Professional Search and Beyond

Director of Student Financial Aid at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Helen Faith was elected 2023-24 national chair of the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (NASFAA) where she will oversee the work of the NASFAA board, committees, and task forces. NASFAA sets priorities and coordinates initiatives to promote student access and success in higher education on behalf its more than 32,000 student financial assistance professional members across nearly 3,000 institutions of higher education. In her short time at UW-Madison, Helen has launched programs and resources to help students, alumni and employees navigate the temporary Public Service Loan Forgiveness waiver, and her extensive knowledge of policy and regulations has been a critical resource for colleagues and policy advocates alike. Helen joined UW-Madison in 2020 following a national search in partnership with WittKieffer.  

Seeking an inaugural AVP for Student Aid and Affordability, the University of Texas at Austin needed a motivated leader to provide comprehensive and strategic administration of the Office of Scholarships and Financial Aid. Brian Dixon, a highly-qualified student financial services executive, was selected and immediately focused on enhancing the alignment of aid and student success efforts, supporting enrollment and student outcomes through campus-wide collaborations, and enhancing the student aid experience for students and campus partners. In less than 12 months on campus, Brian was promoted to Vice Provost for Enrollment Management where he will work with leaders and staff in the Offices of Admissions, Scholarship and Financial Aid, Registrar, Texas One Stop, and other colleagues across campus to provide the essential services and programs to support UT students. 

In 2019, the California State University System Office engaged with WittKieffer to search for and hire a new Director of Systemwide Clery and Campus Public Safety Compliance to maintain system-wide documentation while supporting each of CSU’s 23 campuses as part of the Chancellor’s office. The search committee recommended Melinda Latas for the post, impressed with her extensive knowledge of diverse university structures, operations, and policies from her years in student affairs, and experience at public, private, land grant, and liberal arts institutions. With the start of the 2020 Fall Academic Term, Ms. Latas works alongside the Clery Directors on each of CSU’s campuses as they endeavor to empower students and employees to make informed decisions about their safety.

In 2018, Wayne State University sought a new Associate Dean for Faculty Affairs for the College of Nursing. Partnering with WittKieffer, the University pursued candidates with progressive administrative leadership experience in an academic nursing environment, and champions of the educational experience with the ability to collaborate with colleagues across the enterprise. In 2019 the search committee selected Patricia Thomas, Ph.D., impressed with her experience in both academic and health system settings. Dr. Thomas, a Fellow of the American Academy of Nursing, is conducting research in nurse job satisfaction and workforce development that supports her interest in leadership and role development. She co-edited recognized textbooks for clinical nurse leaders, nursing leadership, and project management, and recently co-edited two textbooks that focus on implementation science and inter-professional uses of data for quality, safety and innovation.