Erin Nelson, associate professor of practice in management and entrepreneurship, has been named the new associate dean of graduate and professional programs in the Tippie College of Business at the University of Iowa. Her appointment is effective August 1, 2025.
“Erin brings a wealth of leadership experience to the Graduate and Professional Programs and shares our commitment to delivering a transformative student experience,” said Amy Kristof-Brown, dean of the Tippie College of Business. “Her ability to align strategy with structure, lead collaborative change, and connect academic programs with real-world impact will be instrumental in advancing the growth and innovation of our graduate programs.”
In her position, Nelson will oversee the college’s graduate and professional programs that include the Iowa MBA, Master’s in Business Analytics, Master’s in Finance, and Master’s in Accounting programs. The combined programs have over 1,700 students.
Nelson has been a part of the Tippie College of Business since 2020, teaching in the Iowa MBA program as associate professor of practice in management and entrepreneurship. In those years, she’s been recognized with multiple instructor of the year awards. Her areas of expertise are strategic planning and organizational growth, with her courses emphasizing strategic execution, leadership development, and high-performing teams. She also facilitates executive education through the Tippie Leadership Collaborative.
In addition, Nelson was an early adopter of using AI as a teaching tool and she serves on the university’s AI planning task force.
Before coming to Tippie, Nelson worked as director of organizational strategy for ACT. She also has experience working in professional and executive education at DePaul University and as an independent consultant, working with corporate and nonprofit clients.
Nelson received her BA from the University of Iowa and an MBA from DePaul University.
Media contact: Tom Snee, 319-384-0010 (o); 319-541-8434 (c); tom-snee@uiowa.edu