Cleveland Institute of Art selects Melanie Walker as its new VP of Business Affairs + Chief Financial Officer

Image: Melanie Walker will start December 10 as CIA's new Vice President of Business Affairs + Chief Financial Officer. Photo by DeMayne Earvin.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 3, 2025

CLEVELAND—Melanie Walker—an accomplished finance leader with more than two decades of experience in higher education, health care and large nonprofit systems—has been named Vice President of Business Affairs + Chief Financial Officer at the Cleveland Institute of Art.

Walker specializes in organizational performance improvement, financial reporting and strategy. She brings to CIA a thorough knowledge of all aspects of financial planning and budgeting as well as expertise in human resource allocation. She is known for her collaborative leadership style and commitment to support mission-driven work.

"I am truly excited to join the Cleveland Institute of Art," Walker says. "I look forward to partnering with our stakeholders to strengthen financial transparency, support creative excellence and contribute to the continued success and vibrancy of this extraordinary institution."

Walker’s role at CIA will begin Wednesday, December 10. She will play a vital role in shaping the College's long-term financial resilience, guiding operating and capital budgets, supporting the school's business model transformation and strategic planning initiatives, and leading her team of direct reports in the offices of Business Affairs, Human Resources, and Facilities Management + Safety.

"We're thrilled to welcome Melanie as CIA's next Vice President of Business Affairs and CFO," says President + CEO Kathryn Heidemann. "She brings exceptional financial acumen and a thoughtful, transparent approach to leadership. Melanie's ability to balance strong fiscal stewardship with a deep respect for our mission and values will serve CIA well as we continue to navigate the increasing complexities of higher education and build a resilient, vibrant future for the College."

Walker most recently served as Associate Dean of Finance and Administration at Case Western Reserve University's School of Law, where she served as the law school’s chief business officer on the executive leadership team and created fiscal policies and procedures to enhance internal controls.

Prior to that, Walker served as Director of Physician Finance at HealthSpan Integrated Care in Cleveland, an integrated payer/provider health care organization; as Director of Finance and Corporate Controller for Kaiser Foundation Health Plan of Ohio in Cleveland, a multi-specialty physician practice; and as Senior Financial Analyst/Account Supervisor at University Hospitals in Cleveland.

Walker earned an Executive Master of Business Administration from Cleveland State University and a Bachelor of Business Administration from Howard University in Washington, D.C. She also maintains an active Certified Public Accountant licensure.

Walker is the mother of two adult daughters and grandmother of two. She remains deeply engaged in mentorship, community services and initiatives that advance equity and educational opportunity.

Contact

Cleveland Institute of Art
Michael C. Butz, Director of College Communications + External Relations
mcbutz@cia.edu / 216.421.7404

Cleveland Institute of Art

The Cleveland Institute of Art is a private, nonprofit college of art and design that has been the training ground for countless students who have gone on to make important contributions to the fields of creativity and innovation since it opened in 1882 as the Western Reserve School of Design for Women. Its students have designed internationally recognized products, their artwork has been exhibited in major museums and private collections around the world, and their entertainment media has been enjoyed by audiences and game players for generations. It enrolls about 550 students nationally and internationally and has a faculty of about 100 full-time and adjunct members, all of whom are practicing artists, designers and scholars.