FORT COLLINS, Colo — The Colorado State University system's Board of Governors has named the sole finalist in their search for the 16th president of CSU Fort Collins.
Amy Parsons is a CSU graduate who has been the CEO of Mozzafiato LLC, an international e-commerce company, since 2020.
Before venturing into the private sector, Parsons served in senior executive leadership roles at CSU and the CSU system for 16 years.
She served as deputy general counsel and associate legal counsel at CSU Fort Collins from 2004-2009, as CSU's vice president of university operations from 2009-2015, and as executive vice chancellor of the CSU system from 2015-2020. She also taught in the Student Affairs in Higher Education master's degree program.
Parsons graduated from CSU with a bachelor's degree in political science in 1995 and earned her law degree from the University of Colorado in 1999. Before coming to CSU, she was a litigation attorney for a Denver law firm.
“There is only one job that could entice me to leave my current role, and that’s this one,” Parsons said in a statement. “Much of my life and career have been wrapped up with CSU. My life was truly shaped by people who took the time to invest in me – people like Professor Bob Lawrence in Political Science and the maintenance crew I worked with as a student in the basement of the Lory Student Center. Now, as the parent of a current student, I’m gaining a whole new perspective on the opportunities and challenges we face. At its core, CSU is about access, excellence, and inclusion – and the dreams that education can make possible. It would be an immense privilege to be able to serve as the chief advocate and champion of this great university and to safeguard the success and well-being of our students, faculty, staff, and alumni.”
Following a legally-required 14-day waiting period, the Board of Governors can enter into an employment agreement with Parsons and announce an anticipated start date.
If approved by the board, Parsons will succeed former President Joyce McConnell, who stepped down in June. Dr. Rick Miranda, who has held the position of interim president, did not apply for the permanent position.
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