Late this past summer, President Andrea P. Cook, Ph.D. announced that she will step down as president in June 2020 at the conclusion of her 15th year at Warner Pacific University and her 12th year as president. Upon her announcement the Board of Trustees began the work of planning for the search for Dr. Cook’s successor.
In that quest, the Board has selected an executive search firm and a Presidential Search Committee to lead the confidential process of searching for and recommending a finalist to the Board of Trustees later in the academic year. The Board has engaged CarterBaldwin Executive Search to provide consulting services to identify, recruit, evaluate, reference check, and recommend candidates for the Search Committee to review and ultimately recommend to the Board of Trustees for selection.
“CarterBaldwin serves colleges, universities and K-12 schools in the identification of effective and often transformational educational leadership. Our firm has an established education executive search practice placing presidents, provosts, heads of school and other leaders who make valuable contributions to the success of the nation’s most valued premier institutions.” Among the many higher education clients served by CarterBaldwin are: Pepperdine University, Duke University, George Fox University, and Taylor University.
The Search Committee represents an array of University constituencies and includes: Board members, faculty, staff, students, alumni, community members and the Church of God. The fourteen member committee is chaired by Board of Trustees Vice Chair, Michael Moreland who serves as the GVP, Chief HR Officer Pacific Northwest, Texas and Northern California, Providence St. Joseph. Other search committee members include: Blair Dowden, Ph.D., President Emeritus of Huntington University and Higher Education Consultant; Sylvia Welch, Retired higher education administrator (Portland Community College Head of the Office of Affirmative Action and Equity); Ramon Ramirez, Taconic Fellow Community Change and Commissioner on the Oregon Higher Education Coordinating Commission (HECC); Greg Englund, Board Chair and Attorney at Motschenbacher & Blattner LLP (ex officio); Dr. Latrissa Neiworth, faculty representative, Dean of Business; Dr. William Dobrenen, faculty representative, Director of Adjunct Faculty Development and Interim Chair for the Social Sciences Division; Cindy Pollard, staff representative, Executive Director of Student Financial Services and Financial Aid; Pamela Domingo, student representative, Student Diversity Council Representative; Matt Wiles, PGS student representative, Chief Operating Officer of Howco Distributor; Gladys Alvarado, alumni representative, Outreach, Logistics and Special Projects Coordinator for the Early Childhood Department at Latino Network; Dr. Karin Edwards, community member, President of Portland Community College-Cascade; Demarcus Best ’04, community member, Anti-Money Laundering Investigator for Banner Bank and Ben Shular, Chief Strategy Officer for Church of God Ministries, Inc.
The estimated Search timeline anticipates the following milestones:
November 20, 2019 – President Profile Disseminated
November 20, 2019 thru January 16, 2020 – Candidates identified and contacted
Late January, 2020 – Presidential Search Committee reviews the universe of candidates
Mid-March, 2020 – Presidential Search Committee establishes interview slate
Late-March thru Early-April – Presidential Search Committee interview 3-5 candidates
Mid-April – Presidential Search Committee recommends candidate(s) to the Board of Trustees
Late-April – Board of Trustees selects President and makes public announcement
Leaders who have interest in consideration should contact Price Harding of CarterBaldwin at pharding@carterbaldwin.com
The Board of Trustees and University ask for prayer and support in this important season of Warner Pacific’s history.