Dr. Julie Furst-Bowe is an experienced executive leader and consultant in higher education. After beginning her career as a faculty member in career and technical education, Julie went on to serve in numerous senior leadership roles at several institutions, including Provost at the University of Wisconsin-Stout, Arkansas Tech University, Winona State University, Georgian Court University, Chippewa Valley Technical College and Chancellor at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville. She currently serves as the Academic Vice President at Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota.

After leading efforts for the University of Wisconsin-Stout to become the first and only university to receive the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award, Julie became a national and international speaker and consultant for numerous colleges and universities that were interested in continuous improvement and performance excellence. Over the past 25 years, she has consulted with more than 50 educational institutions, and she presents to audiences around the globe. She has served as an advisor to the Ministry of Education in Singapore and currently serves as an assessor and trainer for the United Arab Emirate’s Government Excellence Program. She is a Fulbright Scholar who has completed Fulbright assignments in Azerbaijan and Jordan.

In her roles as chief academic officer and chief executive officer, Julie has provided leadership for academic affairs, enrollment management, student services, diversity and inclusion, information technology and administration and finance. She has a proven record of success in key areas including accreditation, assessment, strategic planning, program development, online learning, enrollment growth, international education, student retention and resource alignment, and she is often invited to share her expertise in these areas. She has served as a facilitator for several state, national and international higher education leadership development programs.

For the past 25 years, Julie has also served as a peer reviewer, team chair, trainer, and mentor for the Higher Learning Commission. She has edited two books and several book chapters and articles on systems thinking and performance excellence in higher education. She is an active member of several professional associations. Two highlights of her career include receiving the Outstanding Achievement Award from Wisconsin Women in Higher Education Leadership and the Woman Leader of Educational Excellence Award from the International Vocational Education and Training Association. Julie received her doctorate in education from the University of Minnesota where her dissertation received the Award of Excellence for Outstanding Research from the International Society for Performance Improvement. She was recently awarded the Distinguished Alumni Award from the University of Minnesota’s College of Education and Human Development.