WSAC chair launches national search after executive director announces retirement

Jeff Vincent, chair of the Washington Student Achievement Council, told members on May 12 that the council and the governor's office will run a national search to replace Executive Director Mike Miani, who announced his retirement this year. "I will be retiring in the September," Miani said during the meeting. Vincent said the council will recommend three finalists to the governor and that the council plans to hire a search firm and aim to present candidates this fall.

Vincent described the search as a joint process with the governor’s office and said the executive council will represent WSAC during screening. ‘‘We will be hiring a search firm to assist us in the process of identifying, looking at both internal and external candidates,’’ he said. The chair added that the council will name an interim executive director to lead the agency during the search and that diversity in interim and final selections will be a consideration in discussions with the governor’s office.

Miani, reflecting on his tenure, told the council he will remain engaged through the transition and praised staff and local partners. "It's been an amazing almost 10 year personal and professional experience," he said. He and the chair both asked the council to help shape criteria for the next leader and to stay involved in transition planning.

Next steps announced to the council include a Thursday planning call with the governor's office to finalize process details, vetting of search firms, and a targeted outreach and recruitment window planned for June with the goal of selecting a new director early next year if the timeline holds.