Jill Tiefenthaler
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Jill Tiefenthaler (born 1965) is an American academic and economist who is the first female CEO of the
National Geographic Society The National Geographic Society, headquartered in Washington, D.C., United States, is one of the largest nonprofit scientific and educational organizations in the world. Founded in 1888, its interests include geography, archaeology, natural sc ...
. Previously, Tiefenthaler was the 13th president of
Colorado College Colorado College is a private college, private liberal arts colleges in the United States, liberal arts college in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Founded in 1874 by Thomas Nelson Haskell in his daughter's memory, the college offers over 40 majors a ...
from July 2011 to 2020 and the provost of
Wake Forest University Wake Forest University (WFU) is a private research university in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, United States. Founded in 1834, the university received its name from its original location in Wake Forest, north of Raleigh, North Carolina. The R ...
.


Early life and education

Tiefenthaler is the daughter of a
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farmer from Breda, Iowa. In 1987, she earned her bachelor's degree in economics from Saint Mary's College in
Notre Dame, Indiana Notre Dame is a census-designated place and unincorporated community north of the city of South Bend in St. Joseph County, in the U.S. state of Indiana. It includes the campuses of three colleges: the University of Notre Dame, Saint Mary's Co ...
. She received her master's and doctoral degrees in economics from
Duke University Duke University is a Private university, private research university in Durham, North Carolina, United States. Founded by Methodists and Quakers in the present-day city of Trinity, North Carolina, Trinity in 1838, the school moved to Durham in 1 ...
in 1989 and 1991, respectively.


Career

Tiefenthaler joined the faculty of
Colgate University Colgate University is a Private university, private college in Hamilton, New York, United States. The Liberal arts colleges in the United States, liberal arts college was founded in 1819 as the Baptist Education Society of the State of New York ...
in
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in 1991. Eventually becoming professor of economics and senior adviser to the president, she chaired the economics department from 2000 to 2003, and from 2003 to 2006 she served as associate dean of the faculty. In 2010 she was inducted as a faculty/staff initiate of
Omicron Delta Kappa Omicron Delta Kappa (), also known as The Circle and ODK, is an American collegiate honor society that recognizes leadership and scholarship. It was founded in 1914, at Washington and Lee University in Lexington, Virginia and has chartered more t ...
at
Wake Forest University Wake Forest University (WFU) is a private research university in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, United States. Founded in 1834, the university received its name from its original location in Wake Forest, north of Raleigh, North Carolina. The R ...
. Tiefenthaler is a scholar in the discipline of the economics of higher education.


Colorado College

During her first year at Colorado College, Tiefenthaler undertook a "Year of Listening" to gather broad community input about the college's strengths, challenges, and opportunities. Over the year, she visited
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,
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,
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, and
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to gather over 2,000 comments about what makes Colorado College a distinct liberal arts college. She then went on to be president, where she earned the loving nickname Chief Tief from students.


National Geographic Society

On January 14, 2020, Tiefenthaler announced she would be stepping down as president of Colorado College to become CEO of the
National Geographic Society The National Geographic Society, headquartered in Washington, D.C., United States, is one of the largest nonprofit scientific and educational organizations in the world. Founded in 1888, its interests include geography, archaeology, natural sc ...
. She is the first woman to serve in this position, making history at the Society.


Personal life

Tiefenthaler is married to Kevin Rask, an economics research professor at
Colorado College Colorado College is a private college, private liberal arts colleges in the United States, liberal arts college in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Founded in 1874 by Thomas Nelson Haskell in his daughter's memory, the college offers over 40 majors a ...
. They have two children.


References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Tiefenthaler, Jill Colorado College faculty Presidents of Colorado College Colgate University faculty Living people 1964 births National Geographic Society