Kathryn Enke

Kathryn Enke is the Vice President for Leadership and Strategy at the American Association of Colleges and Universities. In this role, she works cross-functionally with AAC&U senior leadership and external partners to lead and execute leadership development programs, advance public trust in higher education, and plan and implement strategic initiatives. She provides administrative oversight for the Presidents' Trust, the Board of Directors, strategic planning, and other programs and projects at AAC&U.

Before joining AAC&U, Enke served for over a decade as chief of staff at the College of Saint Benedict, a Benedictine, residential, liberal arts college for women. As a strategic thought partner for three successful presidents, she led many interim and special projects, including two national conferences on the liberal arts and the institution’s response to and communications amid the COVID-19 pandemic. She coordinated the work of the college's Board of Trustees and its committees and oversaw the college’s policies, practices, and training related to sexual misconduct and sex discrimination.

Enke earned a BA in history from the College of Saint Benedict and an MA and PhD in educational policy and administration from the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities. Her research focuses on how individuals’ identities mediate their experiences in higher education, particularly at women’s colleges and liberal arts colleges. 

Enke is president of the College of Saint Benedict Alumnae Board and a past chair of the NAPAHE Board of Directors. She was elected as an alumna member of Phi Beta Kappa in 2017, and she received the NAPAHE Professional Achievement Award in 2022.

She lives in St. Paul, Minnesota, with her partner and two children.

Areas of Expertise

• Advocacy for liberal education
• Leadership development and support
• Nonprofit board governance
• Strategic planning
• Advancement and external relations
• Crisis response and communication
• Gender discrimination and sexual misconduct