Alamo Colleges District | Northwest Lakeview College
Finding the “Unicorn” Leader for Nursing Education
When Northwest Lakeview College, part of the Alamo Colleges District, sought to fill a critical leadership role in nursing, they faced a significant challenge. The Executive Director of Nursing position had been open for over six months, with attempts to fill it internally and through another search firm proving unsuccessful. The combination of clinical expertise, higher education leadership, and Board-level proposal experience made this a niche and highly competitive search.
Scion Executive Search (SES) was brought in to find a candidate who could deliver immediate results, bring operational excellence, and lead with credibility in both the clinical and academic spaces.
The Situation
This was a new role, and Northwest Lakeview College needed a proven leader to oversee nursing programs, manage faculty, and interface effectively with the Board of Education. Past attempts to fill the position had stalled, reflecting both the limited talent pool and the specific skillset required.
Key stakeholders included the College President, Dean, and HR Talent Acquisition team, all focused on finding a candidate who combined clinical credibility with academic leadership and strategic vision.
The Approach
SES implemented a targeted, high-touch strategy to ensure the right candidate was identified quickly:
- Discovery & calibrated success profile to define must-have qualifications
- Candidate mapping and targeted outreach to identify top talent in higher education nursing
- Diverse slating goals and competency-based evaluation, including work samples and exercises
- Weekly reporting and stakeholder alignment to keep the hiring team informed
- References, background checks, and offer calibration to ensure a smooth selection
- Onboarding plan alignment to accelerate impact in the first 90 days
To address the urgency of the search, SES expedited the interview process, provided resources to streamline candidate evaluation, and clarified selection criteria to ensure alignment between stakeholders and candidates.
The Outcome
SES presented a diverse, high-quality slate of candidates:
- Five women and two men, including four BIPOC candidates
- Time to first slate: 11 days
- Verbal offer accepted: 5 weeks from engagement start
The chosen candidate, Dr. Jennifer Salsbury, brought extensive experience as Campus President at Chamberlain University, combining clinical expertise, operational leadership, and Board-level proposal experience. She accepted the $150K offer and began leading Northwest Lakeview College’s nursing programs on December 8, 2023.
Dr. Salsbury was the “unicorn” candidate:
- Culture and technical aptitude aligned perfectly with the College’s needs
- Deep clinical and operational leadership experience
- Extensive network and knowledge of the Texas higher education landscape
- Expertise in proposal writing and Board engagement, critical for program approval and funding
Her combination of skills, experience, and leadership style enabled the College to achieve in one year what previously took multiple years. Board proposals were approved on the first submission, and operational efficiencies were realized in areas that typically required outside vendors, including lab setup, equipment procurement, and curriculum development.
Why This Leader Was the Right Fit
Impact and Future Outlook
Dr. Salsbury’s leadership has already produced measurable impact:
- First-round Board approvals of program proposals
- Time and cost savings by leveraging her network and experience
- Rapid operational improvements, including curriculum and facilities management
Northwest Lakeview College is thrilled with the partnership and results, noting that SES’s targeted approach and deep understanding of both clinical and academic needs were pivotal in finding a transformational leader.
