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Deans Counsel

Deans Counsel

Written by: David Ikenberry / James Ellis / Ken Kring
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Being a Dean in today’s modern university is without a doubt one of the most challenging jobs in higher education. With ever changing tensions and pressures from conflicting constituencies, the job can be both overwhelming yet intensely invigorating at the same time. However, by design, it’s also one of the most lonely jobs in the Academy. Where can one turn for confidential advice? In this podcast we interview Business School Deans peer-to-peer to hear their perspective on a wide variety of pressing issues. Please join your panelists Ken Kring, Senior Client Partner in the Philadelphia office for the search firm Korn Ferry and Co- Managing Director of their Global Education Practice, Jim Ellis, former dean of the Marshal School at the University of Southern California and Dave Ikenberry, former dean of the Leeds School of Business at the University of Colorado Boulder for this latest edition of ….. “Deans Counsel.”Copyright 2023 Deans Counsel Careers Economics Management Management & Leadership Personal Success
Episodes
  • 64: Adam Goodman (Northwestern) with Leadership Advice
    Jun 6 2025

    On this episode of Deans Counsel, moderators Jim Ellis and Ken Kring speak with Adam Goodman, Director of the Center for Leadership at Northwestern University, where he's also a Clinical Professor in the McCormick School of Engineering and Applied Sciences. With a career journey that began as a special assistant to the president of the University of Colorado, Adam has accumulated an incredible amount of knowledge about what it means to lead at the highest academic levels.

    In this edifying episode, Adam speaks from experience about a number of topics, including:

    •the interdisciplinary nature of leadership studies

    •the importance of developing leadership skills in academia

    •degree-granting leadership programs

    •some practical advice for new deans

    Learn more about Adam Goodman

    Comments/criticism/suggestions/feedback? We'd love to hear it. Drop us a note!

    Thanks for listening.

    -

    Produced by Joel Davis at Analog Digital Arts

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    DEANS COUNSEL: A podcast for deans and academic leadership.

    James Ellis | Moderator | Dean of the Marshall School of Business at the University of Southern California (2007-2019)

    David Ikenberry | Moderator | Dean of the Leeds School of Business at the University of Colorado-Boulder (2011-2016)

    Ken Kring | Moderator | Co-Managing Director, Global Education Practice and Senior Client Partner at Korn Ferry

    DeansCounsel.com

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    37 mins
  • 63: Paul Pavlou (Miami) on Realizing Moonshot Goals
    May 23 2025

    On this episode of Deans Counsel, moderators Jim Ellis and Ken Kring welcome Paul Pavlou, Dean of the University of Miami's Herbert Business School and Leonard M. Miller University Chair Professor. Recognized as one of the "World's Most Influential Scientific Minds," Paul earned a Ph.D. in Information Systems and a master’s in electrical engineering from the University of Southern California, and a bachelor’s in electrical engineering and managerial studies, magna cum laude, from Rice University. Before arriving at UM, he served as Dean of the Bauer College of Business at the University of Houston, where he helped raise over $150M in philanthropic gifts and commitments.

    With equally impressive backgrounds in information systems and fundraising, Paul is well-positioned to lead Miami Herbert into he future, as well as wax eloquently in this conversation on such subjects as:

    •engagement with industry

    •alumni relations

    •AI integration

    •the challenges ahead for higher education

    •the transformative life experience of being a dean

    Learn more about Paul Pavlou

    Comments/criticism/suggestions/feedback? We'd love to hear it. Drop us a note!

    Thanks for listening.

    -

    Produced by Joel Davis at Analog Digital Arts

    --

    DEANS COUNSEL: A podcast for deans and academic leadership.

    James Ellis | Moderator | Dean of the Marshall School of Business at the University of Southern California (2007-2019)

    David Ikenberry | Moderator | Dean of the Leeds School of Business at the University of Colorado-Boulder (2011-2016)

    Ken Kring | Moderator | Co-Managing Director, Global Education Practice and Senior Client Partner at Korn Ferry

    DeansCounsel.com

    Show More Show Less
    33 mins
  • 62: Marianne Lewis (Cincinatti) on Maximizing Societal Impact
    May 9 2025

    On this episode of Deans Counsel, moderators Jim Ellis and Dave Ikenberry welcome Marianne Lewis, Dean of the Carl H. Lindner College of Business and Professor of Management at the University of Cincinnati. She knows the College extremely well, having started there as an assistant professor in management in 1997. From there, Marianne steadily rose through the ranks, becoming associate dean for undergraduate programs in 2009, a job she held for five years. After one year on a Fulbright in the UK, she accepted her first deanship, at Bayes Business School at City University of London, formerly known at the Cass Business School. Four years later, in 2019, Marianne returned to Lindner as its dean.

    In this episode, we hear some remarkable, creative ideas and suggestions regarding so many aspects of what can bring out the best in business schools and the impact they can have on society. Topics addressed include:

    •how universities must modernize their curriculum

    •the great skills gap and teaching soft skills

    •reflections on issues faced by higher education

    Learn more about Marianne Lewis

    Comments/criticism/suggestions/feedback? We'd love to hear it. Drop us a note.

    Thanks for listening.

    -

    Produced by Joel Davis at Analog Digital Arts

    --

    DEANS COUNSEL: A podcast for deans and academic leadership.

    James Ellis | Moderator | Dean of the Marshall School of Business at the University of Southern California (2007-2019)

    David Ikenberry | Moderator | Dean of the Leeds School of Business at the University of Colorado-Boulder (2011-2016)

    Ken Kring | Moderator | Co-Managing Director, Global Education Practice and Senior Client Partner at Korn Ferry

    DeansCounsel.com

    Show More Show Less
    38 mins

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