Dr. Maureen Hartford, President of Meredith College

Dr. Maureen A. Hartford has served as president of Meredith College, the largest private college for women in the Southeast, since 1999. Dr. Hartford, the first female president of Meredith, came to the presidency from the University of Michigan, where she had served as vice president for student affairs since 1992 and also as a faculty member of the Center for the Study of Higher and Post-Secondary Education. Prior to her roles at Michigan, Dr. Hartford served in senior administration positions at Washington State University, Case Western Reserve, the University of Arkansas, and the University of Maine.

Throughout her career in higher education, Dr. Hartford has focused on student leadership and community service initiatives. She was instrumental in the establishment of LeaderShape, a national program which focuses on ethical leadership development in young people, and she worked with the administration of United States President William Clinton in the establishment of the Americorps Program.

Dr. Hartford serves on numerous boards, including the national LeaderShape governing board, The U.S. Marine Corps University Board of Visitors, the Wake Education Partnership Board of Trustees, and the Greater Raleigh Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors.

Dr. Hartford was inducted into the YWCA Academy of Women by the YWCA of the Greater Triangle in 2005 and she was named one of the 2003 Women of Achievement by the General Federation of Women's Clubs of North Carolina. She also received the 2002 Women in Business Award from The Triangle Business Journal, as well as the North Carolina College Personnel Association's 2002 Distinguished Scholar Award for her involvement in student leadership.

A native of Charlotte, N.C., Dr. Hartford earned a B.A. in French and history and an M.A. in college teaching at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Her doctorate in higher education administration is from the University of Arkansas.