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ABOUT THE ACADEMIC LEADERSHIP GROUP

We partner to realize transformational leadership in higher education. Our approach to this work is inclusive and human centered. We can help you adapt, thrive, and innovate through uncertainty and change.

Our passion is to partner with organizations desiring to unleash the potential of their mission and their people, and to bring humanity to this work.

We build partnerships grounded in these values:

  • We meet you where you are and partner over the long term

  • We work with you to balance the important and the urgent, and to succeed at both

  • We put people and relationships first

  • We celebrate learning and excellence

Our core belief is that meaningful transformation and renewal starts and ends with the faculty and administrators who have dedicated their lives to higher education. Central to our model is the idea that, enabled and focused, the hearts and minds you already have on your campus can reinvent your institution and create a bright line to the future. We help you unlock this potential—and to realize the change that is needed at your institution.

We are here to listen to your goals and challenges, and to provide concrete and actionable plans. Schedule a call with us today to explore ways we can support you as you lead transformation at your institution.

 

TEAM

 
 
  • Jenny delivers innovative solutions that create unique value. She is a consultant, executive coach, and leadership development expert and instructor at Harvard Extension School where she teaches organizational behavior. Through past work at MIT and Harvard and in global HR at Accenture, Jenny has developed deep experience in leading innovation at universities, including world-class executive and professional programs and global university-corporate partnerships. She conducts research for UNICON, an international consortium of business school executive education leaders. Her three degrees are from Stanford. In addition to work at Harvard and MIT, she also worked at Caltech.

  • Julie can show you how great you can become, and she helps you get there. She is a keynote speaker, author, consultant, and leadership coach and an instructor at Harvard Extension School where she teaches strengths-based development and authentic leadership. Past clients include Harvard University, Babson College, Wisconsin School of Business and University of California, Berkeley. She graduated from the Harvard Graduate School of Education with a Master’s degree in Education, specializing in adult development, learning technology and behavioral change. Her book, The Human Side of Changing Education was published by Corwin Press in 2018.

  • A nationally recognized higher education leader, Karen realized innovative new initiatives at multiple universities, including at Worcester Polytechnic Institute, where she served seven years as the inaugural Dean of Arts and Sciences, and at Harrisburg University of Science and Technology, where she was the inaugural Provost and Executive Vice President and established the National Center for Science and Civic Engagement and a national dissemination program, Science Education for New Civic Engagement and Responsibilities (SENCER).

    Karen also served as Department Chair, Associate Dean, and Program Director at George Mason University, where she led the development of a new college, the College of Integrative Studies (initially New Century College). Prior to this role, she was Deputy Director for Undergraduate Education (EHR/DUE) at the National Science Foundation, where she was charged with supporting innovative programs to strengthen undergraduate and graduate education and helped revitalize American entrepreneurship and competitiveness.

    Karen’s many honors include the Bruce Alberts Award for excellence in science education reform and the Distinguished Public Service Award, the highest civilian honor presented by the City of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. In 2012, she was inducted as an education fellow into the prestigious American Association for the Advancement of Science, and in 2016, she was designated a Sigma Xi distinguished lecturer. She leads efforts with the National Academy of Engineers, including the Global Grand Challenge Scholar program to establish a WPI chapter and international chapters in Armenia and the Republic of Georgia.

    Karen's consulting work focuses on designing and leading workshops and lecturing on leading change in university settings, faculty development, academic career advice, building collaborative cultures, and working effectively in challenging environments. She also provides 1:1 consultations with academic leaders.

    Karen received her bachelor’s degree from RIT and Ph.D. at George Washington University in Biochemistry.

Zaryab Iqbal
  • Zaryab has over two decades of experience in higher education — as a professor, academic leader, and coach. She focuses on specific priorities and circumstances of individuals to develop a specialized approach to goal achievement, productivity, success, development, and navigating the intricacies of institutional processes. She views herself as a thought-partner in encouraging growth through empowerment and self-reflection. Zaryab is a faculty member in Political Science and Jewish Studies at the Pennsylvania State University. She was formerly a Program Director in Social, Behavioral, and Economic Sciences at the National Science Foundation (NSF). She received her Ph.D. in Political Science from Emory University, an M.A. from the University of Denver, and a B.A. from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

  • Dan is all about convening conversations that lead to deep and meaningful change. He is an executive coach, a facilitator, and a designer. Dan brings years of experience in innovative approaches to leadership in corporate and non-profit organizations, including 25 years at Accenture equipping leaders at all levels to grow and thrive. Dan is passionate about organizational culture change and what it means to be a leader in changing times. Dan has a master’s degree in Instructional Systems Design from Florida State University and a Master of Divinity from Luther Seminary.

  • Charles is a deeply skilled consultant and executive coach with over 25 years of experience in human performance, strategic HR, and Learning and Leadership Development honed at Accenture. He is deeply passionate about coaching individuals and teams in both corporate and academic settings, significantly increasing their impact and leading to more meaningful careers. Charles has a proven track record of orchestrating transformative re-invention journeys, igniting leadership potential, and driving change. He excels at assessing organizational needs and creating customized programs that enhance performance and employee engagement. With a keen ability to leverage data, Artificial Intelligence, and Generative AI, Charles continuously improves human performance, fostering the growth of individuals and teams for increased business impact and career advancement.

 
  • Jennifer (Jen) Zaslow is a skilled program manager and consultant driving organizational effectiveness and revenue growth in higher education. She excels in working with cross-functional teams to implement strategy, design process improvements and lead system changes that streamline operations and enhance team performance. Jen’s expertise includes optimizing organization design, creating operational playbooks, and introducing new systems that increase profitability and efficiency. As a trusted advisor to university leaders, she has a proven track record of delivering high-impact projects that support strategic goals and drive sustainable change. Jen has held roles with Harvard Business Publishing, Eduventures, and Boston University, and earned an MBA from Boston University and BA from Smith College.

  • Rachael Lowell Ellison brings a wealth of experience from her consultation with stakeholders at Harvard University, spearheading the Dynamic Work efforts, and her engagements with corporate entities like Microsoft, KPMG, and Phillips66. With a master’s degree in Organizational Psychology from Columbia University and a coaching certification from Brown University, she melds academic rigor with practical expertise. Rachael’s approach in both higher education and the corporate sector emphasizes creative leadership and growth. She is dedicated to fostering change and nurturing development on an individual and organizational level.

  • Rocky recently completed his doctorate in Educational Leadership at the University of California San Diego. He also has a Master's of Science degree in Management & Organization Studies from Boston College. His academic research focuses on how people from different cultural backgrounds (specifically, different social class backgrounds) understand mental health (e.g. anxiety, depression and stress). For his dissertation, he designed an intervention to lower stress levels among first-generation college students transitioning to college. He is fascinated by questions around well-being and how organizations can work in service of human flourishing. At the Academic Leadership Group, Rocky contributes to our group coaching activities, organizational assessment reports and our ongoing research on human reinvention.

 

CERTIFICATIONS

 
 

RECOGNITION

 
 

WHAT OUR CLIENTS SAY

I highly recommend Julie to any senior leader in higher education who is seeking a professional, highly trained, exceptionally polished, and very experienced consultant.
— Dean of Admissions
Jenny knows higher education, executive education, and professional ed. She’s a strategic thinker who’s able to create a clear vision with new frameworks and then map those ideas into actionable deliverables. A pleasure to work with, Jenny is professional and reliable. I highly recommend her.
— Program Director
My most recent professional engagement with Julie was this past June, when I invited her to present at my staff retreat. I wanted her to help me engage my staff on how to build better communication and interpersonal relationships in a changing and challenging environment. In four hours, Julie took my team through a journey of self-identification, goal setting, and communication planning that became the backbone for our academic year 2018-19 community relationship goals. My team was impressed with her humor, her listening skills, and her ability to work with all the hard and unpleasant pieces as well as the positive parts. Success again, since my staff would like to have her back this year for a follow-up!
— Dean of Admissions
Dr. Stine is a consummate professional and provided timely research and insights that enabled us to develop a vision and implementation plan for a new executive education program. She was clear with what she could realistically deliver and provided guidance based on her extensive personal experience in the industry.
— Executive Director