The Top 50 Women Leaders in Education of 2023

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Women We Admire is pleased to announce The Top 50 Women Leaders in Education of 2023. Considering that the first U.S. universities only admitted men, women have certainly made great strides in the field of education. Presently, women have assumed a wide range of prominent roles in the sector, with a notable example being the higher number of women serving as U.S. school principals compared to men. Meanwhile, within the sphere of college leadership, women now occupy close to one-third of the positions of chief executives and comprise 48% of chief academic officers, according to data furnished by CUPA-HR. Perhaps not surprisingly, global data and studies have consistently demonstrated that educational institutions boasting a greater representation of women in governance exhibit notable improvements in areas such as student knowledge acquisition and the narrowing of the gender-based learning gap.

This award highlights the accomplishments of women who are at the helm of diverse educational institutions across the nation. These women leaders come from a broad spectrum of organizations, spanning from small liberal arts colleges to our nation’s largest public universities, including Ivy League institutions, and beyond. Their collective efforts are instrumental in guaranteeing that educational establishments maintain their adaptability and responsiveness to the ever-changing demands of society.

Among this year’s awardees is Kimberly Gramm. Serving as the Chief Innovation and Entrepreneurship Officer at Tulane University. Under her leadership, Gramm’s initiatives have given rise to an impressive 279 startups, attracting an astonishing $470 million in investment capital. Drew Gilpin Faust, another distinguished awardee, has earned accolades not only as an award-winning author but also as the President Emerita of Harvard University. During her tenure, she championed the cause of expanding financial aid to ensure broader access to Harvard College for students from diverse economic backgrounds. Lastly, we are honoring Whitney McNair, the driving force behind Stanford University’s Office of Faculty Staff Housing. In her role, McNair skillfully manages an extensive portfolio, overseeing loans exceeding $1.2 billion, more than 1,100 long-term ground lease homes, and a substantial 2,100 rental units.

Please join us in celebrating the accomplishments of The Top 50 Women Leaders in Education of 2023.  READ FULL ARTICLE 

38. Suahil Housholder
Vice President for Finance & Treasurer, Anderson University

For over 14 years, Suahil Housholder has served as a dedicated higher education business officer at Anderson University. She currently serves as the Vice President for Finance and CFO. Her current portfolio includes the business office, business and auxiliary services, conference and events, information technology services, human resources, mail center, physical plant, police and security, and risk management. 

Suahil earned her undergraduate degree in accounting and MBA from Anderson University and is a CPA in the state of Indiana. She is currently pursuing an EdD in higher education at Ball State University with a cognate in community college leadership, where her research interest centers around the study of decline and recovery at private institutions of higher education. Suahil currently serves on the Association of Business Administrators of Christian Colleges (ABACC) board of directors and is a founding donor and advocate for the Benjie Fund at Community Hospital Anderson, Indiana.

Photo Caption: Suahil Housholder