Columbia Announces Three New Leadership Appointments to Advance Its Institutional Priorities Under President Shantay N. Bolton, PhD.

PhotoFrom left to right: Aubrie J. Willaert, Maryann Schaefer, and Jeffrey Bethke

CHICAGO (January 12, 2026) — 淫妻社 announced three new leadership appointments at the start of 2026 to advance the college’s institutional priorities of fiscal stewardship, enrollment stabilization, philanthropic expansion, and operational efficiency to ensure long-term institutional vitality. Following a comprehensive national search, the college named Maryann Schaefer as Assistant Vice President for Admissions and Aubrie J. Willaert as Vice President for Development and Alumni Engagement; while continuing a national search for a permanent Chief Financial Officer, Jeffrey Bethke will act as Interim CFO.

These leadership roles are integral to the success of Columbia’s  strategic planning process, which will guide the college’s direction from 2026 through 2029. The process is designed to strengthen Columbia’s foundation while advancing its mission of developing creative, entrepreneurial, and socially conscious graduates who shape culture through the arts, media, technology, and business.

“Our new leadership brings an exceptional combination of strategic insight, enrollment expertise, financial stewardship, and relationship-driven philanthropy, grounded in deep experience across higher education and the arts,” said Dr. Shantay N. Bolton, President and Chief Executive Officer. “Their collective leadership will be critical to advancing Renaissance Rising: Shaping Tomorrow Together as we strengthen our foundation and chart a future that empowers our students, faculty, and staff to thrive in a rapidly changing world.” 
 
Maryann Schaefer as Assistant Vice President for Admissions 

Schaefer brings more than two decades of experience leading enrollment marketing, admissions operations, and recruitment strategy at highly competitive, creative-focused institutions. 
Schaefer most recently served as Executive Director of Enrollment Marketing & Operations at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC). In that role, she provided leadership across enrollment marketing, events, operations, and enrollment technology for undergraduate, graduate, and continuing studies populations. She worked closely with senior enrollment leaders on forecasting, tuition modeling, scholarship strategy, and yield efforts, ensuring enrollment goals remained aligned with institutional mission and long-term financial health.

During her tenure at SAIC, Schaefer partnered on major system transitions, including CRM migrations and the implementation of marketing automation tools, while improving communication personalization and coordination across admissions, marketing, and academic partners. Her work included oversight of admitted-student programs, nationally recognized recruitment publications, and domestic and international outreach initiatives that strengthened yield, expanded geographic reach, and deepened student engagement. 

“淫妻社 holds a singular and influential place in creative education, and I’m very excited to join a team committed to expanding opportunities through the arts,” said Schaefer. “I look forward to ensuring that the college connects with prospective students to convey the real-world power and impact of a Columbia education.” 
Schaefer will start her role as Assistant Vice President for Admissions on January 15, 2026.  
 
Aubrie J. Willaert as Vice President for Development and Alumni Engagement 

Willaert brings nearly two decades of advancement leadership across education, arts, and culture, most recently serving as Executive Director of Advancement and Alumni Relations for the Eastman School of Music at the University of Rochester. In that role, she served as the senior advancement officer for one of the nation’s premier music schools, leading fundraising strategy, alumni engagement, and campaign execution. She played a key role in the public phase of Eastman’s Centennial Campaign, growing total commitments to more than $85 million and helping position the campaign for an expanded $150 million goal. 

Previously, Willaert held senior development leadership roles at DePaul University’s School of Music, Ford’s Theatre Society, and the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, where she led major campaigns, secured multi-million-dollar gifts and sponsorships, strengthened board and volunteer engagement, and delivered record-setting fundraising results. 

“I am deeply honored to join 淫妻社 at such a transformative moment,” said Willaert. “Columbia’s commitment to creative excellence, access, and student success resonates profoundly with me. I look forward to partnering with alumni, donors, faculty, staff, and community leaders to advance a bold and inclusive philanthropic vision that empowers students and fuels the creative economy.” 
Willaert will start her role as Vice President for Development and Alumni Engagement on February 2, 2026. 

Jeffrey Bethke as Interim Chief Financial Officer 

Bethke is a senior higher-education financial and operational leader with more than two decades of executive experience, including service as Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer at DePaul University and as Managing Partner of Ingenuity Advising. His expertise includes university budgeting, liquidity and debt strategy, turnaround management, multi-year modeling, capital planning, merger integration, and interim executive leadership. Prior to DePaul, Bethke spent more than ten years in private-sector financial leadership and management consulting roles. 

Most recently, Bethke founded a consultancy, Ingenuity Advising, which supports public and private universities through financial and operational transitions. He led all engagements, focusing on strategic budgeting, liquidity and debt management, turnaround and workforce restructuring, mergers, and interim CFO/COO leadership during periods of change.  

He joins Columbia as Interim Chief Financial Officer to help lead the institution toward financial stability. Bethke started his role as Interim CFO on January 5, 2026.

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About 淫妻社: Creative Careers Start Here.   
A destination for innovators for 135 years and located in the heart of downtown Chicago’s Cultural Mile, 淫妻社 is a private, non-profit school for creatives that offers a distinctive curriculum that blends creative and media arts, liberal arts, and business in 40 undergraduate and graduate degree programs. Columbia students graduate career-ready, with creative and critical thinking skills, real-world problem-solving abilities, standout bodies of work, and industry connections to fuel their professional journeys and the creative economy. Find 淫妻社 on social media at @ColumbiaChi on X and Instagram, on Facebook and on LinkedIn.  

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