Lindauer Expands Higher Education Leadership Practice
August 11, 2020 – Boston-based Lindauer has expanded with the addition of higher education leader and former college president Carolyn J. Stefanco as senior vice president to significantly expand its higher education leadership practice.
Ms. Stefanco, who stepped down as president of the College of St. Rose in Albany, New York on June 30, will focus on partnering with colleges and universities to recruit candidates to fill the roles of president, vice president, provost, dean and other top leadership positions.
“We are very excited that Carolyn has come on board to help us grow our higher education practice,” said Deb Taft, CEO of Lindauer. “She brings extraordinary knowledge of the challenges facing colleges and universities today and knows the qualities that leaders of those organizations need to fulfill their mission and help their institutions thrive.”
Ms. Stefanco also has experience that will enhance Lindauer’s global reach. She was a senior Fulbright scholar to the University of Zagreb in Croatia and chaired the board of trustees at the American University in Bulgaria. She is currently an associate member of the Centre for Cross-Cultural Management at the University of Wollongong, Australia, where she is part of an international research team studying responsible leadership in corporations and higher education, in both the U.S. and Australia.
“I am thrilled to join the Lindauer team and work with esteemed colleagues there,” said Ms. Stefanco. “I have partnered with them in the past to find senior professionals to join the colleges and universities I was serving. Lindauer’s reputation for excellence, spirit of innovation, and commitment to women’s leadership and diversity, equity, and inclusion drew me to the firm, and I am looking forward to championing these values as we identify and develop the next generation of higher education leaders.”
Navigating COVID-19
To navigate the many challenges now posed by COVID-19, Ms. Stefanco believes higher education leaders must be courageous and think beyond the boundaries of their institutions and sector, expanding their networks nationally and around the world. “To be successful in this environment, we need to acknowledge that we don’t have all the answers, make decisions that are consistent with our mission and values, and communicate authentically with our internal community and other important stakeholders,” she said.
Ms. Stefanco earned a doctorate in history from Duke University, a master’s degree in women’s history from Binghamton University and a bachelor’s degree in history and a women’s studies certificate from the University of Colorado at Boulder. She supports many educational and cultural organizations and is a fervent advocate for the Girl Scouts.
Lindauer Tapped to Find Alumni Relations Director for Seoul Foreign School
Lindauer is spearheading the search for a new director of alumni relations for the Seoul Foreign School (SFS) in South Korea, one of the leading international schools in Asia. Heading the assignment is vice president Carmel Napolitano. “The Seoul Foreign School is seeking an adventurous and energetic alumni relations and development professional to join the external affairs team as director of alumni relations to engage and invigorate SFS’s global alumni network,” said Lindauer.
Ms. Stefanco has founded numerous programs to support women’s career advancement, including the Women’s Leadership Institute at the College of Saint Rose. She has raised millions of dollars to launch initiatives to prepare young women from diverse backgrounds for leadership in their professions and communities. A sought-after speaker on women’s issues, she publishes regularly in popular and scholarly venues. She recently received a Helen Gurley Brown Genius Award in recognition of her decades of achievement.
Established in 1997, Lindauer is an executive search firm that partners with mission-driven non-profit organizations in all sectors, but primarily in education, hospitals and academic medical centers, advocacy and public service organizations, think tanks and research centers. Best known for placing fundraising leaders and its work to advance diverse professionals in non-profits, Lindauer has expanded its scope in recent years with high profile placements of presidents, executive directors, and other marketing, analytics and operations leadership roles. Ranked in Hunt Scanlon Media’s top 50 executive search firms in the United States, the firm today offers a range of talent management, leadership and search services on four continents.
Contributed by Scott A. Scanlon, Editor-in-Chief; Dale M. Zupsansky, Managing Editor; and Stephen Sawicki, Managing Editor – Hunt Scanlon Media
