CASE Launches New Advisor Program for Advancement Executives with Different Lived Experiences
The Council for Advancement and Support of Education today announced the launch of the Executive Advisors Program, an initiative that supports the hiring and retention of advancement executives with diverse lived experiences. Led by CASE’s Opportunity and Inclusion Center (OIC), the program offers experienced leaders the opportunity to receive counsel from executive advisors who also come from diverse experiences.
The establishment of the Opportunity and Inclusion Center is at the heart of CASE’s mission and values. Through the OIC, we are working to drive change and provide social justice solutions for all professionals working in integrated advancement.
“It is critical for advancement teams to increase the diversity of their workforces to recruit and retain professionals who mirror students and alumni, establish donor and advocate bases that reflect individuals at institutions, and foster cultures where all professionals can advance,” says Rob Henry, CASE’s Vice President, People, Culture & Talent. “Our vision as a premier leader in advancement is to offer our members practical and evidence-based knowledge through data, trainings, coaching, advising, retention strategies, and resources.”
The Executive Advisor Program’s services include:
- Establishing a safe space and high-level of trust between the executive and the executive advisor to solve complex problems and navigate systemic barriers
- Providing encouragement, accountability, and advice to help the executive become more effective through bi-monthly one-on-one meetings
- Providing a clear executive on-boarding curriculum for new leaders to clarify performance expectations, goals, and success measures
- Using feedback and support to assist the executive map their first six months of success
The executive advisors are Ralph Amos, President and CEO, Caltech Alumni and Assistant Vice President, Caltech Alumni Relations; Edgar Gonzalez, Vice President, University Advancement, Seattle University; Rob Henry; Mo Cotton Kelly, Senior Vice President for Stakeholder Engagement and Chief Operating Officer, UConn Foundation, Inc; Diane MacGillivray, Senior Vice President for University Advancement, Northeastern University; Kim Manning, Vice President for University Communications and Marketing, Rutgers University; Karl Miller Lugo, Vice President for Development and Alumni Relations, University of Texas at San Antonio; and O'Neil Outar, Vice President, Institutional Advancement, Rhode Island School of Design.
The program is currently open to participants in the U.S. and Canada.
“I am excited to serve as an executive advisor through the CASE Executive Advisor Program,” says Mo Cotton Kelly. “One of my great joys professionally is supporting executives who are facing many of the same barriers I experienced at different stages of my own career. I look forward to meeting my new advisees and helping them succeed for their institutions and themselves.”
“Advancing education transforms lives and society. As CASE works to define the competencies and standards for the advancement profession, ensuring leaders from all backgrounds have the support of an experienced network is crucial to the success of the profession as a whole,” says CASE President and CEO Sue Cunningham. “The Executive Advisor Program is another way CASE continues to invest in growing the profession in service of advancing education.”
To learn more about the Executive Advisors Program, please visit the CASE website or contact Rob Henry at rhenry@case.org.
About CASE
CASE—the Council for Advancement and Support of Education—is a global, not-for-profit membership association with a vision to advance education to transform lives and society.
CASE is the home for advancement professionals, inspiring, challenging, and equipping them to act effectively and with integrity to champion the success of their institutions. CASE defines the competencies and standards for the profession of advancement, leading, and championing their dissemination and application with more than 97,000 advancement professionals at 3,100 member institutions in 80 countries.
Broad and growing communities of professionals gather under the global CASE umbrella. Currently these include alumni relations, development services, communications, fundraising, government relations, and marketing. These professionals are at all stages of their careers and may be working in universities, schools, colleges, cultural institutions, or other not-for-profits. CASE uses the intellectual capital and professional talents of a community of international volunteers to advance its work, and its membership includes many educational partners who work closely with the educational sector.
Headquartered in Washington, D.C., CASE works across all continents from its regional offices in London, Singapore, and Mexico City to achieve a seamless experience for all its stakeholders, particularly its members, volunteers, and staff.