Leadership and Mission

William Jewell College is governed by a Board of Trustees, with day-to-day oversight by the president and members of the cabinet. Our leadership groups work closely together, planning for the future of the College and securing Jewell's vision.

Our Mission

We educate our community to ask reflective questions, apply critical thought and act with purpose.

Our Values

We flourish by valuing:

Authentic Engagement
Courageous Citizenship
Creative Expression
Inclusive Communities
Innovative Thought
Spiritual Exploration
 

Interim President Susan Chambers

Susan Chambers serves as Jewell's 16th president for the interim leadership period of June 1, 2024, through May 31, 2025.

An alumna of William Jewell College, she is Principal of Chambers Consulting and is the former Chief People Officer for Walmart, Inc. In that role she was responsible for managing, attracting and retaining a private, global workforce of more than two million Walmart associates. She was also responsible for ensuring a vibrant workplace culture that enabled the performance and potential of every associate. She was named to Fortune magazine’s list of the “50 Most Powerful Women in Business” five consecutive years and as a member of Fortune’s Executive Dream Team made up of only nine people across Fortune 500 companies. Chambers has been invited to speak on culture, leadership and building community at conferences and institutions of higher learning, including Duke University, West Point and the U.S. Naval Academy. She was a Vital Voices Global Ambassador in India and a Fortune/U.S. State Department mentor to women entrepreneurs in Uganda, Kenya and South Africa.

At William Jewell, Chambers served three terms on the Board of Trustees, including a term as first female Chair of the Board, and she led the search committee that hired the 15th president, Dr. Elizabeth MacLeod Walls, who served from 2016-2024 before taking a college president position in Pennsylvania. Chambers holds Jewell's highest alumni honor, the Citation for Achievement, and in 2022 received an honorary doctor of humane letters from William Jewell College.

Prior to joining Walmart, Chambers worked for 14 years with Hallmark Cards in IT and finance. She has served on numerous corporate and charitable boards, including Duke University Board of Visitors of The Fuqua School of Business, Arkansas State Board of Education and Lead Bank. She also is a trustee of Kauffman Foundation, most recently serving as interim CEO of Kauffman Foundation and on their CEO national search committee.