UA President Search

In November 2025, UA President Pat Pitney announced her intention to retire at the end of May 2026. The UA Board of Regents has now announced the process which will guide the search for UA's next permanent president. 

University of Alaska President Search Process

The UA Board of Regents has retained WittKieffer, a nationally recognized executive search firm, to support the search for UA’s next permanent president. President Pitney and the Board are committed to facilitating a smooth transition, and the Regents intend to complete the search process and name a new permanent president prior to her retirement in May.

Should you have any candidate nominations or other thoughts to share, please email the WittKieffer team at: UAlaskaPresident@wittkieffer.com.

Search Firm Listening Sessions

  • UA students, staff, and faculty, and community members from around the state are invited to provide input and feedback on the characteristics and qualities they would like to see in UA’s next permanent president.
  • Listening sessions will be hosted during the week of December 8 in Juneau, Fairbanks, and Anchorage by WittKieffer, the executive search firm contracted by the Board of Regents to assist in the presidential search.
  • Students, staff, and faculty at UAA, UAF, and UAS, as well as the System Office, will be able to attend their listening sessions in-person or virtually; a UA login will be required to register for and attend virtual sessions.
  • Members of the general public may attend the In-person listening sessions scheduled for Juneau, Fairbanks, and Anchorage.

  • We have also created an anonymous feedback survey for those unable to attend in person or via Zoom, which is available here. The form will stop accepting submissions at 2:00pm AKST on Monday, December 15.

Monday, December 8, 2025 - University of Alaska Southeast (UAS)

UAS Faculty Listening Session (UA Login required to join via Zoom)
9:00 AM - 9:50 AM
Glacier View Room, Egan Library Classroom Wing
11066 Auke Lake Way, Juneau, AK 99801
Zoom Registration Link

UAS Staff Listening Session (UA Login required to join via Zoom)
10:00 AM - 10:50 AM
Glacier View Room, Egan Library Classroom Wing
11066 Auke Lake Way, Juneau, AK 99801
Zoom Registration Link

UAS Student Listening Session (UA Login required to join via Zoom)
12:00 PM - 12:50 PM
Glacier View Room, Egan Library Classroom Wing
11066 Auke Lake Way, Juneau, AK 99801
Zoom Registration Link

Juneau Community Listening Session
6:00 PM - 7:00 PM
Glacier View Room, Egan Library Classroom Wing
11066 Auke Lake Way, Juneau, AK 99801 (Campus Map)

Tuesday, December 9,  2025 - University of Alaska Fairbanks (UAF)

Fairbanks Community Listening Session
5:30 PM - 6:30 PM
Bunnell Building, Schaible Auditorium
1790 Tanana Loop Fairbanks, AK 99709
Parking is free after 5pm; the following lots are recommended: Bunnell South (3G), Eielson South (3C), or Signers (3A). (Campus Map)

 

Wednesday, December 10,  2025 - University of Alaska Fairbanks (UAF)

UAF Faculty Listening Session (UA Login required to join via Zoom)
9:00 AM - 9:50 AM
Schaible Auditorium, Fairbanks, AK 99709
Zoom Registration Link

UAF Student Listening Session (UA Login required to join via Zoom)
10:00 AM - 10:50 AM
Schaible Auditorium, Fairbanks, AK 99709
Zoom Registration Link

UAF and System Office Staff Listening Session (UA Login required to join via Zoom)
1:30 PM - 3:00 PM
Butrovich Building Room 109 (note location change)
Zoom Registration Link

Thursday, December 11, 2025 - University of Alaska Anchorage (UAA)

UAA Staff Listening Session (UA Login required to join via Zoom)
9:00 AM - 9:50 AM
Engineering and Industry Building Solarium (2nd Floor)
2900 Spirit Dr, Anchorage, AK 99508
Zoom Registration Link

UAA Student Listening Session (UA Login required to join via Zoom) 
10:00 AM - 10:50 AM
Engineering and Industry Building Solarium (2nd Floor)
2900 Spirit Dr, Anchorage, AK 99508
Zoom Registration Link

UAA Faculty Listening Session (UA Login required to join via Zoom)
11:00 AM - 11:50 AM
Engineering and Industry Building Solarium (2nd Floor)
2900 Spirit Dr, Anchorage, AK 99508
Zoom Registration Link

Anchorage Community Listening Session
5:30 PM - 6:30 PM
Engineering and Industry Building (EIB) Solarium (2nd Floor)
2900 Spirit Dr, Anchorage, AK 99508
Parking is free after 5pm; the South Parking Lot between the EIB, AVIS Alaska Sports Complex, Student Union, and Bookstore is recommended. (Campus Map)

 

Presidential Search Committee:

  • BOR Chair Scott Jepsen (Search Committee Chair)
  • Regent Joey Crum
  • Regent Karen Perdue
  • Bonnie Brennan - UAF Student and incoming Chair of UA Coalition of Student Leaders (student governance)
  • Austin Cranford - UAS Staff and Chair of UA Staff Alliance (staff governance)
  • Dr. Jackie Cason - UAA Faculty and Chair of UA Faculty Alliance (faculty governance)
  • Dr. Charlene Stern - UAF Interim Provost
  • Russell Dick - President & Chief Executive Officer of Huna Totem Corporation
  • Erec Isaacson - President, ConocoPhillips Alaska
  • Dave Karp - Senior Vice President and Managing Director of Saltchuk  
  • Katie Koester - City Manager for the City and Borough of Juneau
  • Meg Nordale - President of GHEMM Company and UA Foundation Board Chair
  • Joe Usibelli, Jr.  - President, Usibelli Coal Mine
  • Conrad Woodhead - CTE & Residential Director of the Kusilvak Career Academy for the Lower Yukon School District

Anticipated Search Timeline

The Board, in consultation with WittKieffer, anticipates the search to follow the schedule below:

  • Week of December 8 - Listening Sessions with WittKieffer at UAA, UAF, UAS, and System Office
  • Early January 2026 - Recruitment opens
  • March 2026 - WittKieffer conducts due diligence; search committee reviews applications, conducts interviews
  • April 2026 - Finalists announced, finalist on-site visits
  • April - May 2026 - President hired
  • Summer 2026 - New president arrives