In Memoriam: Anne Alice Skleder, 1965-2023

Anne Skleder, the tenth president of Brenau University in Gainesville, Georgia, and the first women president in its 145-year history, has died in Atlanta after a lengthy battle with leukemia. She was 58 years old.

“We are all deeply saddened by the loss of President Skleder and our thoughts and prayers are with her family at this time,” said Mike Smith, chair of the university’s board of trustees. “Her leadership will be missed, and I personally have lost a dear friend. But I know that she would be the first to tell us to continue the good work of Brenau – as she did often during her courageous battle against leukemia.”

Dr. Skleder became president of the university in 2019. Before taking on this role, she was senior vice president, provost, and professor of psychology at Wilkes University in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. Earlier in her career, Dr. Skleder served as provost and vice president for academic affairs at Cabrini University in Radnor, Pennsylvania, dean of what was then called the Chatham College for Women in Pittsburgh, and various leadership positions at Alvernia University in Reading, Pennsylvania. As an academic, she focused on the field of social psychology. She had extensive experience in strategic planning, accreditation, assessment of student learning, academic program development at all levels, retention, developing educational partnerships to serve students, and community-based learning.

Dr. Skleder was a graduate of the University of Pittsburgh where she majored in psychology. She held a master’s degree and Ph.D. in social and organizational psychology from Temple University in Philadelphia.