Welcome to
Leading Higher Ed



Developing strong leaders who lead strong institutions


Supporting and Cultivating Strong Leaders in Higher Education

Leveraging your strengths, we  work with you and your team to create effective and dynamic leadership, and engaged, future-focused teams.

Meet Kina Mallard

Former University President, Kina S. Mallard, Ph.D., has been leading leaders for over 30 years. As Principal and Owner of Leading Higher Ed,  she believes the power to grow and thrive is in the hands of the leader.

Kina’s experience allows her to view leadership through many different lenses. She has served as President, Executive Vice President, Dean of Academics, Associate Provost for Faculty Development and Chair of Communications.

As a dynamic speaker, engaging workshop facilitator, skilled coach and consultant, Dr. Mallard has developed and led national workshops on various aspects of leadership, launched faculty, leadership, and women’s leadership development programs, and has coached leaders at all levels.

She is certified in individual and group coaching, DISC and Motivators/Values Inventories, Leadership Effectiveness 360°, and Emotional Intelligence.

Our Offerings

We offer a wide range of custom services to help you meet your leadership goals and advance your institution.

Leadership Assessments

We help strengthen individuals and teams by combining assessment tools and coaching to encourage leaders to build on their strengths and sharpen other leadership competencies. 

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Consulting and Coaching

We partner with you to identify your most pressing needs and create success for you and your institution.

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Coaching You to the Presidency

An eight-week workshop to take the mystery out of the presidential search process and prepare you for a successful search start.

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Strengthening Teams

We help teams appreciate the strengths of their colleagues and build skills for a productive and healthy work environment.

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Interested in learning more?

Testimonials

Dr. Mallard’s lifetime of experience in higher education has given her unique insight into the development of leaders. When combined with her passion for higher education, her insightful mentoring, and her gentle spirit, Kina has the ability to facilitate the kind of growth in senior leadership that might otherwise take years to develop. 

Kina Mallard is our expert of choice when it comes to leadership development. She has worked with our academic leaders to help them prepare for current challenges in higher ed. Her extensive knowledge and collaborative approach have led to trust on our campus. She knows how to create energy and ask the right questions to help inspire and equip our leaders.

Dr. Mallard is an experienced, thoughtful, and nuanced facilitator. She quickly connected with our team, deftly engaged them with each other and with the materials, and helped us achieve some significant insights and team building. I can’t recommend her highly enough!