Storbeck Search | Diversified Search Assists Wagner College with the Recruitment of 21st President
February 21, 2024 – Higher education-focused Storbeck Search, part of the Diversified Search Group, has assisted in the recruitment of Jeffrey A. Doggett as the 21st president of Wagner College. Angelo Araimo announced his retirement after the close of the 2023-24 academic year. Managing director Ruth Shoemaker Wood led the search along with senior associates Fiona Jaramillo and Erin Meissner. “Jeff brings a proven track record of transformative leadership and strategic vision,” said Tom Kendris, who chaired the presidential search committee. “He is poised to catalyze Wagner College’s journey forward, bolstering its mission and enriching the lives of all college community members.”
“Jeff is committed to becoming a part of our community while setting ambitious goals for growth,” said Mr. Araimo, a non-voting vice chair on the presidential search committee. “I know he will shape a future for Wagner where innovation and collaboration thrive.”
Dr. Doggett joins Wagner from Merrimack College, where he currently serves as executive vice president, chief financial officer and chancellor of learning and student success. During his time at Merrimack, the college grew its undergraduate and graduate enrollment while strengthening its financial position and academic reputation. Before his tenure at Merrimack, Dr. Doggett spent more than a decade at Northeastern University, ultimately serving as vice president of government relations and community affairs.
“Throughout the search process, I have been impressed with the sense of community at Wagner College, and these close ties give me confidence that Wagner is well-positioned to excel,” said Dr. Doggett. “Higher education is facing a number of challenges, especially in the Northeast. Despite that, I am certain those few institutions that are innovative, agile and have a growth mindset will thrive and continue to make a difference in the lives of their students, faculty, staff, alumni and host community.”
Related: Hunt Scanlon Top 50 Non-Profit & Higher Education Search Firms
Founded in 1883, Wagner College is a small, largely residential liberal arts college based in New York City. With 2,000 undergraduate and graduate students, Wagner offers an academic program known as The Wagner Plan for the Practical Liberal Arts. Wagner College’s ranking in the 2023 edition of Best Colleges by U.S. News & World Report is Regional Universities North, tied for #69.
Serving Universities and Non-Profits
Shelly Weiss Storbeck launched Storbeck Search in 2007 to focus on executive search in the education and non-profit sectors. Now part of The Diversified Search Group, the firm works on behalf of colleges, universities, schools, and non-profit organizations across the nation, with headquarters in Pennsylvania and local offices in every region. Storbeck Search has conducted searches for some of the country’s top colleges and universities, private schools, and non-profit institutions. Its roster of university clients includes Brown, Columbia, Haverford, Johns Hopkins, Lawrenceville, Michigan State, Northwestern, Pomona, Princeton, Swarthmore, and the University of Wisconsin, among others.
Ms. Shoemaker Wood has a focus on the college presidency and cultural change within small liberal arts institutions. Representative higher education clients include the University of Pennsylvania, Harvard University, University of Chicago, NYU, UC San Diego, UC Irvine, George Washington University, Boston University, Boston College, Rutgers University, Drew University, Williams College, Wagner College, Lawrence University, Kalamazoo College, Kean University, TCNJ, Lehigh University, and Rosemont College. Recent independent school clients include The Lawrenceville School, Choate Rosemary Hall, Peddie School, Chadwick School, Germantown Academy, Mount Vernon School, and Park School Baltimore.
Storbeck Search | Diversified Search Recruits First Female/Black President for Boston University
Storbeck Search has assisted in the recruitment of Melissa L. Gilliam as the 11th president of Boston University. Robert Brown announced that he will retire as president at the end of the 2022–2023 academic year. “Dr. Gilliam will be the first female president of Boston University and first person of color to lead our proud 184-year-old research institution,” said Ahmass L. Fakahany, chair, board of trustees. “We couldn’t be more thrilled to welcome her to our community, one that is in continual ascension and shimmering with promise.” Dr. Gilliam’s appointment caps a search that lasted more than a year and yielded close to 400 potential candidates from around the world. Hundreds of students, faculty, staff, and alumni participated in the process by sharing the characteristics and qualifications they hoped to see in their next president, input that helped shape a presidential profile and guided the work of the 16-person presidential search committee.
Ms. Jaramillo brings to Storbeck Search | Diversified Search Group over 12 years of experience in higher education, having held various administrative positions. Prior to joining the firm, she was the chief of staff at the NYU School of Professional Studies. In this role, Ms. Ms. Jaramillo’s portfolio included strategic planning, overseeing major school-wide initiatives, institutional advancement, executive communications, and spearheading the school’s diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts as the inaugural inclusion officer.
Ms. Meissner brings to the education practice more than 25 years of experience in both higher and secondary education, with a particular focus on undergraduate admission and college counseling. Past positions have included associate director of admission, director of college counseling, academic advisor, and independent college counselor. Before joining Storbeck Search | Diversified Search Group, Ms. Meissner served most recently as chief of staff of Bold Rock Partners, leading the start-up on all issues related to human resources and corporate culture.
Related: Storbeck Search / Diversified Search Group Recruits President for Hampton University
Contributed by Scott A. Scanlon, Editor-in-Chief; Dale M. Zupsansky, Executive Editor; Lily Fauver, Senior Editor – Hunt Scanlon Media
