Ceridwyn King has been named as the new Dimond Family Dean of the Cornell Peter and Stephanie Nolan School of Hotel Administration, part of the Cornell SC Johnson College of Business, effective July 1.

King comes to Cornell from Purdue University, where she is the associate dean for Indianapolis and strategic initiatives, and professor and White Lodging Services Head of the White Lodging-J.W. Marriott, Jr. School of Hospitality and Tourism Management.

King's wide range of hospitality expertise spans industry executive experience, a robust body of research and academic leadership. Previously, she was the head of marketing at Conrad Jupiters Hotel and Casino and the founding director of Seed - Strategic Marketing Solutions. She was also a professor and the founding chair of Temple University's Tourism and Hospitality Management Department, and is recognized in the Stanford/Elsevier Top 2% Scientists list in Sport, Leisure and Tourism.

"Ceridwyn King is an experienced leader whose work reflects Cornell's commitment to excellence and engagement," Provost Kavita Bala said. "As we continue to strengthen connections across disciplines and prepare students to lead in an increasingly complex global environment, I am confident that she will build on the strengths of the Nolan school while contributing to Cornell's broader academic mission."

"Ceridwyn is a proven academic leader, a brilliant hospitality scholar with a student-centered focus, and has an excellent track record in external engagement," said Andrew Karolyi, the Charles Field Knight Dean of the SC Johnson College. "Her expertise and enthusiasm will make her a great advocate for the Nolan School, its traditions and legacy, and we're thrilled to welcome her. We're confident that she'll uphold the school's strengths while creating new possibilities across Cornell's campus and beyond."

King said she intends to enhance the Nolan School's reputation as an interdisciplinary, inclusive and academically rigorous institution, deepen connections to industry partners and alumni, and empower the next generation of hospitality leaders.

"For more than a century, the Nolan School has shaped the future of hospitality, and the moment ahead calls for us to lead with even greater purpose," King said. "Hospitality is, at its core, a human-centric endeavor - how we serve, lead and create meaningful experiences - and that belief will guide our next chapter. Powered by an extraordinary, deeply connected global network of scholars and practitioners, Nolan is defining excellence across real estate, service management, finance and the culinary world."

King will succeed Dean Kate Walsh, the first female dean of the Nolan School, who led it through a crucial period of change during the unification of the SC Johnson College. During Walsh's decade of leadership, the school revised its signature undergraduate curriculum, launched two new graduate programs, achieved historic fundraising goals and reached record levels of alumni and industry engagement.

King received her bachelor's in hotel management, master's in marketing management and Ph.D. in marketing from Griffith University in Queensland, Australia.

King focuses her research on marketing and service management, particularly the internal stakeholder's role in creating competitive and sustainable service experiences. Her recent research examines the strategic challenges of hospitality employees, extending beyond traditional human resource management to address evolving workforce models, values and identity-based engagement.

King's teaching philosophy is to stimulate interest and active thinking in her students, bridging an academic frame of reference and industry practices.

"By placing people at the center of innovation, scholarship and industry engagement, we will continue to advance hospitality and the disciplines that enable it, while preparing Hotelies to positively shape organizations and communities around the world," King said. "I am energized to champion their work, amplify their impact and help lead the Nolan School in its next era of influence and opportunity."

Nina Collavo is a writer for the Cornell SC Johnson College of Business.