March 15 Progress Update
MICA’s search for a permanent president continues, and the President Search Committee would like to express their excitement for the process so far as well as their gratitude to the greater community for their feedback and patience along the way. Below is an update of steps taken, along with a preview of steps to come:
The Search Committee was formed and announced to the MICA community last October. It includes members of the Board of Trustees, faculty members, a staff member, an alum, and a current student.
Isaacson Miller has been retained as our executive search firm, conducting listening sessions on campus with many constituencies in November, and also invited comments through a survey, which received a strong response.
The Search Committee held multiple meetings to discuss the characteristics gleaned from the listening sessions and community survey data, which are set forth in a detailed Presidential Profile (job description) available to the public.
Through referrals, applications, and their database, Isaacson Miller has engaged with potential candidates, with a variety of backgrounds that align with the position profile. The Search Committee met periodically to review potential candidates.
The Search Committee will continue meeting over the spring semester. The Committee will conduct a series of interviews with candidates and select a small number of finalist candidates.
Representatives from the faculty, staff, and students, along with the senior administration and the Board of Trustees, will participate in the selection process. The Search Committee is balancing the desire to be transparent with the importance of confidentiality for candidates.
Will the candidates be announced before interviews begin?
Confidentiality is extremely important, especially at this stage of the process. Therefore, the Search Committee will not be discussing specific candidates publicly. The candidates are currently employed elsewhere, and the Search Committee wants candidates to be comfortable engaging in our process knowing that their candidacy will be kept confidential.
When will a new president be selected?
Exact timing will depend on how the search process progresses. The current intention is to conclude the search this semester, but depending on the candidate pool and process that timing could change.
Will others outside of the committee and the Board get to meet with the candidates?
Yes. Final interviews will be held on a confidential basis with representatives from the faculty, staff, and students.
Will the next president be an artist, an academic, an administrator, etc.?
The goal is to find the best candidate for MICA. The Presidential Profile summarizes the types of desirable experience and skill sets for a candidate.
Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA) invites nominations and applications for its 16th president. As the College approaches its bicentennial year in 2026, this is an exciting opportunity for an inspiring, communicative, and unifying leader who can guide MICA into the future of art and design education.
A search committee of MICA board of trustees members, faculty, staff, students, and administrators is conducting the search, assisted by the national executive search firm Isaacson, Miller.
Presidential Search Profile
For more information on the position and to submit nominations, please review the full Presidential Profile.
All applications, inquiries, and nominations should be directed in confidence to the search firm as indicatedat the end of the Profile document.
Search Committee
The members of the Presidential Search Committee include:
Scott Haber is a retired partner of the international law firm Latham & Watkins. Scott has long supported education and the performing and visual arts. Scott’s daughter is a MICA graduate (Class of ‘23) with a major in graphic design and a concentration in book arts. He previously chaired MICA’s Parents Council and serves on MICA’s Board of Trustees.
Wendy Jachman has had a long career as a textile artist with numerous installations in various institutions to further express the narrative of their missions. She also was vice president of a family real estate business for 25 years. MICA has been a signficant part of Wendy’s life as a student, volunteer, and as a member of the Board of Trustees.
James Blue is the founder and owner of Storyboard Pictures, a production studio that creates unscripted content for some of the world’s leading brands, including Jay Z’s Roc Nation, PBS and PBS NewsHour. Over his 30+ year career, James’ work has won every major award, including three Peabody, three DuPont and ten national news Emmys. James serves on MICA’s Board of Trustees.
John Brothers currently leads philanthropy for T. Rowe Price and comes to that work as an academic, business owner, nonprofit executive and community-based leader. John is a member of the MICA Board of Trustees.
Judith M. Burton holds the Macy Chair of Education at Columbia University Teacher’s College. Her research focuses on the artistic-aesthetic development of children, adolescents and young adults and the implications this has for teaching, learning and the culture in general. Judith is a Fellow of the Royal Society for the Arts in Great Britain and a Distinguished Fellow of the NAEA. She is a Distinguished Visiting Professor at the Central Academy of Fine Arts and the Tsinghua University in Beijing, PRC. Judith serves on MICA’s Board of Trustees and is Chair of MICA’s Academic Affairs Committee.
Diane Cho is an architect specializing in the adaptive reuse of buildings, focusing on museums, theaters and arts education. Having sold her firm in 2017, she is now retired. Diane serves on MICA’s Board of Trustees and is Chair of MICA’s Trustee Affairs Committee.
Julia Di Bussolo ’06, ’07 is executive director of Arts Every Day, a leading voice of arts education advocacy in Baltimore City. In 2017, Julia launched the Baltimore Education Arts Initiative, a public-private partnership to develop and implement a strategic plan to ensure every student in Baltimore City receives arts education. Julia holds a Master of Arts in Community Arts and a Bachelor of Fine Arts from MICA.
Fredye Gross is a retired Fund Raising Executive and a member of the MICA Board of Trustees. She is a past Board Chair and current Chair of the Development Committee. She is also the Baltimore Design School’s Board member and Development Chair.
Juliana Harris is executive director of the W. P. Carey Foundation, where she has carried out its mission in support of education at all levels, much of it in Baltimore, for 20 years. Juliana serves on MICA’s Board of Trustees. Previously, Juliana served as a trustee of the Baltimore School for the Arts. She previously worked at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts.
Imani Humphreys-Torres is a senior in the Film and Video program and is also employed by MICA as a part-time fitness assistant. A leader in the Student Voice Association, Imani previously participated in MICA’s recent provost search process.
Kerr Houston is based in the History of Art, Design and Visual Culture Department within Undergraduate Studies. In his 22 years at MICA, Kerr has taught in Open Studies, First Year Experience, and Critical Studies. Kerr has served as a department chair, chair of the Committee of Remuneration and Budget, and Faculty Executive Committee Chair. He has participated in several administrative and faculty searches.
Kevin Griffin Moreno was Director of Strategic Projects from 2018-2023 and is currently serving as Special Assistant to Interim President Cecilia McCormick. His work at MICA has focused on community engagement, strategic planning, and external partnerships. Prior to joining MICA, Kevin was a program officer and community investment director at the Baltimore Community Foundation; and a public policy advocate with the Job Opportunities Task Force. He is a member of the Baltimore City Hispanic Commission and serves on the board of CASA, a national immigrant rights
Vanessa Lopez ’07 is a faculty member based in the Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) program. She teaches a MAT graduate seminar and is the MAT Practicum Coordinator.
Hugh Pocock is a faculty advisor for the Ecosystems, Sustainability, and Justice major in Undergraduate Studies’ First Year Experience. Over his 24 years at MICA, Hugh has taught in Interdisciplinary Sculpture, General Fine Arts, Architectural Design and Film and Video and has served as chair of General Sculptural Studies. Hugh holds a BFA from the San Francisco Art Institute and an MFA from UCLA.