Search Partner

When Dr. Pamela Balch joined Academic Search in 2017, she quickly proved to be an eager senior consultant with a sharp eye for recognizing executive talent. She has more than 30 years of experience in higher education, including 13 years as president of two institutions, and has been honored many times for her impressive work. In addition, Dr. Balch’s breadth of wisdom in the behind-the-scenes administrative side of university governance allows her to intimately understand an institution’s needs.

Dr. Balch’s career has taken her across the nation in various administrative positions. She was president of Mayville University in Mayville, ND, for three years before serving as president of West Virginia Wesleyan University for more than a decade. The Uniontown, PA, native received her bachelor’s degree in education from West Virginia Wesleyan, which was only the start of her relationship with the Buckhannon private college. She then began teaching fifth and sixth graders in the West Virginia public school system while earning a master’s and a doctoral degree in education from the University of West Virginia. Dr. Balch returned to West Virginia Wesleyan to join its education staff and would spend the next decade there, working her way up to director of graduate programs. Dr. Balch also holds two post-graduate certificates from Harvard University.

After leaving WVWC, Dr. Balch made a cross-country leap to California to serve as San Diego State University’s associate dean for academic affairs. For the next eight years in the Golden State, Dr. Balch became instrumental in the public university realm and earned the coveted honors of ACE Fellow, Teacher Educator of the Year, Imperial County Woman of the Year, and California State University Executive Fellow. As a CSU Fellow, she spent a year in the CSU Chancellor’s office in Long Beach and another year as vice provost for academic planning at Chico State. Dr. Balch then returned to the Mountain State to join Bethany College, a small private liberal arts school, as vice president for academic affairs.

In these executive positions, Dr. Balch honed her skills as an excellent communicator and developed a remarkable ability to recognize emerging issues and the ways to correct them. In addition, as a president of both public and private institutions, Dr. Balch gained a unique understanding of the skills schools are searching for in new hires and the trials that an executive staff may face.

Throughout her career, Dr. Balch has dedicated herself to improving the quality of education students receive. As a senior consultant with Academic Search, she is continuing her mission. She is a careful planner and a diligent strategist, and she is an excellent guide for both the institution and the candidates throughout the search process. Dr. Balch serves each institution with guidance and support, and works diligently with all candidates to help them professionally throughout the search process and beyond.

Mr. Michael C. Maxey served as President of Roanoke College for fifteen years. Prior to his presidential service, he worked at Roanoke for twenty-two years in various areas including marketing, recruiting, alumni relations, strategic planning, and fundraising. During his higher education career, he has worked in academic affairs, student affairs, business affairs, information technology, and various external affairs capacities. Mr. Maxey has worked at four colleges and universities, both public and private.

He approaches his coaching from the perspective of helping presidents achieve their and their institution’s goals by offering challenges and support. He understands that presidents have difficult careers and need to bring their best selves to their important assignments. Having worked directly for three presidents, then later serving as a president himself, Mr. Maxey appreciates the challenges of the presidency, the need for support and encouragement, and the necessity of making and implementing thoughtful, progressive decisions.

Mr. Maxey holds a Bachelor of Arts in history from Wake Forest University. His graduate work is in counselor education, with a degree from Wake Forest and the University of New Hampshire. His volunteer service includes board terms with SACS-COC; the Council of Independent Colleges, where he served as chair; and the Network of ELCA Colleges and Universities. He has consulted with over 24 colleges and other non-profits.