College of Santa Fe
Hanson is president emeritus of the College of Santa Fe, where she served as president for five years.
Dr. Linda N. Hanson brings a perspective gained from a distinguished career in higher education and the arts. Her vision is to position the college as a nationally recognized center for study in the visual, performing, creative and moving image arts, and to strengthen its regionally focused liberal arts studies and professional programs.
Dr. Hanson joined the College of Santa Fe in June 2000. Under Dr. Hanson's leadership, CSF has developed a five-year strategic plan, "Roots and Wings: New Directions for CSF," and initiated several capital improvements, including construction of a $4 million tennis center and renovation of an 86-bed residence hall. This fall, in year three of her presidency, Dr. Hanson will launch a capital campaign plan to build a student center, endow faculty chairs and build the unrestricted endowment fund. Through a collaborative effort, CSF faculty and Vice President for Academic and Student Affairs Mark Lombardi, the new core curriculum will be launched this year.
Dr. Hanson joined the college following nine years as vice president for university relations at Seattle University, the Pacific Northwest's largest independent university. Under her leadership, the university raised $66.8 million - more than $10 million over its goal - in a comprehensive capital campaign. She also served Seattle University as assistant provost for executive education and developed the university's interdisciplinary program of leadership training through SU's schools of business, education and theology. The Executive Leadership Program represented a significant step for the university in curriculum planning, the creation of faculty teams, and entrepreneurial approaches to graduate education. Dr. Hanson also served Seattle University in the classroom, teaching master's level classes in the School of Education and the Institute for Public Service.
A graduate of Seattle University, Dr. Hanson holds a doctor of education degree in educational leadership and a master's degree in educational administration. Her doctoral dissertation is titled "Restructuring Academic Programs: Faculty Leadership in Effective Organizational Change." In addition to her earned degrees, President Hanson completed the Institute for Educational Management at Harvard University in 1995 and attended the Harvard Seminar for New Presidents in July, 2000.
As executive director of the Paramount Theatre for Performing Arts, Dr. Hanson led the premier presenting and producing arts organization in downtown Austin, Texas. Theater, dance, classical and contemporary music, national touring Broadway productions and community attractions were presented under Dr. Hanson's management of the historic 1,300-seat facility. Her experience at the Paramount followed several years at the Denver Center for Performing Arts, where she directed the development program. The Denver Center includes a regional LORT Theater Company, a cinema, community theater and symphony hall.
Previously, Dr. Hanson served as president of Independent Colleges of Washington, the consortium of ten independent colleges and universities in Washington. She also served as vice president for development at Texas A&M University at Corpus Christi, Texas. Having started her career in education as a secondary school English teacher in Atlanta public schools, Dr. Hanson returned to her hometown of Savannah, Georgia, to teach at Savannah Christian Preparatory School. Her bachelor's degree in English and speech was earned at Southern Nazarene University in Bethany, Oklahoma.
Among her many professional and civic activities, President Hanson has been involved in the following professional and community organizations:
Association of College, University and Community Arts Administrators
Texas Commission on the Arts Peer Review Panel for Theater
Vice President, Rotary IV, Washington
Jesuit Advancement Administrators
Council for the Advancement and Support of Education
Foundation for Independent Higher Education
Founder, Seattle University Executive Leadership Program
Memberships:
Board of Directors, NAICU (National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities)
New Mexico Women's Forum
Santa Fe Chamber Music Festival's Advisory Board
Santa Fe Chamber of Commerce
Roundtable
President's Leadership Group, Higher Education Center for Alcohol & Other Drug Prevention
Board of Directors, Association of Commerce and Industry
Dr. Hanson is married to J. Laird Hanson, senior vice president of Wells Fargo Bank. Their son, J. Pierce Hanson, attends Stetson University in DeLand, Florida. Dr. Hanson is the daughter of Pierce R. Nesbitt of Calhoun, Georgia, and Miriam B. Brinson of Savannah, Georgia. She has three brothers, Roy I. Nesbitt, Sr., Raymond C. Nesbitt and Glenn P. Nesbitt.
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