Jenifer Andrasko, the president and CEO of the University of Virginia Alumni Association, announced that she will exit her position and return to the private sector. Andrasko, a graduate of the University’s Darden School of Business, assumed leadership of the Alumni Association in 2017. In her exit letter, Andrasko reflected on her University experience as she looks forward to rejoining multibillion-dollar management consulting firm Bain & Company.
Andasko remarked that the UVA alumni community is devoted and passionate.
“When I came to the organization, I appreciated but still couldn’t have imagined the depth and breadth of love and admiration that our alumni have for the University,” she wrote. “Nor could I have foreseen the richness of the experiences I would have while here.”
The Alumni Association’s Chief Operating Officer, Lily West, will serve as interim CEO until a permanent replacement for Andrasko is identified. West is a Darden alumna who first met Andrasko when they worked together at Bain in 2011. According to the University of Virginia Magazine, West has been the CEO’s “right hand” since Andrasko recruited her future successor during her first year at the helm of the organization. West will assume the presidency of the Alumni Association on July 1.
In her farewell published online, Andrasko expressed confidence in West’s future at the Alumni Association.
“I’m delighted that our chief operating officer, Lily E. West (Darden ’12), has agreed to serve as the interim president and CEO while the Board of Managers conducts a nationwide search for a permanent successor,” Andrasko wrote. “Lily is an extraordinary leader, and we are lucky to have her.”
In a 2018 interview with WUVA News, Andrasko discussed the distinction of having been the first female to lead the Alumni Association.
“It was a significant motivation for me to take the job [in 2017],” Andrasko said. “At a traditional institution like the University of Virginia, I think this is a really important change to be able to demonstrate that we’re modern and we represent who our alumni are. This isn’t an old boy’s club. It is an organization that is open to all alumni, and we serve all alumni. I’ve had an opportunity to build some fantastic relationships with female student leaders across Grounds, and it’s been pretty moving to me to hear how important it is to them for me to be in this role.”
Given her strong ties to Alumni Hall, Andrasko told the University magazine that it took Bain & Company more than one try to pull her away. In her future position, she will lead Bain’s global alumni relations.
“If there’s any comfort in having made such a difficult decision, it’s knowing that our alumni community is more robust than ever,” Andrasko wrote. “Thank you for your generosity of spirit and for all the ways you contribute to make our UVA community a vibrant and thriving one. I trust I have left the organization in a better place, and I look forward to watching the Alumni Association and our beloved University flourish.”
For the University of Virginia Magazine story on Andrasko’s exit, click here.
