Michael Uden

About Michael Uden

I am a C-suite strategist and culture builder who thrives helping teams advance the company\'s mission and realize the vision while making measurable impact, meeting real needs, and finishing strongly and joyfully.My career start as a middle-school educator is so different from my current work, but then and now, I love(d) to equip and encourage everyone for whom I am responsible. I began in higher education as a faculty member, teaching theatre as well as reading and middle-school methodology. Five years later, I was department chair and responsible for both students and faculty. Five more years later, I began my decade tenure as a dean. Because I love to learn and innovate, I then sought a vice provost role, where I could impact enrollment and student success directly. Today, I am the chief strategy officer and lead strategic partnerships, marketing and communications.I am passionate when invested in an organization where the mission truly matters and I am able to invest my strengths and talents fully. Speaking to groups and facilitating learning of all types invigorate me. I am conscientious [DISC] and a strategic and achieving developer who takes deep responsibility [CliftonStrengths]. My strongest motivations are driver (I work through challenges formidably), visionary (I have creativity to dream big and achieve those dreams) and optimizer (my continuous improvement mindset fuels a natural inclination for efficiency and efficacy)[Motivation Code]. Meaningful work that serves others is my highest satisfaction, and I always believe my most significant accomplishments are yet to be achieved. I lead with emotional intelligence, trust, and care. Past career highlights include developing and launching the state\'s first fully online elementary education certification program by an institute of higher education; leading a disparate faculty team through a program review by the Michigan Department of Education as a remote, interim dean and receiving full accreditation approval without any conditions (a first for the program); inheriting a team that scored the lowest in the organization for employee engagement and transforming it to the top unit in three years; being the chief architect for an institution\'s first professional doctoral program and directly presenting it to accreditors for its initial approval; launching inaugural strategic partnership and continuing education units; and any time I can re-imagine and invigorate a new or underperforming unit for efficiency, efficacy, and impact.Curious about my servant leadership? Let\'s talk.

Experience

1. Vice President for Strategic Partnerships & University Marketing and Chief Strategy Officer

   Concordia University-Wisconsin

   Jan 2026 — Present

   In my current work, I support the Strategic Partnership team (including business and community partners, veteran and military-affiliated student services, campus usage and facility rentals), the Office of Continuing Education Studies (the fastest growing sector in higher education and its development of alternative pathways to undergraduate and graduate degree programs), the University Marketing and Communication team; and I serve as the Chief Strategy Officer, responsible for the university\'s strategic plan.

Education

• Concordia University-Wisconsin

  MS, Education

  1993 — 1996

• Concordia University-Wisconsin

  Bachelor of Arts - BA, Elementary Education and Teaching

• University of Wisconsin-Madison

  Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.), Educational Leadership and Policy Analysis

  1998 — 2006