Membership
WittKieffer's Leadership Advisory Strengthens with Expanded Role for Melody Rose
WittKieffer has announced that Principal Melody Rose, Ph.D., has broadened her role with the firm and joined its Leadership Advisory practice. Dr. Rose, a former university president and chancellor of two state higher education systems, joined the firm in 2022 and will continue her work within its Education Practice as an executive search consultant supporting recruitments for presidents, provosts, and other senior administrators.
WittKieffer's Leadership Advisory team provides integrated solutions that empower leaders and their teams to grow and deliver exceptional performance, through services that include leadership assessment and onboarding, executive coaching, cohort development, leadership succession, culture development, and team alignment. Dr. Rose will focus her advisory work on facilitating and optimizing college and university president and provost transitions as well as counselling institution and state system boards of trustees on governance best practices.
Dr. Rose is a distinguished academic, scholar, and former college president with more than 30 years of experience within higher education. Before joining WittKieffer, she was Senior Fellow of the National Association of System Heads and championed efforts to elevate and expand the U.S. public university systems. In prior appointments, she served as Chancellor of two different state university systems and led Oregon’s Marylhurst University as President from 2014 to 2019.
“Higher education is in a period of tremendous flux and uncertainty, and thus in need of exceptional leadership," said Zachary Smith, Ph.D., Executive Partner of WittKieffer's Education Practice. "Melody brings unique credentials, intellect, and passion to her work, enabling her to gain the immediate trust of client institutions and connect on a personal level with boards, presidents, provosts, and leadership candidates seeking meaningful and challenging career opportunities. She is a true asset to higher education and to our firm."
"We are fortunate and delighted to have Melody as a member of our Advisory team," said Susan M. Snyder, Executive Partner of WittKieffer's Leadership Advisory Solution. "Having led institutions and university systems in the past, she intimately understands the challenges leaders face today and the types of advice and support that can allow them to flourish in their roles. Her unique ability to advise leaders in higher education will complement her excellent work in executive search, truly enhancing impactful leadership in this critical space."
