of the things I really love about philanthropists is that there are so many risk-takers among them. They want to help places like Western try new things that could have a tremendous impact, but might not have been possible without private support.”

But with all those goals in mind, Ms. Thompson says, her first priority at Western will be to listen and learn. “I hope my new colleagues will know that I am a curious person and I really want a chance to meet as many of them as possible in my first year, to hear their stories, and to understand what they want and need from Advancement and the WCU Foundation,” she said. “Their input will be critical as we chart a path forward, together.”

Western Colorado University is a public university in Gunnison, CO. It enrolls approximately 3,000 undergraduate and 450 graduate students with 25 percent coming from out of state. Western offers more than 100 undergraduate areas of study and seven graduate programs, five of which are available as accelerated degree programs.

Related: AGB Search Tapped by Lewis University to Find Next President

AGB Search conducts searches for college and university presidents, chancellors, provosts, vice presidents, deans, university system heads, and CEOs of coordinating boards and related foundations. The firm was founded by the Association of Governing Boards of Universities and Colleges (AGB) in 2010.

Experienced Search Consultants

Ms. Templeton, principal, has more than 25 years of experience as an search professional in the higher education, non-profit, and legal sectors; senior advancement leader; and corporate attorney. She partners with public research universities, regional comprehensive universities, private universities, liberal arts colleges, and academic medical centers to identify institutional and senior leaders, including presidents/chancellors, general counsels, VPs for research, VPs for advancement and presidents of institutionally related foundations, VPs for health affairs, VPs for business and finance, and school and center directors, among others.

Ms. Templeton’s representative searches include:

• President, University of Nebraska.
• President, Ramapo College.
• Executive vice president, Knowledge Enterprise, Arizona State University.
• Targeted research center leadership recruitments, Arizona State University.
• Vice president for research and economic development, Boise State University.
• Senior vice chancellor for academic affairs, University of Nebraska at Kearney.
• Vice president for legal affairs and general counsel, University of Iowa.
• Vice president and general counsel, University of Central Florida.
• General counsel, Maricopa County Community College District.
• Vice chancellor for business, finance and business development, University of Nebraska Medical Center.
• Vice president for health affairs and dean, school of medicine, University of South Dakota.

Mr. Bowen joined AGB Search in August 2020 bringing with him a variety of experience in higher education. He has experience supporting an array of public and private universities, with particular emphasis on president, provost, CFO, audit/compliance, development, student affairs and communications/marketing searches.

• California State University, Sacramento – President.
• San Jose State University – President.
• Elon University – Provost and vice president for academic affairs.
• Colorado State University – Vice president for university operations and chief financial officer.
• Yale University – Executive director, internal audit.
• Washington University in St. Louis – Executive director of compliance and audit.
• Johns Hopkins University – Chief development officer, Krieger School of Arts and Sciences.
• University of Colorado System – Executive director of gift planning and gift administration.
• The University of Vermont – Vice president of marketing and chief communications officer.
• Cornell University – Assistant dean for communications and marketing, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences.

Related: AGB Search Recruits 22nd President for Seton Hall University

Contributed by Scott A. Scanlon, Editor-in-Chief and Dale M. Zupsansky, Executive Editor  – Hunt Scanlon Media