ACE Women’s Leadership Mentoring Program

About the Mentoring Program

As part of the strategy to expand the number and diversity of women serving in executive-level positions at institutions and on governing boards, the American Council on Education (ACE) and the ACE Women's Network designed the ACE Women’s Leadership Mentoring Program to support and advance women through their careers in higher education. Mentors offer invaluable insights and guidance to emerging leaders. The pilot of the ACE Women’s Leadership Mentoring Program, which began in January 2023 and closed in June 2023, selected and matched 30 pairs of mentors and mentees who engaged in at least five virtual sessions over the course of the program. The ACE Women’s Leadership Mentoring Program is part of the Moving the Needle: Advancing Women in Higher Education Leadership® initiative.

Moving the Needle: Advancing Women in Higher Education Leadership

The Moving the Needle: Advancing Women In Higher Education Leadership initiative brings national awareness to the importance of achieving gender parity and diversity in higher education leadership. Its mission is to increase the number of women who hold senior leadership positions in higher education through programs, research, and resources.

A 2022 Women’s Power Gap study examined 130 major research universities and found that women serve at the helm as president for only 5 percent of these institutions.

Benefits of the Program

The ACE Women’s Leadership Mentoring Program provides an opportunity for women to engage in a mutually beneficial community that is designed to develop interpersonal and collaborative relationships. Participants can share experiences and strategies that have helped to propel women to thrive in senior- and executive-level positions.

Mentors and mentees selected will reflect the diversity within higher education institutions. Mentors selected will include those who are serving as presidents, in cabinet-level positions, and as deans and associate vice presidents. Selected mentees will be women who hold positions that range from cabinet-level to deans or directors.

All participants will:

  • Address and reflect on the complex roles of women leaders
  • Broaden their understanding of the scope of leadership responsibility
  • Collaborate on mentee and mentor goals and expectations
  • Promote professional fulfillment and personal satisfaction

Mentors will:

  • Receive personal satisfaction that comes with helping someone else advance their career
  • Actively engage in open dialogue about key issues and experiences
  • Gain new perspectives and ways of thinking

Mentees will:

  • Draw lessons from the experiences of a well-respected higher education leader and reflect on their own journey
  • Enhance active listening and communicating skills
  • Learn to work through existing obstacles
  • Gain new perspectives and insights
  • Identify strengths and work on areas for development
  • Overcome challenges and barriers
  • Develop an implementation plan for career advancement
List of Mentors

2023 Mentors
  • Ralitsa Akins, Vice Provost, University of West Georgia
  • James Applegate, Visiting Professor, Center for the Study of Education Policy, Illinois State University
  • Roslyn Clark Artis, President and Chief Executive Officer, Benedict College
  • Audrey Bilger, President, Reed College
  • Constance "Connie" Ledoux Book, President, Elon University
  • Kelli R. Brown, Chancellor, Western Carolina University
  • James Curry, Former Director of QC Hub and Registrar, Queens College of The City University of New York
  • Linda Essig, Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs, Baruch College of The City University of New York
  • Liesl Folks, Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering, The University of Arizona
  • Wanda Ford, Vice President of Finance and Administration, Florida State College at Jacksonville
  • Yolanda Barbier Gibson, Vice President for Student Affairs, Shenandoah University
  • Lori Stewart Gonzalez, President, Ohio University
  • Zeynep Hansen, Vice Provost for Academic Planning, Boise State University
  • Samantha McKenzie Holmes, Vice Chancellor and Chief of Staff, Fayetteville State University
  • Chris J. Hass, Associate Provost for Academic and Faculty Affairs, University of Florida
  • Cherisse Jones-Branch, Graduate School Dean, Arkansas State University
  • Katherine Kantardjieff, Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs Emerita, California State University, Monterey Bay
  • Colleen Perry Keith, President, Goldey-Beacom College
  • Rebecca Kocher, Vice President of Advancement and Alumni Engagement, Wittenberg University
  • Beth Lesen, Vice President of Student Affairs, California State University, Long Beach
  • Michelle Mattson, Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs, Carleton College
  • Lori Messinger, Dean of the College of Social Work, University of Tennessee, Knoxville
  • Cathy A. Sandeen, President, California State University, East Bay
  • Rachel Schreiber, University Professor of Art, Media, and Cultural History, The New School
  • Angela Sherman, Vice President for Academic Affairs, Maryland Independent College and University Association
  • Soyeon Shim, Elizabeth Holloway Schar Dean of the School of Human Ecology, University of Wisconsin–Madison
  • Carolyn Stefanco, Senior Associate, Universities South Africa
  • Kathryn Svinarich, Chief of Staff, Kettering University
  • Cheryl Torsney, Vice Provost for Faculty Affairs, Middle Tennessee State University
  • Kimberly Whitehead, Senior Vice President for Strategy and Chief of Staff, Medgar Evers College of The City University of New York
Outcomes for Participants

Both mentors and mentees shared satisfaction with:

  • The mentor-mentee pairing
  • The dedicated space to discuss hardships and challenges with like-minded individuals
  • The opportunity to expand their professional network

Contact Us

For questions about the ACE Women’s Leadership Mentoring Program, please contact womensnetwork@acenet.edu.

Moving the Needle: Advancing Women in Higher Education Leadership®

Through the Moving the Needle: Advancing Women in Higher Education Leadership initiative and educational services, ACE brings national awareness to the importance of achieving gender parity and diversity in higher education leadership.

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