Mickey Baines

As a consultant and former practitioner in higher education, Mickey has over 25 years of experience building, implementing and leading enrollment and student success systems and teams. He spent almost a decade leading a successful adult education program at a small, private college in Pennsylvania that produced record results in enrollment, revenue and retention. It was this experience that helped him transition to consulting, where he assists many institutions expand and grow with the use of technology and sound enrollment strategies. At Kennedy & Company, Mickey leads the technology services practice. He oversees the practice’s growth, as well as the tech services team in their design, implementation and customization of CRM technologies. Under Mickey’s leadership, the practice has served over 225 colleges and universities. For two years, Mickey studied Amazon’s evolving efforts to design and deliver their customer experience, including an extensive review of books, public documentation and prior writings from founder and former CEO, Jeff Bezos, direct interviews with former Amazonians, listening to podcast interviews of current and former Amazon leaders and touring two Amazon facilities. His understanding of their principles and strategies, as well as his experience in higher education give him a unique perspective in what an Amazon-like experience can be in higher education. Outside of work, Mickey is a RV enthusiast, traveling to various destinations around the United States with his family every spring, summer and fall. Last summer, they headed west for a six-week journey to Banff and Jasper National Parks in Canada, followed by stops to the Badlands and Glacier National Parks in the United States. This summer, they began a series of treks across the east coast to visit 20 colleges and universities as Mickey’s son begins his college search.