Thomas L. Hellie

Thomas L. Hellie is CIC senior advisor and co-director of the Presidents Governance Academy. He previously served for 12 years as president of Linfield University in Oregon and before that as executive director and president of the James S. Kemper Foundation. Earlier, Hellie was vice president, program officer, and secretary of the board for the Associated Colleges of the Midwest and was a faculty member in the theatre and English departments at Hiram College. He received Palacky University’s highest honor, the Pametni medal, for his contributions to Czech higher education. Hellie has been a trustee of four academic institutions for a combined 26 years. In addition, he has served on the boards of the National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities, the Foundation for Independent Higher Education, the American Academic Leadership Institute, and the Oregon Alliance of Independent Colleges. He is past chair of the Oregon Association of Independent Colleges and Universities and the CIC Board of Directors. Hellie received his BA in speech and theatre from Luther College and earned his MA and PhD in theatre history from the University of Missouri-Columbus.