Susan C. Aldridge and Mimi Drake Appointed to Jefferson’s Board of Trustees
PHILADELPHIA — Thomas Jefferson University and Jefferson Health announced today two appointments to the Board of Trustees: Mimi Drake, Partner and Co-Market Leader of Cerity Partners LLC, a wealth and investment management firm, and Dr. Susan C. Aldridge, a Senior Executive Higher Education Consultant.
Mimi Drake
“We are pleased to welcome two outstanding female leaders to Jefferson’s board of trustees," said Patricia D. Wellenbach, Jefferson's Board of Trustees Chair. "They have a long track record of leadership and bring expertise in financial services and higher education to enrich the enterprise’s commitment to advancing health equity and making key innovations in health care delivery and higher education.”
Mimi Drake has spent 25 years in the financial services industry, primarily in strategic, operating, and client-focused roles. In addition to her role at Cerity Partners, she has worked in hedge funds and at a financial technology company.
Ms. Drake has also spent 20 years improving diversity and inclusion in financial services. She serves as a Founding Board Member and Chair Emerita of the Board of 100 Women in Finance, one of the world's most significant financial services associations, with over 20,000 members in 31 global locations. This organization includes decision-makers at most of the major global financial services firms, endowments, foundations, pension funds, and private equity firms. As a leader of this organization, Ms. Drake has consulted with the executives of numerous financial services organizations on constructive approaches to their diversity and inclusion efforts.
Ms. Drake received her M.B.A. in Finance from The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania and her B.A. in Economics from Trinity College (cum laude), where she was a Division One nationally ranked Squash team member. She also serves on the Board of Directors of Ben Franklin Technology Partners, the Board of Trustees of The Shipley School, and as a mentor to several youth career groups, including those at Swarthmore College and other local universities.
Dr. Susan C. Aldridge
Dr. Susan C. Aldridge is an accomplished and widely recognized higher education leader, strategist, and futurist, who has held executive leadership positions in some of the country’s largest universities.
Recently retired from Drexel University after serving five years as senior vice president for online learning and President of Drexel University Online, Dr. Aldridge expanded and oversaw the university’s virtual presence with more than 100 online programs. She also spearheaded a research project around innovative practices in technology-enhanced education, which resulted in the award-winning, open-source website, Virtually Inspired. Before joining Drexel, she served as a Senior Fellow at the American Association of State Colleges and Universities, where she co-authored the book, Wired for Success.
During her six-year tenure as President of the University of Maryland Global Campus, Dr. Aldridge doubled the university’s enrollment to 97,000, to become the nation’s largest public university, along with its annual revenue from $200 million to more than $400 million. Previously, she served as Vice Chancellor of Troy University, Alabama, where she negotiated contracts for and managed satellite campuses in 12 countries and 17 states.
Dr. Aldridge is a frequent keynote speaker at national and international conferences and consultant to university presidents, foreign ministers of education, government officials, and business leaders.
Likewise, Dr. Aldridge has been cited twice as one of Washington’s Top 100 most powerful women and has received numerous awards in recognition of her achievements from such organizations as the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the U.S. Social Security Administration, the U.S. Administration on Aging, the Veteran’s Administration, the U.S. Distance Learning Association, and Women in Technology.
Dr. Aldridge earned her Ph.D. and Masters in Public Administration from the University of Colorado Denver and a B.A. in Sociology/Psychology from the Colorado Women’s College.
In 2021, Jefferson’s Board of Trustees unanimously elected Patricia D. Wellenbach as the first woman governing board chair in its 197-year history. Jefferson continues to prioritize and increase its board diversity. As a future-focused enterprise, where innovation and creativity are fundamental, Jefferson has ushered in a governance structure that is set up to meet the unique and evolving oversight demands of this thriving enterprise and the communities it serves.
Media Contact:
Irene Contreras
Sr. Director, News and Media Relations
Jefferson Health
Email: irene.contreras@jefferson.edu
Phone: 267-303-2984