January 24, 2011

JHU launches national search for CTY executive director

A search committee was recently formed to find an executive director for the Center for Talented Youth to succeed Lea Ybarra, who will leave Johns Hopkins this fall after 14 years in her current role. The 16-person committee is composed of university administrators and faculty from across the divisions, and members of CTY’s advisory board and executive management council.

Pam Cranston, vice dean of the Carey Business School and vice provost for international programs, will serve as chair of the committee, which will be assisted in the national search by the executive search firm Witt/Kieffer.

Cranston said that the university expects the next executive director to build upon Ybarra’s substantial efforts and provide the leadership necessary to retain the center’s position as the pre-eminent program of its kind in the country, and possibly the world.

CTY identifies top academic students in grades K through 12 and provides challenging summer residential programs, distance education and family academic programs. The center also has special programs that prepare students to enter selective universities, and programs preparing them for careers in the science, technology, engineering and mathematics fields.

Since its inception 31 years ago, CTY has identified 1.7 million students through its talent search program and enrolled 430,000 in its programs. Today, 70,000 students participate in the talent search, and 30,000 students from 120 countries enroll in CTY programs. The center currently has partnerships in Ireland, China, Mexico, Spain, Malaysia and Saudi Arabia. Discussions are under way in South Korea, Albania, Egypt, Israel and several other countries to replicate CTY’s programs abroad.

The members of the search committee, in addition to Cranston, are Elizabeth Albert, director of CTY’s academic programs; Phyllis Aldrich, head of St. George’s Elementary School in Clifton Park, N.Y.; David Andrews, dean of the School of Education; Catherine Bradshaw, associate professor of mental health at the Bloomberg School of Public Health; Richard Brown, director of undergraduate studies for the Math Department in the Krieger School of Arts and Sciences; Frederick Davidson, professor of electrical and computer engineering in the Whiting School of Engineering; Janet DiPietro, professor in the Bloomberg School’s Department of Population, Family and Reproductive Health; Deborah Gross, the Leonard and Helen Stulman Professor of Mental Health and Psychiatric Nursing in the School of Nursing; Elliott Haut, associate professor of surgery, anesthesiology and critical care medicine in the School of Medicine; John Latting, dean of undergraduate admissions; Christine Newman, associate dean for engineering education outreach in the Whiting School; Laura Overdeck, CTY board member; Charles Rowins, deputy to the CTY executive director; Lee Stephens, parent of a CTY student; and Carolee Stewart, dean of the Peabody Preparatory.

Recruitment will continue until the position is filled.

For more information on the position, go to cty.jhu.edu/directorsearch. Nominations, expressions of interest and applications (including a cover letter and resume) should be submitted to jhu-cty@wittkieffer.com.