Sally J. Churchill, the University of Michigan’s vice president and secretary of the university for 19 years, will transition to a new role this spring and President Santa J. Ono has launched a national search for her successor.
Churchill will become special adviser to the president to help ensure a smooth transition for the next vice president and secretary. She also will be a senior adviser in the Office of the Vice President and Secretary, working on revisions to the Board of Regents Bylaws over the course of the 2024-25 academic year.
“I’m so grateful to Sally for her nearly two decades of exceptional service as vice president and secretary of the university,” Ono said. “Her wisdom and insight with the Board of Regents, her relentless energy and her commitment to service have been critical to her success in this essential position at the university.”
The vice president and secretary is a member of the executive officer team, and serves under the direction of the president with responsibility to the university’s elected Board of Regents.
The role is the liaison officer for the Board of Regents, responsible for facilitating, coordinating and managing policy matters, governance and communications pertaining to the board and U-M’s president and executive officers.
“It’s been such an honor to serve my alma mater as the vice president and secretary, and now I am excited to be working with our campus on a review of the Regents Bylaws as special adviser,” Churchill said. “This long-overdue project should position the university for years, if not decades, to come.”
The search advisory committee will be chaired by Richie Hunter, vice president for communications.
In addition to Hunter, the advisory committee includes:
- Timothy Lynch, vice president and general counsel.
- Christine Gerdes, special counsel to the provost and associate general counsel.
- Quinta Vreede, chief administrative officer for Michigan Medicine and chief of staff to the executive vice president for medical affairs and dean of the Medical School.
- Robert Rademacher, executive senior associate athletic director and chief operating officer for athletics.
- Dubois Bowman, dean of the School of Public Health and professor of biostatistics.
- Todd Baily, associate vice president for development, campaign strategy and initiatives.
As with other searches for U-M executive officers, the selection process will remain confidential until the president makes a recommendation to the Board of Regents.
Devon Redmond, project manager in the Office of the President, and Lynnetta Smith, director of searches, awards and committees in the Office of the President, will act as the president’s liaison to the search. Steve Leo and Tom Fitch from the executive search firm Storbeck Search have been retained to help with the search.
Search feedback, nominations and questions from applicants should be directed to [email protected]. More information, including the position description and how to apply, is available online.
