Ann Marie Klotz, Ph.D., is a veteran higher education professional with over two decades of experience empowering others to build lives of meaning, purpose and focus. With a passion for helping underserved students find professional success through education, she strives to make the educational experience a springboard for lifelong personal growth.
A frequent speaker, keynote, consultant, recruiter and trainer for universities and corporations in areas of leadership and development, Ann Marie understands the transformative power of creating shared strategic goals, building agile staff teams, and creating opportunities for leaders to thrive. Her deep knowledge of postsecondary education and strategic planning acumen inform her work to help individuals and teams in academia and business create a vision for their goals and develop the action steps necessary to achieve them.
In August 2026, Dr. Klotz became the fifth President and CEO of Pacifica Graduate Institute in Santa Barbara, CA. Previously, she has served in senior leadership roles at Naropa University, The New School, and Radford University, the New York Institute of Technology.
Dr. Klotz is a first-generation college student who received her BA degree from Grand Valley State University and MA degrees from Michigan State University and DePaul University. She earned her Ph.D. from DePaul University (Curriculum Studies/Educational Leadership), where she studied the career trajectory and leadership styles of ten female university presidents. Ann Marie is originally from Detroit, MI.
Personal and research interests include women’s career development, professional staff recruitment, developing on-line communities, and capacity-building. She is a patron of the arts and various athletic interests.
