Strategy in the Midst of Chaos: Pursuing a Bold Path for Success

To say that higher education is in the midst of unprecedented change, stress, and speculation is clearly stating the obvious. What should also be obvious is the need for colleges and universities to consider a different approach, yet that seems very difficult to do. During this session, the presenter will share a proven approach she has used with many campuses to maintain a position of strength during these challenging times. Time will be spent discussing organizational structure, market position, working with vendors, and approaches to strategic enrollment growth. The session will include what worked, as well as what did not work well so that you can avoid similar pitfalls. The presenter has over 30 years of experience in the industry and brings a unique perspective as a senior campus leader, former consultant, national thought leader and senior executive on the vendor side.

Presenter: Sarah Coen, Chief Growth Officer, Liaison International

Sarah is a nationally known expert in higher education with 30 years of experience serving in academic and consulting leadership positions. Her career has been focused on driving strategy for customer and student growth as well as providing thought leadership in the sector. As a key leader at Ruffalo Noel Levitz (RNL), Sarah served as senior vice president of consulting services, responsible for over 100 higher education consultants in the areas of student recruitment, retention, and fundraising. Most recently, she was vice president for strategic initiatives and enrollment management at Transylvania University in Kentucky, where she was responsible for driving enrollment growth, developing effective recruitment strategies, and implementing initiatives to enhance student retention. She's also held the roles of dean of enrollment at Transylvania, director of student orientation at the University of Michigan, and director of admissions at Commonwealth College in Virginia Beach. She has a Master of Public Administration degree from Central Michigan University.