Amit co-founded Academic Impressions in 2002 to build the capacity of leaders at all levels in higher education. Under his direction, AI has grown to be the largest provider of leadership development for the higher education community and has served over 200,000 people at 3,500 institutions ranging from community colleges to R1 institutions. In addition to his responsibilities leading the organization, Amit actively facilitates leadership workshops, coaches leaders, consults with boards and cabinets, and authors various thought pieces on strategic issues facing higher-ed leaders. He is a certified strengths coach and has been published in numerous outlets including The Wall Street Journal, Forbes, Huffington Post, International Educator and The Chronicle for Higher Education. He also co-hosts a new podcast focused on higher education leadership and strategy. Articles
Mr. Dexter A. Bailey, Jr. is a fundraising executive with more than 30 years of experience in higher education. Prior to joining Caltech in July 2019, he served as senior vice president for advancement at Stony Brook University and executive director of the Stony Brook Foundation (501c3), where he led the most successful fundraising campaign in the history of the State University of New York (SUNY) system. Over the course of his career, Mr. Bailey has successfully built and managed development and alumni relations programs at Worcester Polytechnic Institute, the University of California, Berkeley Department of Intercollegiate Athletics, the University of Washington School of Law, and the Ohio University College of Education. His expertise includes reengineering comprehensive fundraising programs, securing complex principal gifts, advancing grateful patient initiatives, strengthening alumni relations, developing high-performing teams, optimizing organizational structures, and executing modern, comprehensive campaigns. Mr. Bailey serves on the Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE) 50 Steering Committee and as a Board member of the Turkana Basin Institute, International Advisory Board (IAB) and the One Arroyo Foundation. He earned a BS in journalism from the Ohio University E.W. Scripps School of Journalism and an MBA from the University of Toledo. He […]
Jeanne Hey is founder and principal at Hey University, a leadership development consultancy focusing exclusively on higher-ed settings. With over thirty years’ experience in academia, she specializes in developing materials and programs for emerging and experienced academic leaders. At the University of New England in southern Maine, she served as Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences for eight years before finishing her university service as Associate Provost for Student Success. Before that, Jeanne served Miami University (Oxford, OH) for 19 years. There she served in roles including Interim Dean and Executive Director of Miami’s Middletown Campus, Director of International Studies, and Professor of Political Science and International Studies. Jeanne is the author of Managing Difficult Faculty and Staff: A Four-Step Process (Bloomsbury, 2026) and The Balancing Acts of Academic Leadership: A Guide for Deans and Department Heads (Rowman & Littlefield, 2021). She is an active participant in the Council on Colleges of Arts and Sciences, the Higher Education Research Service (HERS), and Academic Impressions. She leads professional development seminars, workshops, and one-on-one coaching sessions in the areas of leadership development, the unique challenges of academic leadership, administrative-faculty relations, strategic planning, and other topics facing academic leaders today. A […]
Amy is a Senior Leadership Development Partner for our leadership focused programming and joined AI in 2022. With over twenty-years of experience in higher education administration, Amy was in the role of Vice President of Enrollment Management & Student Services at Owens Community College in Toledo, Ohio immediately prior to joining our team. With experience leading areas such as athletics, records and registration, service-learning, enrollment management, veteran services, and one-stop service areas her focus has been on developing processes that foster student success and completion while developing staff members. Amy earned a Bachelor’s in History, Master of Labor and Human Relations and a Master of Arts in Higher Education Administration all from The Ohio State University and is currently enrolled in the Higher Education Administration Ph.D. program at Bowling Green State University. To nurture joy, she spends time with her humans, cats and nature.
Steve Riccio is a leadership coach, educator, and organizational development consultant who helps leaders and teams perform with greater clarity, effectiveness, and purpose. Drawing from more than 25 years of experience across higher education and organizational consulting, Steve partners with leaders at all levels—from emerging managers to senior executives—to navigate workplace challenges, strengthen relationships, and lead with confidence. Known for his thoughtful presence and practical approach, Steve creates coaching partnerships grounded in trust, accountability, and meaningful reflection. Clients describe him as both empathetic and appropriately challenging, helping them uncover blind spots, think strategically, and take intentional action. He believes one of the greatest gifts a leader can offer is attentive listening. Steve has accumulated more than 1,300 hours of leadership coaching experience working with individuals and teams on communication, organizational effectiveness, conflict management, leadership transition, and team development. While every leader’s journey is unique, Steve emphasizes three core principles that consistently drive leadership success: Engage in productive conflict through respect and candor Prioritize strategic thinking over constant operational urgency Develop employees through coaching rather than problem-solving for them Steve also works with clients to build self-awareness and self-care practices that support resilience, sound decision-making, and long-term effectiveness. He believes leaders […]
I work with higher education leaders to be courageous, confident, successful leaders. Throughout her 40-year career in higher education, Dr. Karen Whitney has held a variety of executive and leadership positions with increasing levels of responsibility, beginning as a Director to Associate Vice President, Vice Chancellor, President, and Chancellor. Karen is a nationally recognized organizational and leadership development writer, speaker, consultant and advisor. She holds a doctorate from the University of Texas at Austin in Higher Education Administration and is a certified coach through the Center for Executive Coaching. Today, Karen’s work revolves around advising and consulting with higher education leaders with stints in serving as an interim executive leader herself. Karen has been a leadership coach to Presidents, Provosts, VPs and Deans since 2018. As a consultant, she specializes in the area of interim or transitional leadership. She works with boards, system heads and campus CEOS to select the very best interim leadership solutions often needed at the most crucial times. Karen’s approach to leadership coaching is to combine a proven track-record of higher education leadership with a variety of engagement approaches, including advising, coaching, facilitating, and training. Drawing on her vast experience at every level of leadership, she […]
