LGBTQ Leaders in Higher Education: Building Bridges and Breaking Barriers

Nearly two decades after its founding, LGBTQ Leaders in Higher Education Dr. Jim Berghas transformed from a small network of college presidents into a comprehensive professional development organization supporting leaders at all levels of higher education. As the association navigates an increasingly challenging political landscape, its mission to cultivate inclusive leadership has never been more vital.

Dr. Jim Berg, the organization’s executive director, reflects on a journey that began with informal conversations among LGBTQ presidents and has evolved into a national force for professional development and advocacy. 

“When I was a community college dean in California, I went to a leadership institute put on by the American Association of Community Colleges. That was really all about the presidency, and I realized that I didn’t want to be a president, and that was fine, and I got a lot out of the institute,” Berg recalls of his early exposure to leadership development programs. 

His path to leading LGBTQ Leaders in Higher Education was serendipitous. After attending the organization’s first leadership institute in Chicago in 2015, Berg found himself increasingly involved, eventually stepping in as interim executive director when the previous leader faced health challenges.

“The board asked me to serve for the rest of that year as interim executive director. Then the previous executive director decided to retire for something like the third time… and the board asked me to stay on as executive director in 2023,” he explains.

From Presidents to Leaders: A Strategic Evolution

Perhaps the most significant transformation in the organization’s history came with its recent rebranding from “LGBTQ Presidents in Higher Education” to “LGBTQ Leaders in Higher Education.” This change reflected a fundamental shift in philosophy and scope that has dramatically expanded the association’s reach and impact.

“I heard right away from people around the country that simply the name change alone signaled that the organization was much more interested in people who were not presidents than they previously understood,” Berg notes. “There was always room for leaders who were not presidents in the organization, but changing the name really made it clear, and we changed bylaws, we changed the board structure to include the people who are not presidents or chancellors, and it’s really flipped the organization.”

The restructuring has opened doors for leaders at all career stages, from department chairs and directors to emerging professionals in their first leadership positions. This broader tent approach addresses a critical gap in professional development for LGBTQ leaders who may not aspire to the presidency but seek meaningful career advancement and community.

Dr. Kristin G. Esterberg, Chancellor of the University of Washington Bothell and current president of LGBTQ Leaders in Higher Education, emphasizes the importance of this inclusive approach.

“Mentoring new generations of leaders is not just an investment in the future — it is a moral and strategic imperative,” she says. “As the world grows more complex, the need for empathetic, inclusive and forward-thinking leadership is ever more paramount.”

The organization’s first formal strategic plan, adopted in October 2023, outlines ambitious goals for the next three years. The plan focuses on four key drivers: membership growth, expanded programming, sustainable funding, and reputation building.

Membership targets are aggressive but achievable: doubling individual membership from 100 to 200 members while increasing institutional memberships from 37 to 45. The organization has implemented a tiered membership structure to make participation more accessible to early-career professionals while recognizing that senior leaders can contribute more substantially.

Programming expansion represents another cornerstone of the strategic vision. The organization has moved beyond its traditional annual leadership institute to year-round virtual programming, including webinars and mentoring circles. 

“We started doing just last year, year-round programming,” Berg explains. “So, we started doing webinars and other virtual programs throughout the year. We did some planning on trying to do mentoring programs throughout the year.” 

The programming evolution reflects a deeper understanding of member needs. The plan calls for increasing webinar offerings from six to twelve annually while doubling mentoring opportunities. This includes developing “plug and play” programming packages that institutions can purchase to enhance their own diversity and inclusion efforts.

A major breakthrough came with a three-year, $400,000 grant from the Mellon Foundation, providing crucial support for mentoring programs and capacity building. The grant enables the organization to offer fellowships specifically for humanities leaders, addressing historical underrepresentation in leadership development opportunities. It also supports the virtual mentoring circles launching this summer, creating sustained professional development opportunities beyond the annual institute.

Sustainability remains a key focus, with goals to increase annual income by 10-20% per year while growing net operating income from 3% to 10% by 2027. This financial stability is essential for weathering political storms and expanding impact.

Collaborative Approach to Advocacy

The organization’s advocacy work operates through strategic partnerships rather than direct political action. Collaborations with organizations like the Point Foundation, the American Association for the Advancement of Science, and Lambda Legal provide members with resources on everything from scholarship opportunities to legal updates.

“We lived through the 1980s and the 1990s. We lived through the AIDS crisis, and we know that getting through difficult political terrain is not really possible unless you’re working in coalitions,” Berg observes, drawing on hard-won experience from previous decades of LGBTQ advocacy.

Esterberg reinforces this collaborative imperative. 

“In particular, supporting LGBTQ and gender-diverse leaders is crucial,” she says. “These individuals often face systemic barriers, unconscious bias and underrepresentation in leadership roles. By mentoring and uplifting them, we not only expand the diversity of perspectives at the decision-making table but also affirm the principle that leadership should be accessible to all, regardless of identity.”

Navigating Current Challenges

The current political climate presents unprecedented challenges for both higher education and LGBTQ communities. Berg describes the organization’s position as existing in “that sort of Venn diagram of higher ed and LGBTQ communities, and we’re right in the middle” of overlapping attacks.

The practical impacts are sobering.

“We’ve heard from our members and program participants that they’re not going to be able to pay for institutional memberships or program registrations
this year because their institutions or their states have forbidden it,” Berg reports. Others face travel restrictions due to budget cuts or safety concerns.

Most heartbreaking are the individual stories.

“Some individuals have shared very recently that although they would love to go to Milwaukee, they don’t necessarily feel safe traveling in the US because their official identification doesn’t necessarily reflect their gender identity or even their names,” he says.

Despite these challenges, Berg maintains a cautiously optimistic outlook. Recent collaborative statements from organizations like the American Council on Education provide encouragement, while the continued growth in membership suggests resilience in the community.

The organization’s board reflects the diversity of contemporary higher education leadership and heavy weights across the nation. The scholarly foundation of the organization was reinforced with the 2022 publication of LGBTQ Leadership in Higher Education, edited by founding member Dr. Ray Crossman. The collection of essays and personal reflections provides both practical guidance and theoretical framework for understanding LGBTQ leadership in academic contexts.

Looking Forward

As LGBTQ Leaders in Higher Education approaches its twentieth anniversary, the organization faces both unprecedented challenges and remarkable opportunities. The upcoming Leadership Institute in Milwaukee in October will test the community’s resilience while providing essential professional development and networking opportunities.

Esterberg articulates the broader significance of this work.

“This is why it is vital that organizations such as LGBTQ Leaders in Higher Education not only exist but are actively supported and expanded,” she says. “LGBTQ leadership organizations play a critical role in building pipelines of future changemakers and amplifying voices that have been excluded from power.”

The organization’s evolution from a small network of presidents to a comprehensive professional development association reflects broader changes in higher education and LGBTQ advocacy. By embracing leaders at all levels and career stages, LGBTQ Leaders in Higher Education positions itself not just as a professional association but as a catalyst for systemic change.

“Their presence is not just beneficial for LGBTQ individuals — it is transformative for the broader culture of leadership, helping to shape a world where inclusion is the norm, not the exception,” Esterberg adds, capturing both the organization’s current mission and its aspirational vision for the future of higher education leadership.

As political headwinds continue to challenge both higher education and LGBTQ rights, the work of building inclusive leadership pipelines becomes ever more critical. LGBTQ Leaders in Higher Education stands as both sanctuary and launching pad for leaders committed to creating more equitable institutions and communities.