Whitman College Appoints New Chief of Staff

Whitman College President Sarah R. Bolton announced the appointment of Maggie Eaheart as the college’s new Chief of Staff. Eaheart comes from Saint Xavier University in Chicago where she served as the Chief of Staff as well as the Associate Vice President for Strategic Initiatives.

“I am so pleased to welcome Maggie Eaheart to the Whitman community,” says President Sarah Bolton. “Maggie brings with her decades of experience in higher education—including in a Chief of Staff Role—and will bring valuable support and insight to the work of our Board of Trustees and our senior leadership team. Her experience in the strategic implementation of college initiatives will be invaluable at this pivotal moment for Whitman. Maggie is deeply committed to academic excellence, equity, inclusion and student success and she will be an important partner in advancing the mission and priorities of the college.”

As Chief of Staff at Whitman College, Eaheart will hold primary responsibility for coordinating and supporting the work of the Board of Trustees. She will also be a strategic partner to President Bolton and others across campus, providing oversight and support on institutional planning, communication, policy development, community relations and problem resolution. 

Eaheart’s 30-plus years of higher education experience span many aspects of academic life, from information technology to human resources. Eaheart has been employed at Saint Xavier University in Chicago, Illinois for more than two decades, where she served as Chief of Staff for the past five years and was recently appointed as Associate Vice President for Strategic Initiatives. 

“I am honored to join the Whitman College community and remain grateful for the opportunity to serve its many talented students, faculty and staff,” says Eaheart. “The college’s profound dedication to creating a welcoming and meaningful student experience rooted in the liberal arts tradition is a powerful draw for me. I look forward to working collaboratively to advance the institutional priorities of expanding access, enhancing inclusivity, fostering student development and career-connectedness through additional high-impact learning opportunities, and connecting students to the Walla Walla region and beyond.”

Eaheart earned a Master of Arts degree in Religion/Religious Studies from Miami University and a Bachelor of Arts degree in English Language and Literature from Saint Xavier University.

Eaheart moved to Walla Walla and began her new role in early September.