AFIT welcomes Kathy Ulibarri, CEO of the Collaborative for Higher Education Shared Services, Inc.

We are delighted to welcome Kathy Ulibarri to our collaborative community of innovators. 

Kathy is the CEO of the Collaborative for Higher Education Shared Services (CHESS), a nonprofit organization in Albuquerque, New Mexico. CHESS is the first collective in the nation where institutions have voluntarily united to share both decision-making and technology. Comprised of six independently governed colleges in New Mexico, CHESS members recently implemented Workday technologies for Finance, Human Resources, and Payroll across their member colleges. 

Kathy's impressive career spans leadership positions in higher education finance and operations, strategic planning, and institutional research, including significant roles at Central New Mexico Community College and the New Mexico Higher Education Department.  

Kathy joined AFIT to explore ways to transform CHESS’s member colleges so they can better share tools and talent, thus reallocating resources to student support. Her deep understanding of the challenges and opportunities facing higher education institutions, coupled with her commitment to positive change, makes her a valuable addition to the AFIT community.  

We warmly welcome Kathy and look forward to her contributions.