Meet our new COO

Dr. Eleanor Mower brings a proven record of success governing business, financial, and administrative operations for organizations in the academic, for-profit, and nonprofit sectors. Her most recent experience is associate executive director with a leading comprehensive student affairs association (ACPA), where she oversaw all operations, programs, systems, and strategic initiatives.

Prior to ACPA in Washington, DC, her career encompassed senior management and supervisory positions as a vice president of a major division, vice president of planning and development with a private consulting firm, and as a senior team member overseeing operations and programs for several membership organizations – Goodwill Industries International, American Academy of Actuaries, and the National Alliance of Business (NAB).

Mower's greatest strengths are her expertise in operations and administrative management, strong leadership, and creative problem solving. She thrives on challenges, particularly those that expand the organization’s value to its members. In several organizations, Mower was instrumental in restructuring operations to improve profitability and performance levels. These resulted in increasing cash flow $38 million in two years.

At Goodwill, Mower was recognized by the U.S. Department of Labor for drafting the first official guidelines for the Youth Worker Apprenticeship program, certified by the department. Other honors include being nominated for "Who’s Who" in the Workforce Development profession and NAB’s president’s award for outstanding customer service.

Mower holds a B.S. in English and a M.Ed. from Virginia Commonwealth University and a doctorate in business administration from the University of Sarasota, Florida. Mower has just relocated to Charlottesville with her husband, Gene.