Kara Ratcliffe

Kara Ratcliffe serves as the Assistant Dean and Senior Director of the School of Graduate Studies at Columbia College Chicago, where responsibilities include developing and implementing strategic plans for graduate programs, managing a team of employees, and overseeing a $1.7 million budget. Ratcliffe has a proven track record of increasing prospect conversion by 18% and supporting the student lifecycle from prospect to graduation. Previous roles in graduate admissions include Director and Associate Director at Columbia College Chicago, where Ratcliffe directed operations and initiatives to enhance student experiences. Prior experience includes coordination roles at Lincoln Park Zoo and Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum, focusing on donor relations and membership retention. Kara Ratcliffe holds a Master of Science in Art Education/Museum Studies from Florida State University and a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Art Education from Ohio University.