BACKElizabeth H. King, Ph.D.
President & CEO, Wichita State University Foundation
With more than 45 years of experience in higher education, Elizabeth has served as CEO of the Wichita State University Foundation since 1991, becoming president and CEO in 2006. Between 1991 and 2006, Elizabeth also held the title of vice president for university advancement, responsible for the Foundation as well as University Communications and Marketing, the Ulrich Museum of Art and the Board of Trustees. She is the youngest vice president ever named at Wichita State and the second female vice president. Since her arrival, the WSU Foundation’s assets have grown from $54 million to over $400 million. Most recently, she led the Foundation’s Shock the World Campaign, raising nearly $308 million on a goal of $250 million.
Active in her community, Elizabeth is past chair and board member emeritus of the Salvation Army Advisory Board. She is past president of the Downtown Rotary Club, from which she received the club’s Service-Above-Self award. She also serves on the board of the Kansas Society for Children with Challenges. At the state level, Elizabeth is a member of the board of directors for the University of Kansas Hospital Authority. In addition, she served for six years on the Investment Advisory Committee for Rotary International (Evanston, IL). She is a member of the Association of Governing Board and serves on its institutionally-related foundations advisory board. She is also a member of the Council for the Advancement and Support of Education (CASE) and the Association of Fundraising Professionals.
Elizabeth has been recognized professionally by receiving the CASE Commonfund Institutionally-Related Foundation Award (2009) for executive leadership. She received the Wichita State University Alumni Association Recognition Award in 2006. She was named one of the “50 Kansans You Should Know” in 2012 by Ingram’s, Kansas City’s business magazine. In 2018, Elizabeth was inducted into the Wichita Women in Business Hall of Fame, having been named to the inaugural class in 2003.
Elizabeth earned a Bachelor of Arts from Wheaton College and a Masters of Education and Ph.D. in Higher Education Administration from the University of North Texas.
She is married to Don and they have two adult sons, Lance (married to Paula) and Brandon.