University of New Mexico Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs James Holloway has named Mitzi Montoya as dean of the Anderson School of Management effective July 1, 2020.
“Dr. Mitzi Montoya brings a wealth of experience to UNM and to the Anderson School of Management,” said Holloway. “Her entrepreneurial spirit and drive will help to not only propel Anderson forward, but I truly believe she will be a shot in the arm for business development in New Mexico. Dr. Montoya has a bold and innovative style. I'm excited to have her joining us, and look forward to working with her."
Montoya looks forward to her new role at UNM including the opportunities the institution provides as one of only a dozen Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs) in the U.S. that are also classified by the Carnegie Commission on Higher Education as a R1: Doctoral Universities with very high research activity.
“I'm very excited about both the strengths of the university and the Anderson School,” said Montoya. “I love UNM’s strong focus on academic excellence coupled with the state’s rich cultural history and diversity. These combined strengths create tremendous potential for the Anderson School of Management to play a leadership role nationally.”
She views Anderson as a model for business schools of the future where a diverse body of future business leaders are prepared to face the challenges ahead with resilience and adaptability. “I’m looking forward to partnering with the business community as we continue to advance Anderson,” said Montoya.
Montoya, who comes to UNM from Washington State University, fills the position held on an interim basis by Shawn Berman since January 2019 following former dean, Craig White, who stepped down to take on the interim role of Senior Vice President for Finance and Administration at UNM.
Montoya is a thought leader in higher education. Throughout her career she has supported student and faculty success, enhanced entrepreneurial and innovation ecosystems and led collaborative initiatives that advance economic and community prosperity. At heart, she is an innovator with a mission to be an agent of change for the greater good.
Her research has focused on virtual teams for the last 10 years and lies at the intersection of marketing, technology and innovation. She studies innovation processes and strategies and the role of technology as an enabler of virtual team collaboration. “I study the effects of collaboration technology on distributed teamwork. As we have all experienced with the coronavirus pandemic where we are all working and learning remotely, virtual work is not quite the same and doing it well is easier said than done”.
Montoya is currently a Professor in the Carson College of Business at Washington State University. Prior to joining WSU, Montoya spent four years at Oregon State University as the Sara Hart Kimball Dean of the Oregon State University College of Business. Montoya also spent five years at Arizona State University where she was the Dean of the College of Technology & Innovation, Vice Provost of the ASU Polytechnic Campus and inaugural Vice President and University Dean of Entrepreneurship & Innovation. Prior to that, Montoya spent 15 years at North Carolina State University where she held the Zelnak Chair in Marketing & Innovation in the Poole College of Management.
Montoya is a former American Council on Education (ACE) Fellow and she has served on the board of various startup ventures, nonprofit foundations and economic development organizations. Montoya is widely published and a recipient of numerous grants from federal and state agencies as well as private and corporate foundations. She has taught courses in innovation and marketing strategy around the world and served as a consultant to many organizations on topics related to innovation and marketing strategy.
"I am excited to have Dr. Montoya lead the Anderson School of Management into our next phase,” said Paul Madrid, chair of the Anderson Foundation Board. “Her leadership style is impressive and will integrate well both internally and with the business community. On behalf of the Foundation Board, we look forward to working with Mitzi to develop and implement the Anderson School's strategic plan."
"I am pleased with the choice of Dr. Montoya as Anderson's new Dean,” said Doug Brown, president, UNM Board of Regents. “Her experience will contribute much to Anderson, and her approachability will be welcomed in the community.”
Montoya received her Ph.D. in Marketing and Statistics and Bachelor’s of Science in Applied Engineering Science, both from Michigan State University.