AMY D. MCCRACKEN | Associate dean, University of Richmond

Amy McCracken’s career path to serving as an associate dean at the University of Richmond didn’t run in a straight line.
Before entering higher education, McCracken held a variety of positions, including executive director of the Richmond Animal League and chief advancement officer for the Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Richmond. She also helped found Cristo Rey Richmond High School, a private Catholic school for students with limited financial means that opened in 2019.

McCracken sums up her work at these mission-driven organizations as “building relationships with community leaders and dwellers, telling stories of the great impact we can have on one another, listening to stakeholders and always seeking connections between what I am ‘selling’ and why it matters to who I am selling to.”

“That’s what landed me here at the university: Being myself,” McCracken says. “I encourage anyone seeking a career change or applying for a job you aren’t sure you are qualified for to think about how you can bring your whole self to the role — and go get it.”

The person who nominated McCracken as an honoree noted her efforts to create an inclusive community for MBA students by attending every student event (no matter how small) and organizing monthly teas with the dean. “Amy asks thoughtful questions and offers guidance that has made a profound impact on me and so many others,” the nominator says.

Return to the full list of this year’s recipients