AGB Search Helps the University of Colorado Denver Fill Chancellor Role

January 15, 2025 – Washington, D.C.-based recruitment firm AGB Search, which specializes in higher education leadership assignments, recently assisted in the recruitment of Kenneth T. Christensen as the next chancellor of the University of Colorado Denver (CU Denver). Roderick McDavisMonica BurtonKimberly Templeton, and Carlos Hernandez led the assignment. Dr. Christensen was selected following a national search, and he will officially begin as chancellor on Feb. 1, 2025. The national search for the next CU Denver chancellor launched in August 2024 with a focus on identifying a highly qualified, diverse pool of candidates. Judi Diaz Bonacquisti, CU’s vice president and senior diversity officer, served as chair of the search committee, which consisted of CU Denver faculty, students, staff, alumni, donors and community members. The search process was guided by CU Regent Policy and assisted by AGB Search.

“Dr. Christensen brings a deep commitment to CU Denver’s mission and student success as well as an impressive understanding of higher education’s ability to transform individual lives, our great state, the nation and the world,” said Todd Saliman, president of CU Denver. “I was impressed by the strong support he received from CU Denver faculty, staff, students and community members following his campus visit and open forums. Dr. Christensen’s deep understanding of CU Denver’s unique opportunities make him the ideal person to lead the institution forward.”

Dr. Christensen joins CU from Illinois Institute of Technology, where he served as provost, senior vice president for academic affairs and chief academic officer. During this time, he built a diverse leadership team that collaboratively emphasized strong shared governance to ensure the growth and success of Illinois Tech’s diverse student population. This includes launching academic initiatives that emphasize workforce readiness, introducing a pathway for undecided students to explore degree possibilities, and charging a university-wide task force to modernize the core curriculum around the entrepreneurial mindset, design and innovation, computational/data literacy and leadership.

As someone of Hispanic heritage, Dr. Christensen passionately co-led Illinois Tech’s path to Hispanic-Serving Institution status and drove strategic fundraising and partnership building to expand the institution’s impact in education, research and economic development while also ensuring it was a foundational partner in regional research consortia. He first joined Illinois Tech in 2020 as the Carol and Ed Kaplan Armour College dean of engineering. Prior to that, he served on the faculty at Notre Dame, the University of Illinois and the University of New Mexico.

“I am grateful and humbled for the opportunity afforded me by president Saliman to lead Colorado’s premier public urban research university in collaboration with its dedicated faculty, staff and alumni in service to students from all walks of life, Denver and the state of Colorado,” said Dr. Christensen. “This institution’s honorable mission of inclusive education and innovation was readily apparent to me during my interactions with the search committee and my campus visit, and this mission aligns with my own values and priorities as an academic leader. I am thrilled to join the University of Colorado as CU Denver’s next chancellor and to support the campus community in their transformative work to ensure and expand student success, scholarly impact and economic development.”

As part of the state’s largest public university system, University of Colorado, CU Denver is a major contributor to the Colorado economy, with 1,900 employees, an annual budget of $394 million, and annual economic impact exceeding $684 million. CU Denver educates nearly 10,000 undergraduate and 4,000 graduate students.

Finding Talent for Colleges and Universities

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.

Dr. McDavis became the managing principal of AGB Search in 2017, after serving as president of Ohio University for 13 years. He is responsible for leading and managing all components of AGB Search including executive search, interim search, executive coaching, and ExecComp, the firm’s compensation evaluation service.

His representative executive searches include:

  • University of Colorado Boulder – chancellor.
  • University of Nebraska-Lincoln – chancellor.
  • California State University, Sacramento – president.
  • Central State University – president.
  • Polk State College – provost, academic affairs & workforce education.
  • University of Pittsburgh – vice chancellor & secretary to the board of trustees.

A career executive search professional and leadership coach, Ms. Burton has spent more than 20 years placing and advising leaders in executive roles. She has worked across industry sectors from investment banking to non-profit. In addition to leading president/CEO searches, Ms. Burton has placed HR, finance, and IT leaders in a myriad of industries. Since 2011, she has dedicated her practice to serving higher education. Her experience in higher education search spans presidential, academic, and business officer leadership roles.

Related: Savannah State University Taps AGB Search to Find New President

Her representative executive searches include:

  • Carnegie Mellon University – chief information officer.
  • Colorado State University – vice president for the division of university operations and CFO.
  • Cornell University and Cornell Tech – multiple searches.
  • Emmanuel College – president.
  • George Washington University – chief information officer.
  • Mount Mercy University – president.
  • Spring Hill College – president.
  • University of Alaska – multiple searches.
  • University of California – multiple searches.
  • University of Colorado – multiple searches
  • Washington University in St. Louis – executive director of compliance & audit.
  • Yale – Executive Director, internal audit and quality assurance.

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. Hernández joined AGB Search in 2013.  He has conducted many searches for senior leadership positions at private and state universities, and community colleges. Dr. Hernández previously served as president of New Jersey City University for 19 years and in 2012 was named president emeritus of the university.

His representative executive searches include:

  • New York University – director, athletics intramurals and recreation.
  • Marshall University – dean college of arts & media; director school of journalism & mass communications.
  • Maricopa County Community College District – general counsel.
  • Miami Dade College – president.
  • Minnesota State Colleges and University – vice chancellor for equity and inclusion.
  • Nevada State University – president.
  • Ramapo College of New Jersey  – president.
  • Prince George’s Community College  – president.
  • Albizu University (PR/FL) – president; chancellor/provost.
  • Northwestern University (IL) –  associate vice president title ix and equity.

Related: AGB Search Assists Ohio University in Finding New President

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

 

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