Executive Search Consultant

Wayne Wormley, Ph.D., joined AGB Search in 2018 and brings more than four decades of professional higher education experience to the firm, having served as an administrator, faculty member, and consultant to public and private colleges, community colleges, and universities throughout the U.S. and South Africa.

Representative Executive Searches

• Lamar Institute of Technology - President 
• Lincoln University of Missouri - Provost/VPAA
• Loyola University New Orleans - Dean of the Monroe Library
• Norfolk State University - Dean of Education; Dean of the Honors College

Experience and Honors

While Associate Dean of the Atlanta University Graduate School of Business & Administration (now Clark Atlanta University), Dr. Wormley ensured continued accreditation from AACSB. Later, he served as Special Assistant to the President at Drexel University (PA) and while directing the Executive Leadership Program at Mountain State University (WV), he became an AQIP Evaluator for the HLC and served on a site visit team to Franklin College (IN).

As an entrepreneur, Dr. Wormley is President of the Wormley Company, a general management consulting firm based in Philadelphia, PA, that provides consulting and training services for a range of organizations, including institutions of higher education.

Education

• B.A. degree in Black Studies and Psychology from Amherst College (magna cum laude)
• M.A. degree in Education, M.B.A. degree, and Ph.D. degree in Administration and Policy Analysis in Higher Education from Stanford University

Joy Yablonsky joined AGB Search in 2018 and brings 25 years of executive search experience garnered with top executive search firms and a diverse practice in higher education, legal and nonprofit. She serves comprehensive public universities, systems, and small private institutions. Ms. Yablonsky has led over 100 searches for senior leadership positions including provosts, deans, VPs for advancement, enrollment management, information technology, human resources and externally funded chairs and directors. Her expertise spans the health sciences, humanities, business, and STEM with extensive work in a myriad of healthcare specialties. She possesses well-honed skills for assessing an organization’s culture and identifying candidates who will align with the mission and strategic goals. 

Representative Executive Searches

• SUNY College of Optometry - President
• Pacific Northwest University of Health Sciences - Provost
• Saint Anselm College - Vice President of Academic Affairs
• Northern Illinois University - Dean of the College of Health & Human Sciences
• Clarkson University - Dean of the School of Health Sciences 
• Eastern Kentucky University - Dean of the College of Health Sciences  
• Loyola University Chicago - Dean of the Graduate School 
• Indiana University Bloomington - Chair, Department of Environmental & Occupational Health 
• Arizona State University - Director of Sanford School of Family and Human Dynamics
• George Mason University - Associate Dean for Strategic Communications & Marketing 
• Slippery Rock University - Vice President of Advancement
• Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University - Senior Vice President of Philanthropy and Alumni Engagement
• Baylor University - Associate Vice President for Development 

Experience and Honors

Ms. Yablonsky began her search career as the Executive Director of the Philadelphia office of a national legal search firm and was recognized for numerous legal placements that led to an exclusive staffing arrangement with DuPont Legal. She worked on multiple searches for attorneys in every practice area and short-term assignments in Europe. She has a thorough understanding of effective recruitment and selection strategies of senior-level executives and attorneys in higher education and the legal profession.

In the spirit of giving back, she supports advancing the future careers of today’s students by presenting pro bono career workshops. She has worked with groups of students across various academic curricula including Healthcare Policy, Biology, and Law. She has served many not-for-profit organizations and professional associations including leading family programs at the Barnes Foundation in Philadelphia.
 
Education

• B.A. degree in Business Administration from Temple University 
• Completed graduate courses in Journalism from Temple University

Ellen Meyer joined AGB Search in 2017, after serving as president of two art, design, media, and film institutions for 21 years. She is an experienced higher education administrator, having held various faculty and leadership positions. Throughout her career Ms. Meyer has led or supported interdisciplinary curriculum development, technological innovation, executive and faculty recruitment and management, strategic planning and partnerships, fundraising, financial planning and oversight, exhibitions, facilities design and construction, and trustee and community relations.
 
Representative Executive Searches

• Chicago State University - Dean of the College of Arts & Sciences 
• Columbus State University - Dean of the College of the Arts
• Delaware College of Art and Design - President
• Kent State University - Senior Vice President and Provost; Director of the School of Music; Director of the Fashion School
• Montana State University - Executive Director of the Museum of the Rockies
• Pennsylvania College of Art & Design - President
• Pratt Institute - Provost
• Texas Woman’s University - Vice President for Marketing and Communication

Experience and Honors

Ms. Meyer served as the President of Watkins College of Art in Nashville for seven years, where she was appointed President Emerita and subsequently President Emerita of Watkins College of Art at Belmont University. Previously, she served as President of Atlanta College of Art (Woodruff Arts Center) for 14 years, as Director of Continuing Education and Special Programs at Rhode Island School of Design, and as Vice President of Marketing and Extension at Minneapolis College of Art and Design. 

Her career in the visual arts includes positions as the founding director of the keystone education program at the National Building Museum, the founding director of an inner-city ceramics program for the National Park Service (Washington, D.C.), and a researcher and lecturer at the Smithsonian American Art Museum and the Archives of American Art. In addition, she led the formation of strategic partnerships with music entities, including Belmont University’s Mike Curb College of Entertainment & Music Business, Warner Music Nashville, the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, and New Music America.

Ms. Meyer has served as Chair of the Board of the Atlanta Regional Council for Higher Education; on the Commission on Accreditation for the National Association of Schools of Art and Design; as President of the Mid-America College Art Association; on the Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce’s technology steering committee; and on the boards of the National Black Arts Festival, the Association of Independent Colleges of Art and Design, and the Midtown Alliance (Atlanta). She is an alumna of Leadership Music, Leadership Atlanta, and Leadership Nashville.

Education

• B.A. and M.A. degrees in art history and theory from the George Washington University
• Certificate in leadership in public policy (year-long program) at the University of Minnesota’s Hubert H. Humphrey Institute of Public Affairs
• Certificates in advanced management from Georgia Tech’s Scheller College of Business, Executive Education Program 
• Graduate studies in ceramics at Antioch University 

Jean Kim, Ed.D., joined AGB Search in 2017 following a 37-year career in higher education administration, specifically in student affairs and enrollment management, in both private and public universities. Having served as a senior leader and member of Executive Cabinets at both private and public universities, Dr. Kim has extensive experience in leadership search processes: as the hiring officer, chairing search committees, and participating in presidential and other cabinet member searches.

Representative Executive Searches

• Arizona State University - Director for T. Denny Sanford School of Social and Family Dynamics
• Durham Tech Community College - Chief Student Services Officer
• Gonzaga University - Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer
• Regis University - Vice President of Enrollment Management
• Salem Academy and College - Interim Chief Marketing Officer
• Texas Woman's University - Associate Vice President for Enrollment Management 
• University of Wisconsin-Parkside - Associate Vice Chancellor Enrollment/Director of Admissions

Experience and Honors

Dr. Kim has served as the vice president, vice chancellor, and vice provost at two private institutions—University of Hartford and University of Puget Sound—and five public institutions—University of Colorado Boulder, University of Massachusetts Dartmouth, University of Massachusetts Amherst, University of Idaho, and SUNY Purchase College. She also worked as assistant dean and director at Stanford University and Western New England College.  

In addition to serving as the chief student affairs officer, Dr. Kim has taught courses as an adjunct faculty at four universities—University of Colorado Boulder, University of Massachusetts Dartmouth, University of Massachusetts Amherst, and Western New England College—in sociology, ethnic studies, organizational behavior, leadership, and counseling skills. She has also been successful in obtaining grants from the Mellon Foundation and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation; she has also obtained grants from DOE TRIO and FIPSIE and has served as the principal investigator on these grants.

Dr. Kim has worked to enhance diversity in universities as an educator, leader, and administrator, and has also worked as a diversity and organization development consultant at Fortune 500 companies, including DuPont, Microsoft, Pioneer High Bred International, Applied Materials, McDATA, Storage Tek, FT Energy, and Vertex Pharmaceuticals.

Education

• Bachelor’s degree in Sociology, Master’s degree in Sociology and Doctoral degree in Counseling Psychology from the University of Massachusetts Amherst
   

Gwendolyn E. Boyd joined AGB Search in 2017 as an executive search consultant. Dr. Boyd is an engineer and a prominent advocate of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) education.  She is described as a dynamic and relevant leader, a prolific motivational speaker, and a powerful preacher. Since joining the firm she has assisted in senior leadership searches for:

• Edward Waters University (FL) - President
• Chicago State University - President
• Tougaloo College (MS) - President

Dr. Boyd's professional career of more than three decades at Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics laboratory was highlighted by exemplary leadership and dedicated services as part of engineering teams. Boyd was a direct report to the President of Johns Hopkins University serving as chair of the Johns Hopkins Diversity Leadership Council from 2001-2014.

Dr. Boyd returned to her alma mater, Alabama State University, in 2014 to serve for three years as the 14th and first female president of ASU. Highlights of her presidency included establishing the university's first engineering degree program with approval for a BS in biomedical engineering. She and her team had the university removed from SACSCOC warning status from previous financial instability. The largest freshman class was documented during her tenure.

Dr. Boyd is a nationally recognized champion of education, especially in the STEM disciplines.  She was nominated by President Barack Obama and was confirmed by the Senate to serve as a trustee to the Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship and Excellence in Education Foundation in 2009. She later served on the President's Advisory Commission on Education Excellence for African Americans in 2014.

Rev. Dr. Boyd is an ordained itinerant elder in the African American Methodist Episcopal Church. She serves on the ministerial staff of Ebenezer AME Church in Fort Washington, MD.

Dr. Boyd was elected to serve from 2000-2004 as the 22nd National President of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc. Known as the "Technology President", Boyd helped to establish technology in all facets of the sorority's activities and administration. Her four-year tenure included transformative accomplishments, such as the launching of Project SEE (Science in Every Experience), an initiative funded by a $1.6 million National Science Foundation grant with a goal of promoting math and science for middle school African-American girls. She led the sorority's humanitarian and education advocacy efforts in various African nations. In 2013, Boyd served as chair of the sorority's Centennial Celebration, culminating in its Washington, DC-based convention that drew more than 40,000 participants from around the world.

Dr. Boyd has been awarded four honorary doctorates; Congressional recognitions; 32 "Keys to the City"; a Key to the "State of Florida"; declaration of Gwendolyn E. Boyd Day in eight cities; leadership awards, and professional awards, and professional awards for her achievements in the fields of engineering and higher education. She is a member of the Capital City Chapter of the Links, Inc., the Washington, DC Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., and Leadership Greater Washington.

Dr. Boyd earned her B.S. from Alabama State University with a major in mathematics and a double minor in physics and music. She received a fellowship and was the first African-American female to earn an M.S. degree in Mechanical Engineering from Yale University. She has earned both the M. Div. and D. Min. Degrees from Howard University.

Carlos Hernández joined AGB Search in 2013.  He has conducted many successful searches for senior leadership positions at private and state universities, and community colleges.

Representative Executive Searches

• New York University - Director, Athletics Intramurals and Recreation
• Marshall University - Dean College of Arts & Media; Director School of Journalism & Mass Communications
• Maricopa County Community College District - General Counsel
• Miami Dade College - President
• Minnesota State Colleges and University - Vice Chancellor for Equity and Inclusion
• Nevada State University - President
• Ramapo College of New Jersey  - President
• Prince George's Community College  - President
• Albizu University (PR/FL) - President; Chancellor/Provost
• Northwestern University (IL) -  Associate Vice President Title IX and Equity

Experience and Honors

Dr. Hernández previously served as President of New Jersey City University for 19 years and in 2012 was named President Emeritus of the University. Under his leadership the University expanded its scope, underscored its urban mission, and attained university designation on May 29, 1998.  Dr. Hernández also served in various capacities at the institution: as Provost, Vice President for Academic Affairs, Executive Assistant to the President, and member of the faculty.

Dr. Hernández is a member of the editorial board of Hispanic Outlook in Higher Education.  He has served on the American Council on Education’s Commission on Advancement of Racial and Ethnic Equity, the Board of Trustees of the Council for Adult and Experiential Learning, and is a past chair of the Board of Directors of the American Association of State Colleges and Universities.  

Dr. Hernández is a former member of the Board of Directors of the American Association for Higher Education and chaired the Association's Hispanic Caucus. He is also a former member of the Governing Board of the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities and served as a member of the American Council on Higher Education’s Commission on International Education.  Dr. Hernández has also served on the NCAA Division III Presidents’ Council. 

In New Jersey, Dr. Hernández served as chair of the Presidents’ Council Academic Issues Committee and is a former member of the Committee. Dr. Hernández is also a former chair of the Hudson County Chamber of Commerce and Industry.  He serves on the boards of the Eastman Fund, the Liberty HealthCare System, Inc., Provident Bank, and is Chair of the Board of the Open Sky Museum.

Dr.  Hernández is the recipient of several awards, among them, India's prestigious Priyadarshni Academy's Global Award for Promotion of Education, the Prabhakar R. Shukla Humanitarian Award, and the State of New Jersey’s Many Faces – One Family Award.

Education

• Bachelor of Arts degree from York College of the City University of New York
• Doctorate in Psychology from the Graduate Center of the City University of New York 

Laird Desmond joined AGB Search in 2011. Ms. Desmond brings more than 30 years of experience assisting executive leadership searches in higher education. Since joining AGB Search, she has assisted over 90 searches for a wide variety of positions, including president, provost, vice president for finance, dean of business, dean of education, chief information officer, vice president for university advancement, and director level positions within a college of engineering. She has worked with independent liberal arts colleges, religious-affiliated colleges and universities, HBCU’s, community colleges, and public doctoral and R1 institutions.

Representative Executive Searches

• Broward College - President
• California State University, Fresno - President
• College of St. Scholastica - President
• Concordia University-Portland - President 
• Edmonds Community College - President
• Saint Joseph’s College, New York - President and Provost
• Saint Louis University - President
• Saint Mary's College of California - EVP/Provost 
• University of Puget Sound - President
• University of San Diego - President

Experience and Honors

Before joining AGB Search, Ms. Desmond worked as an associate with the higher education practices of Heidrick & Struggles and Korn/Ferry International, and as a research associate with Academic Search, Inc. Prior to beginning her career in search, she was an analyst with the management consulting practice in the Washington, D.C. office of Arthur Young (now Ernst & Young). 

Ms. Desmond is passionate about the environment and has been active regarding sustainability issues in her community. She obtained a grant to fund, and oversaw the installation of, a rain garden at a local middle school, and served as a member of her town’s Sustainability Advisory Committee.

Education

• Bachelor’s degree in Economics from the College of William and Mary, Virginia

Robert Holyer joined AGB Search in 2011. He has assisted in over 100 executive searches for both public and private institutions, with over 50 percent for repeat clients. His experience covers a wide range of executive positions including those of president, provost, CFO, dean of arts and sciences, dean of business, dean of communications, dean of education, dean of health and human services, and dean of libraries, as well as several vice -presidential searches in advancement, enrollment management, and student affairs. 

Representative Executive Searches

• The University of LaVerne  - Interim Provost
• The Maryland Institute College of Art -  Interim President; Interim Provost, Interim Vice Provost for Open Studies
• Landmark College  - Interim President 
• The University of Scranton – Interim Provost 
• The College of New Jersey – Interim President, Interim CFO  
• Rollins College – Dean of the Crummer School of Business

Experience and Honors

Prior to joining AGB Search, Dr. Holyer accrued 35 years of experience in higher education at five different institutions, serving as a faculty member, department chair, director, provost, and acting president. He has written, spoken, and consulted on issues of curriculum development and assessment, planning, faculty development and personnel issues, and academic affairs staffing. A major part of his work as a provost was devoted to improving search and hiring procedures, and he led or was involved in more than 150 searches for faculty, staff, and senior administrators.

Dr. Holyer served as provost at Lyon College, Randolph-Macon College, and Presbyterian College. He has been active at the national level in various associations for higher education and academic administrators, serving as a board member and chair of the board of the Wye Seminars; as co-chair of the New Chief Academic Officers Workshop, sponsored by the Council of Independent Colleges; as a member of the board of the American Conference of Academic Deans (ACAD); and as a regular participant in the Association of American Colleges and Universities and the Annapolis Colleges.  Dr. Holyer also served for six years on the Visiting Committee of the University of the South. He has organized workshops for ACAD on “Becoming a chief academic officer” and “Succeeding in the search process.”’ 

His writings have been published in Change, Liberal Education, Trusteeship, and Inside Higher Ed.  His essay, “The qualities of an effective chief academic officer,” was included in the Resource Handbook for Academic Deans, Third Edition, published by Jossey-Bass. His essay, “Non-disclosure agreements: be cautious”, was published in the Career Advice section of Inside Higher Ed. 

Education

• Bachelor of Arts from Bethel College (MN)
• Bachelor of Divinity from Yale Divinity School (CT)
• Ph.D. from the University of Cambridge

Jim Lanier is one of five founding Search Consultants who launched the AGB Search enterprise in 2010. His professional background, success in philanthropy, and his broad-based higher education leadership experience with university and foundation presidents and trustees have proved to be valuable resources for clients. His personal focus has been aimed toward uniting highly competent philanthropic leaders with institutions where they can fit and flourish. Mr. Lanier has conducted myriad searches for the firm including:

• University of Alaska Foundation - President
• Louisianna State University Foundation -  Vice President for Advancement and CEO of the Foundation
• University of Louisianna at Lafayette -  Vice President for Advancement
• United State Naval Academy (MD) -  Director, Foundation and Corporation Relations;  Director, Planned Giving;  Major Gifts Officer;  Special Gifts Officer
• United States Naval Academy Foundation (MD) -  Executive Vice President for Alumni Engagement
• Marshall University (WV) - President
• Florida Polytechnic University -  Vice President for Advancement
• Oakland University (MI) -  Vice President for Development
• Dominican College (NY) -  Vice President for Institutional Advancement

Mr. Lanier joined AGB as a Senior Fellow for Board Education and Consulting to create the AGB Consulting Group. This team provides assistance and guidance for AGB members with longer-term governance and specific board and committee issues. The Consulting Group has grown into a staple of the AGB brand and is now run by an AGB Vice President for Consulting.

Since joining AGB, Jim has completed over a hundred successful consulting and search engagements with institutions and boards around the country. Clients range from governing, foundation and alumni boards at major research universities and systems to small private and community colleges. He is recognized as an expert in board governance and roles in philanthropy and campaigns.

Mr. Lanier served for 23 years as Vice Chancellor for Institutional Advancement, and President of two foundations at East Carolina University. Throughout his career, he has published articles and been invited frequently to speak at regional and national meetings sponsored by AGB, CASE (Council for Support to Education), and NACUBO (National Association of College and University Business Officers). He chaired a join AGB/CASE Taskforce that developed the National Illustrative Model Memorandum of Understanding between Institutions and Foundations that has become a national standard.

Before ECU, he spent a number of years at Louisburg College, a 230 year old Methodist school near Raleigh. While there he held several positions including teaching, Admissions, and six years as the institution’s Chief Advancement Officer.

Mr. Lanier continues is a senior adjunct instructor at the Duke Nonprofit Center, and has served on numerous for-profit and nonprofit boards such as CASE, the Harold H. Bate Foundation, the Community Foundation of Eastern North Carolina and the LeRoy T. Walker Olympic Assessment Center.

He earned his B.S. and M.S. Ed degrees from East Carolina University, and also completed the Institute for Educational Management at Harvard.

Jamie Ferrare is the founding managing principal at AGB Search. In this role, Dr. Ferrare helped to build and lead an extremely successful team of consultants, research associates and office personnel.

Prior to joining AGB Search, he was a senior consultant and past president of a Washington D.C. based search and consulting firm where he served for 10 years. Since 2000, he has led more than 100 searches for presidents, vice presidents and deans in public and private colleges and universities as well as church affiliated schools and independent liberal arts and fine arts institutions. Prior to his move to Washington, D.C., Dr. Ferrare was Dean of the School of Education at Drake University. As Dean, he successfully enacted what he taught in his faculty role, that of Associate Professor of Leadership and Adult Development. While at Drake, Dr. Ferrare led a string of successful searches for university administrators, faculty members, and high-profile school superintendents. Prior to his deanship, Dr. Ferrare was a faculty member and Assistant Dean responsible for policy development, budgeting, and student support. Previously, he served as Associate Executive Director of the School Administrators of Iowa and as Associate Superintendent of Schools for the nationally renowned West Des Moines Community School district. He also taught at public middle and high schools in Pennsylvania.

Dr. Ferrare has a long record as a consultant in strategic planning, performance assessment and organizational development. In addition to his work with colleges and universities around the country, he has facilitated programs for diverse organizations including Bank Boards, multiple Chamber of Commerce Leadership Groups, K-12 public and private school boards, political caucus leadership teams and government employee organizations.

Along with Dr. Joseph Johnston, Dr. Ferrare co-authored the book, "A Complete Guide to Presidential Search for Universities and Colleges", now in its second edition, which focuses on best practices for presidential searches conducted by university and college presidential search committees.

Education

• B.S. degree in Education. M.S. degree in Reading and Education from the Edinboro University of Pennsylvania
• Ph.D. degree in Education Policy and Administration from Iowa State University