Education Together - A Bold New Vision for the Future

Dr. Amy Novak is a nationally recognized leader in Catholic higher education, known for
guiding institutions through periods of transformation with clarity of mission, financial
discipline, and a deep commitment to human dignity and the common good.
She currently serves as President and CEO of St. Ambrose University in Davenport,
Iowa, and as the parent-company leader overseeing Mount Mercy University in Cedar
Rapids, Iowa following a strategic combination completed in 2025. In this role, Dr.
Novak is leading the integration of governance, academic programs, and operations
while honoring the distinctive charisms, histories, and community identities of both
institutions.
Dr. Novak’s leadership is marked by a strong focus on mission-centered stewardship,
shared governance, and long-term institutional vitality. She has been deeply engaged in
strategic planning, accreditation, financial sustainability, and philanthropic growth, while
also advancing innovative academic models that respond to workforce needs and
evolving student experience. Her work emphasizes collaboration across campuses,
partnerships with dioceses and community organizations, and the preservation of
Catholic sister-sponsored higher education through creative alliances and networks.
Dr. Novak is also leading thoughtful and values-driven integration of technology and
artificial intelligence into teaching, learning, and institutional operations. She
approaches AI not simply as a technical tool, but as a pedagogical and ethical
opportunity that must be guided by Catholic intellectual tradition, academic integrity, and
a commitment to human flourishing.
A thoughtful and reflective communicator, Dr. Novak often weaves together theology,
history, and lived experience, drawing inspiration from Catholic intellectual tradition and
the founding charisms of religious communities. She is particularly committed to
fostering intentionally faithful campus cultures and ensuring that Catholic universities
remain places where faith, reason, and service intersect in meaningful ways.
Dr. Novak holds a doctorate in interdisciplinary leadership from Creighton University, a
MS in Economics from Wright State University, and a BA in History from the University
of Notre Dame. She brings decades of experience in higher education leadership. She
is widely respected for her ability to lead through complexity with both courage and
care, balancing rootedness in tradition with a restless drive to innovate for the future of
Catholic higher education. Dr. Novak and her husband Dr. Ken Novak are the parents of
eight children.