Our Team

Michelle Adkins

Senior Research Associate

Office: 850-650-2277

Email: michelleadkins@greenwoodsearch.com

Michelle Adkins is a senior research associate at GA&A with over five years of experience as an executive search administrative assistant. Her attention to detail and organizational skills are invaluable assets to the team. She supports consultants with in-depth research to source top talent, manages sensitive candidate information, and prepares meeting materials. Michelle is also a dedicated mentor to junior research associates, fostering their growth and development.

Prior to joining GA&A, Michelle held administrative roles at the Florida Air National Guard and the Department of Labor. She holds an associate’s degree in Professional Aeronautics with a minor in Management from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University Worldwide. 

Joanna Dawson

Finance & Controls Officer

Office: 850-337-1479

Email: joannadawson@greenwoodsearch.com

Joanna Dawson serves as the finance and controls officer for Greenwood Asher & Associates providing leadership, oversight, and execution of financial matters. Her responsibilities include management of financial controls such as fiscal budgeting and forecasting.

She previously worked as controller for Legal Services of Alabama where she was responsible for the overall financial management of the organization. Joanna has a background in public accounting and holds a B.S. in mathematics, and a M.S. in accountancy.

Lisa DeStephanis

Senior Associate & Operations Coordinator

Phone: 850-650-2277

Email: lisadestephanis@greenwoodsearch.com

With more than 25 years of experience in higher education and executive search administration, Lisa DeStephanis brings exceptional insight and operational acumen to her role as senior associate and operations coordinator at Greenwood Asher & Associates.

Lisa plays a central role in managing the firm’s day-to-day operations, streamlining internal processes, and enhancing organizational effectiveness across teams. She oversees firmwide scheduling, orchestrates complex travel arrangements for staff and candidates, and ensures clarity in office communications—all with an eye toward continuous improvement and service excellence.

Her career is anchored in higher education, where she held administrative and office management roles at respected institutions. Lisa’s executive search expertise is complemented by her prior work with a firm specializing in health and wellness, where she led project coordination efforts across consulting and search engagements. Her strengths in stakeholder communications and candidate management reflect a strategic approach that supports successful outcomes for clients and colleagues alike.

Known for her responsiveness, precision, and commitment to client success, Lisa is a vital member of the GA&A team, contributing to the firm’s mission to advance leadership in education and beyond.

Ashley Johnson

Project Manager & Talent Development Specialist

Cell: 850-687-5068

Email: ashleyjohnson@greenwoodsearch.com

Ashley Johnson (Hice) uses her broad knowledge and experience within higher education and executive search to serve GA&A in a multifaceted role as project manager & talent development specialist. She possesses the skillset to effectively communicate to vast audiences, prioritize tight timelines, and deliver a favorable outcome on all searches and projects assigned. Before stepping into this role, she got her roots in GA&A as an executive search consultant. Gaining many years of executive search experience has helped her ability to train team members in all areas of the firm and also assist with many new projects and initiatives.

Previously, she worked for the vice chancellor of institutional advancement as the executive communications specialist at the University of Pittsburgh, where she was responsible for the stewardship of major gift donors. Ashley received a B.S. in business administration with a focus on marketing, advertising & public relations from Youngstown State University and in 2023, she obtained her PMP certification from the Project Management Institute.

Courtney Kerrigan

Business Development Manager

Office:  850-337-1494

Email: courtneykerrigan@greenwoodsearch.com

Courtney Kerrigan’s 30-year career in sales, business development, marketing and division management has prepared her to provide outstanding service to GA&A's clients as a business development manager. While serving as an owner representative for the Desert Community College District in Southern California, Courtney was an integral part of the team hired to provide oversight for their local bond measure. During her five years with the program, she managed the bond office, coordinated the RFQ and construction bidding processes, coordinated shortlist presentation interviews, and co-facilitated the Citizens Oversight Committee meetings. Because of her varied professional experiences, Courtney has developed first-hand knowledge and valuable insight into the business development processes and requirements of educational institutions.

Courtney has led a life of service. She was especially honored to be selected to serve as Goodwill Ambassador for the Opening Ceremonies of the 1984 Summer Olympics XXIII in Los Angeles, California. Currently, she volunteers at food banks and charity thrift shops and coordinates local fundraising events for Greenwood Asher & Associates.

Emma McAdam

Research Associate

Office: 850-650-2277

Email: emmamcadam@greenwoodsearch.com

Emma McAdam provides support to search managers, consultants, and clients in her role as research associate at GA&A. She excels at conducting thorough research to identify highly qualified candidates who meet and exceed client expectations. Emma plays a crucial role in managing applicant materials, ensuring seamless access to candidate documentation for search committees.

Emma's background in communications, honed as a communications specialist at a credit union, equipped her with the skills to manage confidential member accounts and address complex product and service inquiries. This transition into executive search demonstrates her versatility and dedication to excellence, making her a valuable member of the GA&A team.

Renee Nelson

Senior Research Associate

Office: 850-650-2277

Email: reneenelson@greenwoodsearch.com

Renee Nelson is a highly skilled senior research associate at GA&A, known for her unwavering commitment to excellence in supporting search managers, consultants, and clients. Her impressive sleuthing skills produce exceptional candidate sourcing for teams, while her attention to detail allows her to efficiently organize resources for search committees and ensure seamless communication between GA&A and our clients. In addition to her day-to-day search responsibilities, she is instrumental in guiding junior research associates, fostering their development and success. 

Before joining GA&A, Renee demonstrated her versatility by providing administrative and marketing support to a nonprofit. Her strong background in communication, earning a B.A. from the University of Washington Tacoma, underscores her commitment to delivering exceptional results consistently. Renee's dedication and persistence make her an invaluable member of the GA&A team.

Marie Olney

Finance Support Specialist

Office: 850-337-1522

Email: marieolney@greenwoodsearch.com

Marie Olney brings more than 20 years of experience in accounting in her role as finance support specialist at GA&A. She is responsible for accounts payable, receivable, collections, and processing candidate travel reimbursements.

Before entering the executive search sector, her work experience ranges from a small business owner to a paralegal specialist in corporate affairs. In addition to her certification as a paralegal, she is bonded as a notary.

Tiana Ortiz

Research Associate

Office: 850-650-2277

Email: tianaortiz@greenwoodsearch.com

Tiana Ortiz plays a crucial role in supporting the search team as a research associate at GA&A. She is particularly adept in identifying qualified prospects, efficiently processing applications, maintaining detailed search records, and organizing essential documentation—all contributions that drive the success of our search processes.

With a B.A. in Psychology and experience as an administrative operations coordinator and executive assistant, Tiana's career was shaped through collaboration with a NYC Department of Education affiliated organization. Her longstanding passion for education, belief in its transformative power, and her commitment to help the field thrive, fuels her approach, making her a proactive support system for our team, candidates and clients alike.

Marilyn Buckner

Leadership Assessment Advisor

Office: 850-650-2277

Dr. Marilyn Buckner is a business and leadership consultant and executive coach focused on culture change, agility and inclusive leadership. She has designed over twenty high potential and leadership programs for global companies including Bank of America, Coca-Cola, Cox, Delta, Equifax, Home Depot, Hertz, McKesson, Nationwide, Siemens as well as universities such as the University of Central Florida, University of Georgia, Georgia State University, Kennesaw University, Tampa University to name a few.

She is an expert in designing succession planning and leadership development programs and has developed Talent Management systems for many global Fortune 500 companies. She also worked with the Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia to design and deliver a succession planning and leadership coaching program for future Deans, C Suite and Presidents. Formerly she was a leader in the talent development area at The Coca-Cola Company and developed the first global succession planning, global staffing, leadership development and career development programs. As a result, she has traveled globally to implement leadership programs. After working at The Coca-Cola Company, she went to work for a software company, Global Pay, as head of strategic planning before becoming a consultant where she has worked for two decades.

She has been a coach and a consultant for global companies for two decades designing leadership, change, culture change, performance management and career development programs. She is the author of publications on the subjects of succession planning, learning agility and career development. As the former Board Chair of Human Resources People & Strategy and the Program Chair, she also designed over ten HR and Talent workshops such as Change Leadership, Culture Change, High Potential Leadership, Mergers and Acquisitions and Succession Planning and was recognized by her peers with a Lifetime Achievement Award. Her Ph.D. is in Counseling from Georgia State University where she also taught in the graduate Counseling program. She is located in Georgia but works with clients throughout the world.

She is also a Master Trainer for several leading-edge assessments including the learning agility TALENTx7, Hogan Leadership Assessments, the Decision Style View for inclusive leadership styles and an Emotional Intelligence 360 Survey and uses these for accelerating coaching and team development outcomes. She recently published a chapter in a book entitled the “Age of Agility”. She also co-authored an article with the CEO of a global company on an innovative leadership program that was proven to accelerate leadership agility. She is the former Board Chair of the strategic HR association, HR People + Strategy, a division of SHRM and was elected by her peers for that role.

Gary Dent

Leadership Assessment Advisor

Office: 850-650-2277

Gary Dent brings to GA&A an expertise in human resources after a lengthy career in HR leadership positions with higher education organizations, major city and Fortune 500 corporations. One of his last positions was as the human resources vice chancellor with the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education (PASSHE), where he was chief HR officer for this system of 14 universities. Gary coordinated the PASSHE chancellor search and many of the presidential searches of member universities. His expertise in HR and passion for talent management has been tapped by boards, including the Detroit Institute of the Arts, Boy Scouts of America, Junior Achievement, United Way, American Society of Employers, Association of International Personnel Management Association, International Association of Suggestion Plans and National Black MBA Association.

Gary has a B.S. in special education from Norfolk State University and an M.A. in management and supervision from Central Michigan University. He is also a private pilot.

Kim Greer

Strategic Services

Office: 850-650-2277

Dr. Kimberly Greer has been employed 25 years at four (4) public institutions of higher education in two systems, with twelve years of successful experience in academic leadership positions, with promotions from Department Chairperson to Dean of the College of Social and Behavioral Sciences to Interim Associate Provost and Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs to Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs. Dr. Greer has a wealth of experience in strategic planning, budgeting, and team building. Dr. Greer earned both her BS in Criminal Justice and MSA from Southeast Missouri State University and her Doctorate in Sociology from Southern Illinois University, Carbondale.

She has served as Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs at California State University, Stanislaus (2017-2021) and Interim Provost at Cal State East Bay (2021-2022). Prior to moving to California, she served as dean of the College of Social and Behavioral Sciences at Minnesota State University, Mankato. Kim also served for two years as interim associate provost at MSUM and in that role supported a number of university-wide academic initiatives while managing financial and other material resources for the Division of Academic Affairs. Her most recent experience was serving as Interim Provost at St. Cloud State University in the Minnesota State System where the campus had to address significant structural budget challenges at the same time it was launching several accelerated online programs to extend the opportunity of education to even more Minnesotans.

Kim is a supportive administrative partner who deeply values authentic leadership, collaboration across divisions, and empowering effective teams. Throughout her career, she has demonstrated a passion for assuring access and success for all students and a commitment to faculty excellence and shared governance. Kim strives to build strong, positive relationships across campus and in the community. She was named the College of Social and Behavioral Sciences’ distinguished professor in 2009, and participated in the Higher Education Resource Services Leadership Institute as well as the Irvine New Leadership Network.

Most recently Kim has joined with three colleagues in higher education to launch Provident Consultants LLC to partner with higher education institutions on strategic planning, project management, assessment and evaluation, grant writing, leadership assessment and development as well as executive coaching. Given her most recent experiences serving universities in need of interim leadership in the chief academic officer role, she has become especially aware of the need for more professional development in higher education before, during and after a transition in leadership. She expects the next chapter in her professional evolution will include the opportunity to share what she has learned with both individuals and universities experiencing such a transition.

Susanne Griffin

Office: 850-650-2277 | Cell: 850-598-0063

Email: susannegriffin@greenwoodsearch.com

As vice president and managing director for GA&A, Susanne oversees financial management of the firm, supervision and development of consultants and team members and organization of systems and operations. She brings a wealth of administrative expertise garnered through a successful career in K-12 leadership.

She joins GA&A from service as chief academic officer of the Minneapolis (MN) Public Schools where she designed and implemented academic priorities to maximize the capacity of the system to provide excellent learning environments for the approximately 34,000 students in the district. Previously, in service to the approximately 24,000 students in the Bibb County Public Schools in Macon, GA, she was acting superintendent and deputy superintendent of School Improvement and Redesign. In this latter role, she led the design and implementation of a district-wide strategic planning process and the development of a school redesign program to maximize the district's student learning success. Other executive roles include multiple leadership posts within the Rochester (MN) Public Schools, including executive director of School Improvement and Accountability, principal at Franklin/Montessori at Franklin Elementary Schools, principal at Churchill/Hoover Elementary Schools, interim director of Special Education and Speech/Language pathologist. She also served as an educational consultant with the Cochlear Impact Program of the Mayo Clinic in Rochester. Susanne's leadership includes service as board chair for the Child Care Resource and Referral Network (CCRR) and co-chair of the Campaign Steering Committee for the Joint Building Venture between CCRR and Rochester (MN) Boys' and Girls' Club. She was also a board member for the Rochester Area Foundation - First Steps and for the Rochester Diversity Council. She has been involved with the Communities in Schools Council of Champions, Macon Promise Neighborhoods Advisory Council and Minnesota Department of Education Desegregation and Integration Task Force. Internationally, she has served as a team leader with Global Action Youth Summer Camps held in Ukraine, Moldova and India.

Susanne holds a B.S. from the University of Wisconsin-River Falls and an M.S. degree from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She completed additional licensure coursework at the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities. She holds licenses and certificates as a district superintendent, a school principal and a speech/language pathologist in Minnesota. She has completed training to be a Leaf Level Certified Trainer in Fierce Conversations. She has been trained at Harvard University through the Public Education Leadership Project and DataWise. Other training includes Courageous Conversations, Professional Learning Communities, Positive Behavior Intervention and Support, Response to Intervention and Crisis Prevention and Intervention.

Sharon McDade

Strategic Services

Office: 850-650-2277

Sharon A. McDade heads Greenwood Asher & Associates' (GA&A) leadership and strategic services. She facilitates searches for higher education leaders and provides consulting on organizational development including environmental scanning, strategic planning, problem-solving focusing on organizational diagnosis, leadership development and presidential assessment and facilitation of meetings and retreats for leaders and boards.

At the American Council on Education, Sharon directed the Emerging Leaders Group and ACE Fellows Program, and created the Leadership Academy for Department Chairs. Previously she directed Harvard University's Institute for Educational Management, founded and directed the Management Development Program and co-founded the Harvard Seminar for New Presidents. She has created or directed major leadership programs for organizations as diverse as the Massachusetts Board of Higher Education, New England Center for Research on Higher Education, National Association for Women in Education and Midlantic National Bank. She was a founding board member, external evaluator and contributor to many research articles for the Hedwig van Ameringen Executive Leadership in Academic Medicine (ELAM) Program for Women. She worked with leadership development internationally with the Fulbright Commission, United States Information Agency, Latin American Scholars Program of American Universities, Open Society Institute of the Soros Foundations, U.S. Freedom Support Act Graduate Fellowship Program, Universia Foundation of Mexico, Higher Education South Africa and the United Arab Emirates. She has keynoted and presented on leadership development at conferences in Kazakhstan, British Columbia, England and many U.S. events.

Sharon taught higher education graduate programs at George Washington University, Columbia University and University of Massachusetts. Her scholarship and chairship of 60+ doctoral dissertations focus on leadership relating to development, administration, assessment, the presidency, women, planning and faculty and career development.

Sharon has an Ed.D. in administration, planning and social policy from Harvard University, an M.F.A. in theater design from Ohio State University and a B.S. from Miami University.

Katie Olivant

Strategic Services

Office: 850-650-2277

Throughout her career, Dr. Katie Olivant has engaged in successful grant writing, strategic planning, action research, program evaluation, and accreditation activities. Katie worked at California State University, Stanislaus after 25 years, during which she served as Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs (AVPAA), Chair of the Liberal Studies - Elementary Teaching Content Preparation Department, and Associate Professor of Liberal Studies.

As AVPAA, Katie served as the University’s Accreditation Officer and Research Integrity Officer and oversaw both academic policy and curricular policy initiatives and processes. She also led the initial implementation of a university-wide, comprehensive academic advising software tool. During her time as department chair of one of the University’s largest majors, Katie worked closely with the Teacher Education department and subject matter area departments to develop clearer and more efficient pathways for undergraduate students into credential programs, including writing and implementing a $225,000 grant for that purpose, and participating in the development and implementation of a $2,000,000 grant to improve the recruitment and preparation of future teachers. She also served as the Assessment Facilitator for Undergraduate Programs for the College of Education, Kinesiology and Social Work. In her early years as a faculty member, Katie served as the Coordinator of Outreach, Communications, and Graduate Learning Services for CEGE (Center for Excellence in Graduate Education) and as the Coordinator of Service Learning for PACE (Program for Academic and Career Excellence). Her involvement with CEGE and PACE, which were funded by a Title V grant, further enhanced her experience in program evaluation and grant reporting.

Prior to transitioning to faculty, Katie served in a variety of student services roles at CSU Stanislaus, including Director of Student Leadership and Development and Executive Assistant and Judicial Affairs Officer for the Division of Student Affairs. These experiences deeply informed her commitment to student success and equity as a faculty member and academic administrator.

Katie’s research interests involve the roles of creativity, critical thinking and reflection in both K-12 and higher education leadership, as well as the evaluation and assessment of educational programs’ effectiveness. Katie received her Ed.D in Educational Leadership from UC Davis / CSU Fresno, M.B.A. from Northwestern University, and B.A. in Journalism from Indiana University, Bloomington.

Brandon Price

Strategic Services

Office: 850-650-2277

Brandon Price has over 25 years’ experience as a higher education professional. Throughout his career, he has amassed a wealth of expertise in grant development and implementation, equity research, and program evaluation. Notably, he has secured grants from esteemed institutions such as the U.S. Department of Education (Title III, Title V, and TRiO) and the National Science Foundation, among others. Brandon's proficiency also extends to various quantitative research techniques including conducting multivariate analyses to bolster program evaluation and enhancement efforts, as well as leading numerous program assessments.

Recently, Brandon served as the Associate Vice President for Student Equity and Success at California State University, Stanislaus, where he spearheaded initiatives to bolster enrollment and bridge equity gaps. Prior to his tenure at CSU Stanislaus, Brandon held pivotal roles, including Associate Dean of Student Equity and Success, Dean of Student Services, and Dean of Career Technical Education and Economic Development. Each position allowed him to make significant strides in advancing educational opportunities for students.

A passionate advocate for student equity, Brandon Price has actively pursued research initiatives in key areas such as rural student access and success, STEM students' self-efficacy, Hispanic student matriculation in graduate education, and the influence of peer interaction on student retention and graduation rates.

Amanda Theis

Strategic Services

Office: 850-650-2277

Amanda has over 10 years of professional experience in governmental, non-profit, and higher education organizations. She currently serves as a senior administrator within the Division of Academic Affairs at Stanislaus State. Prior to this, she served as Special Assistant to the University President at Stanislaus State, Director of Operations and Government Affairs at a local non-profit organization, and as a communications consultant and legislative aide in the California State Legislature.

Most recently, Amanda facilitated a successful strategic planning process for the Division of Academic Affairs at Stanislaus State. In addition, she’s spearheaded a number of executive leadership transitions including presidents and provosts among other positions. Her areas of expertise include operations management at the executive level, optimizing organizational effectiveness, and internal and external strategic communications. 

Amanda holds a B.A. in Government from Sacramento State and a Master of Public Administration from Stanislaus State.