Westminster Presidential Transition
Westminster University's 20th President
After serving 40 years in higher education and 8 years at Westminster University, President Bethami Dobkin has announced that she will retire at the end of the 2025–2026 academic year. The Board of Trustees has partnered with Isaacson, Miller to conduct a national search for Westminster’s 20th president, whom they expect to be named in Spring 2026. President Dobkin will continue to serve in her role through the end of the current academic year.
Westminster campus community members are encouraged to submit feedback and potential nominations to Isaacson, Miller.
Upcoming Events
There are no upcoming events at this time.
Timeline
- September 2025
- First search committee and firm meeting
- Campus listening sessions
- October 2025
- Draft presidential position description
- Publish presidential position
- December 2025
- Review first round of applicants
- First round of interviews with search firm
- January 2026
- Review second round of applicants
- Review final applicant pool
- February 2026
- Video interviews with final 3-4 candidates
- Reference and background checks
- Second and final interviews with candidates
- Final recommendations to Board of Trustees
- March 2026
- Vote by Board of Trustees
- Announcement to campus community
Search Committee
The search committee is co-chaired by trustees Amy Wadsworth and Danny Giovale ’94. It includes 8 members of the Board of Trustees and 7 members of the campus community:
- Amy Wadsworth, Co-Chair, Trustee
- Danny Giovale, Co-Chair, Trustee
- Kim Adamson, Trustee
- Catherine Foster, Trustee
- L. Jackson Newell, Trustee
- Catherine Putnam-Netto, Trustee
- Sidni Shorter, Trustee
- Engels Tejeda, Trustee
- Jeanne Ambruster, Trustee Emeritus
- Daniel Lewis, Administration, VP Institutional Advancement
- Kelly Asao, Faculty, Associate Professor Psychology
- Lance Newman, Faculty, Professor English
- Christie Fox, Staff, Assistant Provost Student Success
- Max Gutierrez, Student, ASW President
- Stephanie Tobey, Alumni Board Chair
Frequently Asked Questions
Search committee co-chairs Amy Wadsworth and Danny Giovale will provide updates to the community during the process. All information will be posted to this Presidential Search webpage.
The search committee’s goal is to attract and recruit the most qualified individual possible to be Westminster's next president. Most qualified candidates will only participate in a search that keeps their identities strictly confidential, given the sensitivities at their current institutions. As a result, and consistent with the best practices followed by private colleges and universities, the Westminster has decided to conduct a confidential search.
The search committee plans to work through the 2025–26 academic year. The Board’s charge to the committee is to have a new president in place by July 1, 2026.
The search committee has several opportunities for members of the Westminster community to provide their input. Individuals are strongly encouraged to send written feedback and potential nominations.
SUBMIT FEEDBACK SUBMIT A PRESIDENTIAL NOMINATION
During September 2025, there will be open forums on campus for the students, faculty, and staff to meet with the search committee and provide input. If you have any other questions, email presidentsearch@westminsteru.edu.
The Board of Trustees will make the final decision to appoint the next president.
The Board of Trustees has partnered with Isaacson, Miller to conduct a national search for Westminster’s 20th president.
Lindsay Gold and Courtney Wilk-Mandel are leading this presidential search with Jaime Morgen.
It has been an immense privilege to serve as Westminster University’s 19th president.
Working together with faculty, students, staff, alumni, and our generous community
to transform Westminster has been the honor of a lifetime.”
President Bethami Dobkin
President Dobkin's Legacy of Progress
- Oversaw Westminster College’s transition to becoming Westminster University in 2023, reflecting the expansion of programs–including 2 doctoral programs in the School of Nursing and Health Sciences
- Raised $70 million for Westminster, with notable capital achievements including the completion of Florence J. Gillmor Hall
- Raised $9.2 million for the L.S. Skaggs Integrated Wellness Center
- Navigated the university through the COVID-19 pandemic
- Led the strategic planning for and celebration of Westminster’s sesquicentennial year in 2025
- Hosted the Sesquicentennial Gala in June, raising $1.3 million for student scholarships
- Launched the first-of-its-kind Mountain Sports initiative, which provides varsity-level athletic support to student-athletes competing on Westminster’s championship-winning Freeski and Snowboard teams, along with new teams in Mountain Biking and Climbing
- Opened the Community Clinic and Training Center, providing free mental health care for the Salt Lake community while providing valuable supervised clinical training hours for Master of Science in Clinical Mental Health Counseling students
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Contact
If you have questions about the presidential transition, please email the search committee at presidentsearch@westminsteru.edu.