Amy D. Cronin
Associate
amy@aldenandassoc.com
tel 413-549-1635, ext 205
fax 413-549-1461

Amy Cronin specializes in executive search services, with an emphasis on chief of staff/presidential assistant positions.  She assists clients with these and related searches within higher education, and has served as a consultant in higher education since 2005, with a focus on public relations, development, management, and strategic planning.  She brings 25 years of experience in higher education administration to Alden & Associates, including work at the University of Virginia, the University of Maryland System, Hobart and William Smith Colleges, and Ithaca College.

At the University of Virginia, Amy served as Chief of Staff and Special Assistant to the President under John T. Casteen III, the longest-serving sitting president among AAU institutions.  As Chief of Staff, Amy was a member of the President’s Cabinet and also served on the Virginia 2020 Science & Technology Planning Commission, the Virginia 2020 Task Force on Athletics, the University of Virginia Critical Incident Management Team, and the athletics director search committee that recommended the hiring of the first African-American athletics director in the Atlantic Coast Conference – Craig Littlepage.  Amy was the President’s liaison to the Executive Vice President & Chief Operating Officer, University General Counsel, Vice President for Finance, Vice President for Management and Budget, Vice President & Chief Information Officer, Chief Executive Officer of the University Health System, Director of Athletics, and federal and state government relations.    Prior to her role as Chief of Staff, Amy was Assistant to the President, managing President Casteen’s work on a $1.44 billion capital campaign.

Before joining the President’s staff at Virginia, Amy served as Director of Individual Giving and as a Major Gifts Officer in the University’s College of Arts and Sciences.  Her previous development experience includes work as Director of Annual Giving at Hobart and William Smith Colleges, and Director of the President’s Club for the University of Maryland System.  Amy began her career in higher education as the Sports Information Director at Hobart and William Smith, and later held the same post at her undergraduate alma mater, Ithaca College.

She holds a Master’s degree in journalism/public relations from the University of Maryland, College Park and is accredited in public relations by the Public Relations Society of America.