Buffkin / Baker Assists Fort Lewis College with the Recruitment of 11th President
June 5, 2025 – Partner-led executive search firm Buffkin / Baker has assisted in the recruitment of Heather J. Shotton as the 11th president of Fort Lewis College in Durango, CO. Partner Ann Yates and associate partner Pelema Ellis led the assignment. After a six-month search, the presidential search committee chose Dr. Shotton from more than 75 applicants. “Dr. Shotton brings a wealth of experience and a deep understanding of Fort Lewis College, our community, and our strategic priorities,” said board chair Janet Lopez. “She has been a trusted adviser across campus and helped guide institutional strategy during pivotal moments. We are confident in her leadership and vision for the future.”
Dr. Shotton is a citizen of the Wichita and Affiliated Tribes and is Kiowa and Cheyenne. She served as the vice president of diversity affairs at Fort Lewis College for three years and has over 20 years of experience in higher education. She has played a pivotal role in advancing a culture of belonging and enhancing student access and success. In addition to her work in diversity affairs, she serves as acting dean of student engagement, overseeing more than 70 staff members supporting student well-being and success.
Dr. Shotton’s nationally recognized scholarship has been instrumental in advancing culturally responsive practices and policies for Indigenous students. As board president of the National Indian Education Association (NIEA), she led national advocacy efforts to strengthen educational outcomes for Indigenous communities. Her work has earned numerous accolades, including the Mildred García Senior Scholar Award from the Association for the Study of Higher Education and Educator of the Year from the NIEA.
“This is such a powerful moment for me personally, my family, my community, and our students here at Fort Lewis College,” said Dr. Shotton. “I have been overwhelmed by the outpouring of support across campus and the community. This is a historic moment for Fort Lewis College, and I am just so excited about what the future holds. Representation matters in leadership positions and the opportunity for students to see themselves reflected in leadership at the college is important. Myself, not only as an Indigenous person but as a first-generation college graduate, reflects so many of the identities of our students here at Fort Lewis College.”
Related: WittKieffer Recruits 7th President for Franklin Pierce University
Fort Lewis College is home to approximately 3,400 students, more than half of whom are students of color, mostly Native American Hispanic/Latinx. In addition, 38 percent of the students are Pell-eligible, and 44 percent are first-generation. This year, Fort Lewis College’s student body represented more than 11 Native American Tribes and Alaskan villages, making it one of the most diverse campuses in Colorado. The college’s faculty of 240 plus members are nationally recognized for their innovative teaching and research, securing over $38 million in grants last year alone.
Firm Composed of Industry Leaders
Buffkin / Baker is a partner-led executive search firm specializing in healthcare, higher education, private equity, technology/digital, consumer, and non-profit sectors. Each partner, a leader in their field, brings over a decade of retained search experience, contributing to a collective total of more than 300 years in search and over 400 years in industry and operational expertise. The firm operates from multiple locations, including Atlanta, Austin, Boston, Charlotte, Chattanooga, Cleveland, Kansas City, Los Angeles, Nashville, New York, San Francisco, Seattle, St. Simons Island, Tampa, Washington, D.C., and Winston-Salem. Buffkin / Baker is a member of Panorama, a global community of over 400 leadership experts working together in 70+ office locations to promote a diverse perspective on leadership, embracing creative thinking, and sharing our expertise and experience to bring our clients the very best results.
Craig Buffkin, the firm’s founder, serves as the managing partner, and as head of the private equity and transformation practices, where he is actively involved with client engagements and business development. He has completed search work at the board, executive and senior level both nationally and internationally for a wide range of private, public, venture-backed, and private equity-back companies.
Based in Winston Salem, NC, Martin Baker has been in executive search for more than 22 years. In addition to his role as managing partner, he is also head of the firm’s higher education practice. He previously worked in the Atlanta office of Korn Ferry, where he developed search strategy and executed searches for numerous senior-level appointments. He began his career as a research associate with Saxton Bampfylde, an executive search and management assessment firm in London. He has conducted searches for the positions of CEO, CFO, CIO, provost, dean, director, and professor, having worked on over 350 searches throughout his career.
Ms. Yates serves as a partner in the higher education practice. With a career spanning over two decades, her executive search career includes prior experience at two national executive search firms, most recently at ZRG Partners and before that at Witt/Kieffer where she served as a senior partner. Ms. Yates has completed more than 300 executive-level searches throughout her career, including engagements for presidents, provosts, deans, and vice presidents at leading public and private colleges and universities.
Dr. Ellis works within Buffkin / Baker’s higher education practice. He brings more than 20 years of experience in driving a strategic effort through a variety of roles in higher education. Previously, Dr. Ellis served as president at Great Bay Community College.
Contributed by Scott A. Scanlon, Editor-in-Chief and Dale M. Zupsansky, Executive Editor – Hunt Scanlon Media
