Alverno College Names VP for Finance and Administration

Alverno College has named Robin Hansen, CPA, as its new vice president for finance and administration. President Andrea Lee, IHM, announced the culmination of a national search that engaged faculty, staff, alumnae and the college’s Board of Trustees. Hansen will serve as a member of the college’s executive leadership team, which reports directly to the president and is charged with implementing the institution’s strategic objectives, including its strategic plan.

Hansen will oversee the college’s Business Office, Finance Department, Information Services and Information Systems departments, Plant Operations and Facilities departments, Technology Services, and apparel store.

Hansen has served in increasingly responsible and diverse positions for Northwestern Mutual for the past 19 years. In her current role as director of IT financial management, she designed and executed complex budgeting, accounting and financial reporting practices; directed financial management for the company’s client experience and digital products enterprise; and secured more than $200 million of funding for new initiatives and company critical needs.

“In each area in which she has worked, Robin has been a collaborative catalyst for action and change, consistently addressing risks and embracing opportunities,” Lee said. “She excels at driving strategic thinking and planning, at carefully allocating resources, and at using data-driven insights to achieve results. We are thrilled to have such a skilled and mission-driven executive on board.”

Also at Northwestern Mutual, Hansen served as a strategic communications leader and an organizational change leader for human resources, as well as provided strategy development and expense management in various areas. She has substantial experience in instilling continuous operational improvement, in lean management discipline, and in driving higher levels of engagement and performance.

“My career has been deeply influenced by my efforts to closely align an organization’s mission with its plan, priorities and decisions. Alverno College has been steadfastly committed to educating and empowering students to be principled leaders for more than 130 years, a mission that aligns very closely with my own,” Hansen said. “It truly is wonderful to be joining the college.”

Before her nearly two decades at Northwestern Mutual, Hansen worked in the audit services line at KPMG as manager of assurance services.

Hansen earned her Bachelor of Science degree in business administration from Marquette University and is a certified public accountant. She has engaged in several post-degree learning opportunities in areas such as human resources and organizational change management, coaching, recruiting, diversity and inclusion, performance management, compensation, succession planning, and talent management. She also holds Prosci Change Management Certification.

Hansen will join Alverno full time in August after sharing time with Northwestern Mutual and the college as she transitions out of her role with the corporation.

About Alverno College

Alverno College promotes the academic, personal and professional development of its students in a collaborative and inclusive environment. Undergraduate programs for women are offered in more than 60 areas of study, and graduate programs in education, nursing, community psychology and business are open to women and men.

A leader in higher education innovation, Alverno has earned international accolades for its highly effective ability-based, assessment-as-learning approach to education, which emphasizes hands-on experience and develops in-demand skills. The college has consulted with three U.S. presidential administrations on accountability and outcomes in higher education and for the past eight years has been ranked one of the top five schools in the Midwest doing “the best job of educating undergrads” by U.S. News & World Report.

Based in Milwaukee, Wis., Alverno College is a four-year independent, Catholic, liberal arts college.