Craig Goebel
Principal
CRAIG GOEBEL
Principal | goebel@artsci.com | 410-377-7880 x 21
Craig Goebel develops market-informed strategy to align an institution’s market needs with its mission and values. His engagement with senior leadership teams at colleges, universities, and independent schools has distinguished him as an expert on using rigorous empirical research to inform institution-wide strategy. His work has included consultations and major market research studies focused on institutional strategy to strengthen competitive positioning; pricing and financial aid predictive modeling studies; comparative admissions and financial aid assessments; as well as recruitment marketing and communications strategies.
Craig also leads the firm’s research and associate teams. With the research team, he plays a key role in the ongoing expansion of the scope and quality of Art & Science Group’s research capabilities; with the associates, he guides them in best translating findings into clear, actionable recommendations for institutional leadership. A particular focus of his work has been to advance the value of predictive modeling as an empirical foundation to inform critical pricing, positioning, and financial aid decisions.
Over the past twenty-five years, Craig has consulted for private and public research universities, including Iowa, Michigan, Virginia, Wake Forest and Washington University in St. Louis; liberal arts colleges, such as Colby, Furman, and Richmond; law, graduate and professional schools, from Dartmouth to Notre Dame to Duke; international and specialty schools, including Keck Graduate Institute, Otis College of Art and Design, Yale Divinity School, and University of London; and independent K-12 and boarding schools, such as Hockaday School, Montgomery Bell Academy, Norfolk Academy, Nueva School, and Woodberry Forest School.
Craig's extensive knowledge of institutional strategy and market research has made him a regular presenter at national higher education conferences around the country – such as the annual meeting of the American Association of Colleges and Universities, the College Board Colloquium and Forum events, the Council of Independent Colleges, the Annapolis Group Annual Meeting, The Association of Boarding Schools, and the NAIS Annual Conference – and a frequently cited source in The Chronicle of Higher Education, Inside Higher Ed, NBOA Net Assets, among others. Craig has also conducted seminars on branding and pricing for the American Council on Education’s Fellows Program and served as a guest lecturer in George Washington University’s Higher Education Administration program.
Beyond the Work
Growing up, Craig lived in Arkansas, Louisiana, Wisconsin, Texas, and back again to Wisconsin, but ultimately, moved to Maryland to be closer to the ocean and mountains. While he loves visiting campuses across the country, his favorite free time activity is going on long road trips with his family to meet interesting people and visit remote locations. An outdoor enthusiast, he can be found hiking, canoeing, and fishing with his wife, two sons, and two dogs.
Education
B.S. Molecular Biology, University of Wisconsin – Madison
David Strauss
Principal
DAVID STRAUSS
Principal | strauss@artsci.com | 410-377-7880 x 15
David Strauss focuses on providing market-informed strategy to help guide the high-level decisions of mission-driven institutions. He is regarded as a leading authority in the advancement of rigorous empirical research to help determine the strategic directions, institutional positioning, and resource allocations of colleges, universities, schools, and other non-profit organizations. This work has implications that reach across academic affairs, student life, enrollment, development, communications, finance, and other areas of institutional life.
After beginning his consulting career in 1985, David helped develop methodologies to assist institutions in understanding and strengthening their competitive positions, and he led the pioneering development of econometric modeling techniques to optimize the use of financial aid. Starting in the mid-1990s, David led the development of predictive survey research and statistical modeling techniques for analyzing and optimizing tuition pricing levels. And he has led the application of such techniques to identify strategic planning thrusts and brand positioning initiatives to advance an institution’s enrollment, fundraising, and broader institutional goals.
David has consulted for universities ranging from Johns Hopkins to Rice, from Worcester State to Washington State; colleges from Haverford to Grinnell, from Agnes Scott to Whitman; graduate and professional schools from Simmons University to Notre Dame to the University of Wyoming; and independent day and boarding schools from Bryn Mawr to Collegiate to Middlesex. His insights are cited frequently in the Chronicle of Higher Education, Inside Higher Ed, and other publications. David is also a frequent guest speaker on topics such as market-informed strategic planning and tuition pricing at conferences, including the annual meetings of the American Council of Education, the Annapolis Group, American Association of Colleges & Universities, Association of Governing Boards, College Board, Council of Independent Colleges, and National Association of College and University Business Officers.
Prior to co-founding Art & Science Group in 1994, David was senior vice president of The Barton-Gillet Company. Previously he served on the staff of Lawton Chiles when Chiles was the senior United States Senator from Florida.
Beyond the Work
Outside of work, David’s life revolves largely around his family. He and his wife consider themselves lucky to have four generations of family who share an array of passions: analyzing and debating trends in politics, playing and listening to music, be it Bach, Beatles, or Blippi, and shouting “O!” (say, does that star-spangled banner yet wave?) at home games cheering on his adopted hometown Baltimore Orioles.
Education
S.B. Political Science, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
S.B. Mechanical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
M.B.A. Management and Marketing, Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania
Nanci Tessier
Principal
NANCI TESSIER
Principal | tessier@artsci.com | 410-377-7880 x 29
As Principal at Art & Science Group, Nanci Tessier provides considerable insight in developing market-informed strategies for a wide variety of institutions. Prior to joining Art & Science Group, Nanci served as a leader in higher education, and particularly in enrollment management and admissions, for over 30 years.
At Art & Science Group, Nanci has consulted for many institutions including Albright College, Augsburg University, Bellarmine University, Boston University, California Maritime Academy, Centre College, Chicago-Kent College of Law, College of Wooster, Kenyon College, Mount Holyoke College, North Carolina State University, Portland State University, Providence College, Rice University, Salve Regina University, Saint Mary’s College (IN), Simmons University, Stetson University, University of Vermont, and Wake Forest University. Her insights have helped guide institutions as they consider important questions around institutional positioning and strategic planning, and aided institutions in efforts to meet their enrollment and net revenue goals as well as support their missions. She has also served as a guest speaker at conferences and webinars for organizations such as the Annapolis Group, College Board, EACUBO, the Enrollment Planning Network Small College Consortium, H.E.R.S. (Higher Education Resource Service), and the Southern Consortium of Enrollment Leaders.
Prior to joining Art & Science Group in 2019, Nanci served as the inaugural chief enrollment officer at three institutions. As vice provost for enrollment management at Boston College, she oversaw the offices of enrollment management, undergraduate admission, and student services—including registrar, bursar and financial aid. Nanci was the vice president for enrollment management at University of Richmond and the vice president for college marketing and enrollment management at Saint Anselm College.
Under Nanci’s leadership, Boston College enrolled its most diverse and academically accomplished class in its history while exceeding net tuition revenue goals. At University of Richmond, Nanci increased applications and the enrollment of BIPOC students, international citizens, first-generation college students, and Pell recipients while also increasing standardized test scores and exceeding net tuition revenue goals. During her tenure, Saint Anselm College experienced record-breaking applicant pools, a decrease in the admit rate, increased quality of the enrolling class, and increased net revenue. Nanci has considerable experience working with boards of trustees and institutional leaders.
Her admission experience includes serving as director of admission at Smith College and Roger Williams University School of Law as well as various admission roles for Barnard College of Columbia University, New York University, Rochester Institute of Technology, and Northfield Mount Hermon School. Nanci served as a Resident Director on the Semester at Sea program. She currently serves as a Member of the Corporation for Sea Education Association.
Beyond the Work
Nanci sees patterns everywhere—not just in the data. An avid quilter, Nanci relishes selecting a pattern that matches the soul of the person for whom she’s creating another masterpiece. Each quilt is a labor of love, and Nanci finds tremendous joy in the reactions of the recipients of these unique and timeless gifts. And recipients, there are many! As one of eleven children, Nanci’s life brims with nieces, nephews, and an array of milestones for family and friends. In the summer you can often find her heading to Cape Cod, her cherished childhood home, to spend time with this ever-expanding circle of loved ones.
Education
B.A. English and Political Science, Boston College
M.Ed. College Student Personnel Administration, Colorado State University