MLA Has Been Exclusively Retained by National Association of College and University Attorneys (NACUA) to Find Its Next President & CEO

Hanover, MD (January 25, 2021) — Major, Lindsey & Africa (MLA), the world's leading legal search firm, today announced that it has been retained by the National Association of College and University Attorneys (NACUA) to recruit a new president and chief executive officer to succeed Kathleen Curry Santora who will retire next September. Deborah Ben-Canaan, partner and senior practice leader in Washington, D.C., and Heather Fine, partner in Chicago, are leading the search.

The new president and chief executive officer will work closely with the board of directors to provide a strategic vision, develop goals and implement objectives consistent with the association’s mission. The new president and chief executive officer will lead a talented team, manage the day-to-day operations of NACUA, serve as chief spokesperson for the organization and support and communicate with the association’s diverse members.

“We are honored and privileged to partner with the National Association of College and University Attorneys on this very important search for its next president and CEO. Given the critical role NACUA plays within the higher education community and for its members, it will be vital to identify an exceptional leader and professional who can successfully take NACUA into the next decade,” said Heather Fine.

“A legal background, strong exposure to higher education law and administration, exceptional management skills and external relations experience will be critical for success,” added Deborah Ben-Canaan. 

NACUA’s mission is to advance the effective practice of higher education attorneys for the benefit of the colleges and universities they serve by educating attorneys and administrators as to the nature of campus legal issues. NACUA is a membership organization in the field of higher education law and a primary source of information on legal developments facing colleges and universities. NACUA has more than 1,850 institutional campus members and 5,000 attorney representatives. Members are accredited, non-profit, degree-granting institutions from two-year and four-year, public and private sectors of higher education.