Krista Newkirk named president of Converse College

Converse College in Spartanburg, S.C., announced today that Krista Newkirk, currently chief of staff for Chancellor Philip L. Dubois, will be the college’s new president. Newkirk, a 13-year employee of UNC Charlotte, will assume her new role at Converse on July 1.

As UNC Charlotte’s first chief of staff, Newkirk has provided oversight of the University’s strategic goals and initiatives, playing a central role in addressing major issues confronting the University and managing large-scale institutional projects across divisions. She has worked closely with the Board of Trustees and has been instrumental in developing the University’s compliance and Title IX offices and the Institute for Social Capital.

Prior to serving as chief of staff, she was senior associate general counsel for UNC Charlotte, supporting the chancellor, Board of Trustees, and faculty and staff on a wide range of legal topics; managing complex litigation; and serving as counsel for several startup nonprofit corporations. Before joining UNC Charlotte, she worked as an attorney in both private practice and at a Fortune 300 company.

“Krista will be an outstanding president of Converse College,” said Dubois. “She brings a wealth of administrative and legal experience to the job, having served for over eight years on our legal affairs staff and, more recently, for over four years as UNC Charlotte’s first chief of staff to the chancellor. She has defined that job from day one, taking on literally everything that was asked of her and then some. We’ll miss her superb organizational skills, her ability to lead collegial and effective planning exercises, her insights into solving difficult problems, and her great sense of humor. The trustees at Converse have made an exemplary choice.”

Newkirk earned her Juris Doctor degree from the College of William & Mary and a bachelor’s degree from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

“I am humbled and honored to have been selected to serve as the next president of Converse College,” Newkirk said. “Converse has created a magnetic educational experience because of the value it places on both academic excellence and co-curricular opportunities.”

Converse College, a master’s university in Spartanburg, S.C., offers a distinctive undergraduate education for women and innovative programs for co-ed graduate study. The college’s high-quality, personalized education provides great value and return on investment for students, activating their voice and inspiring bold vision for advancing communities and professions.

The complete announcement of Newkirk’s selection may be found online.