St. Olaf College Taps Brettschneider Executive Search for Chief Information Officer Search
September 15, 2026 – New York City-based Brettschneider Executive Search has been selected by St. Olaf College to lead in its search for chief information officer. St. Olaf seeks a values-forward, innovative CIO. The next CIO of St. Olaf College will serve as a trusted advisor to the provost, president, and president’s leadership team on the role of information and library resources in institutional and academic strategy, enrollment, and student success.
Overseeing a team of 55 talented staff and reporting to the provost Tarshia L. Stanley—a committed leader and partner—the CIO will manage both enterprise IT strategy and academic library leadership, supported by nine direct reports spanning the two areas. Information technology and libraries share a single charge at St. Olaf: to steward the information infrastructure on which teaching, learning and research depend. The new leader will advance cybersecurity and data governance after evaluating institutional risks and establishing practical priorities for emergency preparedness and data protection so that St. Olaf is a leading model for secure, responsible, and resilient technology practices.
Brettschneider explained that this is a rare opportunity to shape how a highly selective liberal arts college integrates information resources, digital scholarship, instructional technology, and enterprise IT in service of the college’s unique academic mission.
The successful candidate will bring their vision to how information technology and college libraries together support teaching, learning, research, and the operational life of the college, while managing the division’s budget, staff, and long-range planning, including the strategy set forth in Solution Seekers, St. Olaf’s 2024-2030 strategic plan.
St. Olaf College is a private liberal arts college located in Northfield, MN. Founded in 1874 by Norwegian Lutheran immigrants, the college is affiliated with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and enrolls approximately 3,000 students. St. Olaf offers undergraduate programs across the humanities, sciences, social sciences, and arts, with an academic approach that emphasizes liberal arts education, global engagement, and the examination of faith and values.
Brettschneider Executive Search places high-performing presidents, vice presidents, CFOs and COOs at organizations across a wide variety of sectors. The firm’s team of senior partners are fully dedicated to collaborating with candidates and clients throughout the entirety of the search process. The firm invests in a president-level certified leadership coach for each placement for six months following the start date.
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Kim Brettschneider is the founder and CEO of the firm. She conducts leadership searches across healthcare, higher education and non-profit sectors. Her team identifies transformational executive leaders using a highly communicative, efficient and tailored approach. Before starting the firm, Ms. Brettschneider oversaw higher education, academic medicine, children’s hospital, and non-profit searches at a top 15 global executive recruitment firm. She has partnered to place 200 C-suite leaders throughout her career.
Wilmington University Search
Brettschneider was also recently retained by Wilmington University (WilmU) to lead in its search for an inaugural senior vice president of advancement to lead the University’s next phase of philanthropic growth. Reporting to WilmU president LaVerne Harmon, the SVP will partner closely with the president, board and University leaders to advance the University’s strategic priorities.
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Supervising the existing team, the inaugural SVP will cultivate broader constituent engagement, external philanthropic partnerships and long-term institutional support. Early initiatives from the SVP may include establishing a board development committee and charter to help strengthen philanthropic engagement at the governance level and build the infrastructure needed for long-term advancement success. This role calls for a trusted expert to assess and build the University’s future advancement structure and identify practical ways to strengthen fundraising support.
Wilmington University is a private, non-profit university headquartered in New Castle, Delaware, that offers undergraduate, graduate, doctoral, and certificate programs through campus-based, online, and hybrid formats. Founded in 1968 as Wilmington College, the institution serves more than 18,000 students across multiple locations in Delaware, New Jersey, and Maryland, with a strong focus on working adults, career advancement, and flexible learning options.
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Contributed by Scott A. Scanlon, Editor-in-Chief and Dale M. Zupsansky, Executive Editor – Hunt Scanlon Media
