Anne M. Prisco, Ph.D.

Biography

Dr. Anne Prisco became the sixth president of Holy Family University in July 2021. With a distinguished career spanning academia, administration, research, and consulting, she has devoted herself to advancing higher education and fostering student success.

From 2012 to 2020, Dr. Prisco served as the first lay leader of Felician University (then Felician College), guiding the institution through a transformational period. During her tenure, Felician achieved record-breaking enrollment increases, enhanced student success, and prioritized inclusive excellence. She also strengthened shared governance, established new partnerships and programs, grew net revenue, and oversaw continued facilities improvements.

Before her presidency at Felician, Dr. Prisco held senior leadership roles at prominent institutions, including vice president at Loyola Marymount University and faculty member at St. John’s University. She also held administrative positions at Hunter College and Lehman College, CUNY, and conducted research on international education systems at New York University, supported by the Ford Foundation.

Dr. Prisco has received numerous awards for her academic, leadership, and service contributions. These include a public policy fellowship from Columbia University, the Wise Woman Award from the National Organization for Italian-American Women, and a spot on the Top 50 Business Women in New Jersey. In 2022, she was honored with the Philadelphia Business Journal’s Women of Distinction Award, and in 2024, she was named among the Top 50 Women Leaders in Pennsylvania.

An active leader in higher education, Dr. Prisco serves on the boards of the Association of Catholic Colleges and Universities (ACCU), the Association of Independent Colleges and Universities of Pennsylvania (AICUP), DePaul University, and the Greater Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce, where she chairs the College and University Presidents' Alliance. She is a founding president of Excelencia in Education’s Presidents for Latino Student Success and a member of the Forum of Executive Women. She also serves as a visiting faculty member at Pepperdine University.

A sought-after speaker on higher education policy, leadership, and transformational change, Dr. Prisco has contributed her expertise to both state and national boards. She holds a bachelor’s degree with highest distinction from the University of Arizona, an MBA in finance from Fordham University, and a Ph.D. in economics and education from Columbia University.