Dr. Marylouise Fennell, RSM, is an internationally recognized management consultant in higher education. Dr. Fennell specializes in independent higher education as a mentor, counselor, search consultant, and consultant to presidents, administrators, and boards of trustees of colleges and universities, and for-profit businesses that serve the non-profit sector. She is a partner in the search firm Hyatt-Fennell Executive Search Consultants. 

Dr. Fennell brings a unique perspective to her specialty—namely, an intimate knowledge of and respect for the presidency and higher education administration. She has served as president of Carlow University; as assistant dean of the Graduate Division of the University of St. Joseph; and as a tenured faculty member, department chair, division chair, and founding director of the Counseling Institute, director of the Pastoral Ministry Institute, and founder and director of the Cross Cultural Counseling Symposium. Prior to these assignments, she served in teaching/clinical positions at University of Hartford and Boston University. Dr. Fennell is the first graduate of the University of Hartford to be named a college president. 

Governor Ella Grasso appointed Dr. Fennell to the first Election Commission of the State of Connecticut, which she served as Vice Chair. She was also appointed by Governor Grasso to the Adult Probation Board. 

Dr. Fennell received her degrees in education and counselor education from the Diocesan Sisters College (bachelor of arts), University of Hartford (masters of education and certificate of advanced graduate studies), and Boston University (doctor in education). 

She is the senior counsel for The Council of Independent Colleges and has been the chief consultant for the Association of Private Universities of Central America. She assisted the Central American Universities in the establishment of an accreditation system and is the author of the Central American Accreditation Guidelines for Excellence in Education. Dr. Fennell served for 15 years as executive director of the Interamerican Consortium of Higher Education (CIDES). She is a consultant to numerous associations, colleges, and universities. 

Dr. Fennell, along with her longtime writing partner Dr. Scott D. Miller, has co-edited 18 books. Dr. Fennell has written approximately 150 articles on higher education. 

Honors bestowed on Dr. Fennell include the Peace Through Education Award from the SAGE Scholarship Program, the Distinguished Alumni Award of the University of Hartford, the Athena Award, Pittsburgh Leadership Award in Education, The Mercy Higher Education Colloquium Leadership Award, Pennsylvania Hardworking Women Award, Pittsburgh Women of the Year Award, Pittsburgh Woman in Education Award, Outstanding Black Catholic Service Award, Pi Lambda Theta Distinguished Research Award, Award of Service to Women and Children, and the Boston University Outstanding Alumni Award, as well as approximately 45 honorary doctoral degrees and numerous awards from universities and colleges throughout the world. In 1999, Governor Tom Ridge named Dr. Fennell a Distinguished Daughter of Pennsylvania. 

Dr. Fennell is presently serving or has served on numerous boards, including Brookdale National Advisory (chair), Huntington Bancshares Incorporated, Clarke College, Robert Morris University, Mercy College of Ohio, Mount Aloysius College, The Art Institute of Pittsburgh (chair), The Art Institute of Los Angeles (chair), The Art Institute of Charlotte (chair), The Art Institute Online (chair), The Art Institute of Seattle (chair), Asher School of Business (chair), Bradley College of the Visual Arts (chair), The Art Institute of New York City, The Art Institute of Portland (chair), and The New England Institute of Art (chair), and she has been vice chair of the McGillick Education Foundation and chair of the Western Pennsylvania Health System Foundation and Educational Management Foundation. She has been a director of SKY Financial Group, Standard Mortgage GA Corporation, Frontier Financial, Three Rivers Bancorp, Community Bank, and Omni Staffing Service, as well as a past trustee of more than 50 other boards. She was the first woman to be elected to the board of directors of the Duquesne Club, which was founded in 1873. Dr. Fennell is a member of the Sisters of Mercy of the Americas.