Newswise — Dr. Jill Tiefenthaler, chief executive officer at the National Geographic Society, will join more than 600 graduates of the University of Redlands College of Arts and Sciences on April 23 and offer the keynote address at the university’s 2022 ceremony.
Dr. Tiefenthaler, the Society’s first woman to serve as CEO, oversees the organization’s mission-driven work and programmatic agenda. The organization funds a global community of National Geographic Explorers: scientists, conservationists, storytellers, educators, and technologists. She also sits on the National Geographic Society Board of Trustees and the board of National Geographic Partners. Within the first year of her tenure, she led the development of the Society’s bold new strategic plan, NG Next, that charts a dynamic vision for the future of the organization.
“There’s no doubt that Dr. Tiefenthaler’s global perspective and dynamic vision as an agent of change will inspire our graduating Bulldogs to dream big, forge new paths, lead with confidence, and build communities,” said University of Redlands President Krista Newkirk.
Before joining the Society, Dr. Tiefenthaler spent nine years as the president of Colorado College. During this time, she helped set a new direction for the school, executed the most ambitious fundraising campaign in the college’s history, and developed and implemented a comprehensive strategic plan that expanded and cultivated an engaged and globally connected academic community. She developed a campus master plan, executed an alliance to make the world-class Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center part of the college, and led the college’s efforts to achieve carbon neutrality. She also drove significant increases in diversity among the faculty and student body and led the campus community in an external review of racism at the college that resulted in an antiracism implementation plan.
Before leading Colorado College, Dr. Tiefenthaler was provost of Wake Forest University, where she redesigned the admissions process to include an SAT-optional policy, integrated the university’s undergraduate and graduate business schools, established the Institute for Public Engagement and The Humanities Institute, and implemented “Living Our Values,” a plan to strengthen residential life and campus vibrancy.
Originally from Iowa, Dr. Tiefenthaler grew up on a farm and worked for her family’s popcorn business before attending Saint Mary’s College in Notre Dame, Indiana. She received her M.A. and Ph.D. in economics from Duke University.
The University of Redlands will celebrate Commencement Weekend 2022, April 22-23, 2022. For details, visit redlands.edu/commencement.
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