Panel formed to find candidates for next AU president

AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) - A search committee has been formed to find candidates for the next president of Augusta University.

Current President Brooks Keel recently announced plans to retire after the 2023-2024 academic year. Keel has led AU since July 2015, guiding it through a period of significant growth and transition as one of four public research universities in Georgia and as the state’s only public academic medical center.

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The committee will guide the first stage of the search. Buffkin Baker will provide executive search consulting services. Then the committee will forward the credentials of three to five unranked candidates to the Board of Regents for consideration.

The initial meeting of the committee will be Nov. 15. Its members are:

Regent Jim Hull, committee chair
Regent and Board Chairman Harold Reynolds
Regent Tim Evans
Brian Annex, chair of medicine, Medical College of Georgia (MCG)
John Baker, president-elect, AU Alumni Association
Peter Basciano, associate professor, James M. Hull College of Business
Todd Boudreau, deputy commandant, Army Cyber School
Tiana Curry-McCoy, associate professor, College of Allied Health Sciences; chair, AU Faculty Senate
Don Grantham, board member, MCG Foundation; community leader
Debbie Layman, co-chair and board member, AU Foundation
Angel Lovett, associate director of philanthropy, AU Health; president, AU Staff Council
Teresa MacCartney, chief operating officer, USG
Dee Mallory, undergraduate president, AU Student Government Association
Will McKnight, president, McKnight Construction Co.; community leader
Robert Osborne, executive vice president, SouthState Bank; community leader
Puja Punukollu, graduate president, AU Student Government Association
Candice L. Saunders, president and CEO, Wellstar Health System
Yvonne Turner, AU executive vice president for finance and chief business officer