Maya Kirkhope is a Vice President, Senior Consultant, and Certified Executive Coach at Academic Search, where she has dedicated nearly 18 years to enhancing leadership capacity within higher education. Based in Washington, DC, she specializes in identifying and placing transformational leaders for colleges, universities, and academic associations across the country. Her expertise extends beyond recruitment to include executive coaching and institutional transition support, ensuring that newly appointed leaders and their organizations are positioned for long-term success. Before her extensive tenure at Academic Search, Maya served as a Director for the Association of Governing Boards (AGB), where she led the management and marketing of board education and consulting services. Maya holds a Master of Education in Higher Education Administration and Student Affairs from Columbia University and a Bachelor of Arts in History and Psychology from Ohio Wesleyan University. Her career is defined by a deep-rooted commitment to the principles of best practice and strategic leadership in the academic sector.