NCCI’s vision is to function as a catalyst for higher education institutions to work collaboratively across institutions to employ effective methods to advance academic and administrative excellence.

To help carry out that purpose, we identify leaders of change throughout higher education to recognize them for their accomplishments and to help link them with their peers to further leverage the impact of their good work.

Each of our institutions of higher education has leaders of change, but given the diversity of roles that these leaders play in our institutions, they often go unrecognized. The Maury Cotter Leader of Change (MCLOC) Award identifies and celebrates these exceptional individuals whose efforts have resulted in significant impact in their institutions and beyond.

A Maury Cotter Leader of Change is an individual who has played a key role in advancing major change in higher education in academic and/or administrative areas. We are looking to recognize individuals who:

  • Have led change and innovation
  • Demonstrated outcomes and impact of those changes for the nominee’s organization
  • Shared or leveraged change beyond their own organization
  • Had outcomes/impact that have been realized by others as a result of that sharing
  • Fostered a culture of innovation and collaboration

An email will be sent to the nominator to confirm the submission was received. A committee, composed of NCCI volunteers, will review materials to make a selection. One recipient will be chosen and notified in late May. One physical award will be given to the recipient, who will be recognized at the Annual Conference and in subsequent publications.

Award Recipients

Byron Fitch was appointed the Inaugural Chair of the NCCI Volunteer Development Committee where he managed the overall strategy and implementation of key goals and initiatives related to volunteer engagement opportunities. Since Byron was elected to the NCCI board in May 2022, he has been a vigorous advocate for engagement and participation in NCCI activities. He participated in the 2022 NCCI Regional Symposium and presented at the Dec 2022 NCCI Board Meeting to share his ideas for increasing participation and volunteerism. Byron fosters a culture of collaboration across institutions, which is crucial for colleagues nationwide to connect with passionate higher education change-makers and leaders.

Lisa Wilkes is a passionate advocate for building cultures that support transformation and effectively implement change across Higher Education. Her work has reimagined how we organize, scope, and drive the pivotal work that emerges out of the President’s Council. Lisa has served as a champion for growing access to affordable and reliable childcare in her institution’s region, as well as mentoring first generation students on campus.

2024 Recipient
  • Charlene Green, Assistant Dean of Admissions, Outreach & Diversity, UC Davis School of Medicine
2023 Recipient

Andrew Muffett, Director of Strategic Operations, IvyTech Community College

2022 Recipient

  • Anna Bordering, Associate Director of Operational Excellence for Facilities & Operations, University of Maryland Baltimore
2021 Recipient
  • Tina Pappas, Head of Discovery and Engagement Platforms, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
2022 Recipient
  • Robert Neuhard, Executive Director, Office of Operational Strategic Initiatives, University of California–San Diego
2019 Recipient
  • Dr. Timothy Renick, Senior Vice President for Student Success,
    Georgia State University
2018 Recipient
  • Jake Julia, Vice Provost of Administration and Chief of Staff, Northwestern University
2017 Recipients
  • Joy Gates-Black, President, Delaware County Community College
  • Paula Gill, Vice President of Institutional Effectiveness, Belmont University
2016 Recipients
  • Susan Camber, Associate Vice President, Research & Student Accounting, University of Washington
  • Carol Mullaney, Director, Office of Continuous Improvement, University of Notre Dame
  • Cathy O’Sullivan, Chief of Staff to the COO, Director, Working Smarter Initiative, University of California System
  • Katy Rees, Associate Vice President of Administration, California State University–San Marcos
2015 Recipients
  • Sarah Collie, Assistant Vice President for Organizational Excellence, University of Virginia
  • Catherine (Kate) Davy, Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, University of Michigan–Dearborn
2014 Recipients
  • Deborah Ford, Chancellor, University of Wisconsin–Parkside
  • Peter C. (Chris) Halladay, Associate Vice President for Organizational Effectiveness, Cornell University
  • Peggy Huston, Director of Operational Excellence Program, University of California–Berkeley