ACE Leadership Network

With a grant from the Carnegie Corporation in 1977, ACE’s Office of Women in Higher Education (now ACE Leadership) founded the ACE National Identification Program (NIP), which is now the National ACE Women’s Network. The purpose of the NIP was to address issues relating to women’s advancement in higher education leadership. It is a mission that is still relevant today, and one that is supported by our state networks across the nation. In 1977, California, New York, and Florida became the first states to create an ACE National Identification Program. Within a year, they were joined by Wisconsin, Texas, Massachusetts, Illinois, Michigan, Minnesota, Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Indiana. New Jersey followed shortly thereafter.

Five years later, the ACE Women’s Network became a state-based national program. The initial grant proposed creating state planning boards with representation reflecting the state’s higher education structure. Working with a panel of advisors of men and women leaders within the state, the planning committee and state chair were expected to create effective strategies to identify and advance individuals into senior leadership positions within the state’s colleges and universities.

Over time, the state networks have developed organizational structures that best fit their particular state and their specific needs. Nonetheless, the structure of a planning board, a state chair, institutional representatives, and the support of college presidents remain the hallmark for the ACE Leadership Network of FL. The state networks are linked to one another through their affinity with the Inclusive Excellence Group and a national executive council composed of executives who serve as both mentors to the state chairs and advisors to the staff.

State chairs within the network are advised by college and university presidents who have agreed to serve as presidential sponsors for specific states.

• Identify leaders (and those with potential)
• Develop their leadership abilities
• Encourage the use of those abilities
• Advance careers in higher education
• Link them to mentors
• Support individuals in mid- and executive-level positions (and individuals in leadership more broadly) 

The Steering committee is made up of:

• Laura Frost, Associate Dean and Professor, College of Arts & Sciences (Institutional Representative)
• Andi Clemons, Director, Academic Affairs, Office of the Provost
• Precious Gunter, Director, Ethics, Equity, & Compliance and Title IX Coordinator
• Tifarah Pardue, Coordinator, Innovative Education & Partnerships
• Jenny Manegold, Chair and Associate Professor, Management, Lutgert College of Business
• Waneka McFarlane, EO, Compliance & Ethics Coordinator III

ACE leadership network activities are open to all faculty and staff.

Interested in hearing from us first about events? Join FGCU’s ACE Leadership Network through EagleLink.  https://getinvolved.fgcu.edu/ [This is the link, link to words “Join FGCU’s ACE Leadership Network”].

Click on “organizations” on the left hand menu and search for ACE. It will come up and “Join” the organization to learn about upcoming events. The ACE leadership network is open to all FGCU employees.