Rasmussen
EMPLOYMENT: Vice President for Programs and Research, Association of Governing Boards of Universities and Colleges (AGB); Vice President for Research and Policy Analysis, Midwestern Higher Education Compact; Assistant Dean of Students for Residential Life, Valparaiso University.

EXPERTISE: Policy Analysis; organizational excellence; student success; administrative leadership and governance; strategy development; institutional and inter-agency collaboration; grant writing and fundraising; research and teaching.

Chris Rasmussen is a higher education and association executive dedicated to advancing organizational excellence and student success, with deep experience in administrative leadership and governance, relationship management, strategy development and direction setting, institutional and inter-agency collaboration, grant writing and fundraising, research and teaching, and communication and advocacy.

Most recently Dr. Rasmussen served as Vice President for Programs and Research at the Association of Governing Boards of Universities and Colleges (AGB), where he led the programming and research division, providing college and university trustees, presidents, and senior administrators with information and tools to advance effective governance in higher education. As a member of the leadership team, helped strengthen AGB’s market position as a trusted advisor and a leading voice on matters related to the governance, value proposition, and sustainability of higher education. Dr. Rasmussen also contributed to marketing, publications, membership, and corporate relations at AGB.

Prior to his work at AGB, Dr. Rasmussen served as Vice President for Research and Policy Analysis at the Midwestern Higher Education Compact (MHEC) in Minneapolis. While at MHEC, he successfully advanced the statutory purpose of the Compact to increase higher education access and success for the citizens of Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, and Wisconsin. He facilitated interstate collaboration and developed cross-sector partnerships to improve institutional efficiencies, contain costs, and help states leverage higher education institutions and programs as strategic assets for advancing economic development and improving quality of life. In addition, he produced research reports, benchmarking studies, and analyses of best practice to assist institutions and states with planning, assessment, and evaluation of higher education policies, programs, and services.

Dr. Rasmussen earned his doctorate in public policy in higher education from the University of Michigan, his master’s degree in counseling and student personnel from Minnesota State University in Mankato, and his bachelor’s degree in biology from Gustavus Adophus College in St. Peter, Minnesota.