Alanah Mitchell Appointed to Dean in Planned Succession of Alejandro Hernandez
Drake University announced today that as part of a planned succession, Alejandro Hernandez will step down from his position as dean of the Zimpleman College of Business to serve as an associate professor within the College. Alanah Mitchell, who currently serves as associate dean of academic affairs and the Aliber Distinguished Professor of Information Systems, will be appointed to a three-year term as dean, beginning July 1, 2025.
“We are deeply grateful for Dean Hernandez’s visionary leadership and dedicated service to our students over the past five years,” said Sue Mattison, Drake University Provost. “His tenure as dean has been marked by positive transformation—from leading the college through a successful reaccreditation, to securing a multi-million-dollar naming gift, and establishing the College’s north star—Business as a Force for Good. We are thankful for his leadership and will move forward with incredible optimism about what lies ahead with Alanah Mitchell serving as dean.”
Dean Hernandez: A Lasting Legacy
Prior to joining Drake University, Hernandez had decades of experience in corporate social responsibility, most recently as a senior vice president on Wells Fargo’s sustainability and corporate responsibility team. This extensive background in social responsibility provided a unique and valuable perspective as he assumed the role of dean in 2020.
As dean, Hernandez led the effort to define the College’s north star, focused on exploring the intersection of financial, social, and environmental outcomes. Guided by the belief that business can be a force for good, Hernandez launched numerous societal impact programs, including the Dean’s Honor Roll for Social Impact, the annual Social Impact Research and Outreach Awards, and the adoption of three societal impact focus areas—propelling first-generation business student success, supporting mission-driven businesses, and accelerating access to financial inclusion. These efforts guided the development of events and programming bringing the community together, including the Bucksbaum Lectureship in Business and Business for Good Summit. Under his leadership, Drake’s Zimpleman College of Business was recognized as one of the top schools for societal impact
His contributions also helped retain AACSB International accreditation for the University, a distinction achieved by only 6% of business schools globally. His work helped strengthen graduate-level and executive education programming through the merging of the in-person and online MBA and MPA programs to create enhanced virtual offerings, as well as integration of the Executive Education Program into the Zimpleman College of Business. As the Fall 2025 semester approaches, enrollment deposits for the College are at a five-year high, as of May 15, thanks in large part to his leadership.
Associate Dean Steps into Leadership Role
As the business landscape continues to be reshaped by technology and artificial intelligence, Alanah Mitchell is primed to lead the Zimpleman College of Business into its next great era.
Currently serving as the associate dean of academic affairs and Aliber Distinguished Professor of Information Systems in the Zimpleman College of Business, Mitchell holds a Ph.D. in Information Technology and has extensive expertise in technology-driven processes and change, particularly related to technology-supported collaboration. She is also a distinguished member of the Association for Information Systems (AIS).
Mitchell’s work has been published in premier information systems journals and cited in popular press outlets ranging from Forbes to The Wall Street Journal. Mitchell previously held academic positions at Appalachian State University and the University of Nebraska Omaha, and she has consulted with Fortune 500 companies, educational institutions, and non-profit organizations, including U.S. Strategic Command Center, Principal Financial Group, and General Mills.
An active member of both the Drake and Des Moines community, Mitchell lends her talents to many committees, advisory boards, and community organizations. At Drake, she is a mentor for the Digital Proficiency Scholars program, a Nelson Fellow for Drake Global Engagement, and has served as a Focus Project Coach for the Mandela Washington Fellowship program. At the community level, Mitchell has been a Business Mentor for the Global Insurance Accelerator and currently serves as a Women’s Network Mentor for the Association for Information Systems.
“Professor Mitchell’s commitment to academic excellence and her expertise in the integration of technology with a liberal arts education have already been transformative for students across our seven colleges and schools,” said Mattison. “She will undoubtedly continue building upon the achievements of Dean Hernandez, while shaping the future of Zimpleman College of Business and our entire institution.”