Biography

A nationally-known higher education leader with more than three decades of leadership experience, Kara D. Freeman became the president and CEO of the National Association of College and University Business Officers (NACUBO) in June 2023. Prior to joining NACUBO, she served as senior vice president and chief operating officer at the American Council on Education (ACE), where she was responsible for setting the strategic direction of the administrative and operational areas of the organization. Kara was ACE’s vice president of administration and chief information officer from 2009 through 2019.

Before joining ACE in 2006, Kara held management and technical positions with Lockheed Martin Information Technology, AT&T, and MCI, among others.

As NACUBO president and CEO, Kara leads a team of professionals who support the economic vitality and business practices of higher education institutions by providing tools, resources, and advocacy for college and university finance and administration leaders.

Kara holds an MBA from The George Washington University and a Bachelor of Science from the University of Maryland, Baltimore County. She has been a board member of EDUCAUSE, The Training Source, and the Technology Advisory Council for the American Society of Association Executives. She recently served as board vice chair of AMHIC, a self-governing insurance company for nonprofit organizations. She currently sits on the boards of DiscoverE and the University of Maryland, Baltimore County Information Systems department.