Amelia Blanton Hibner, PhD, MTS

Prior to joining St. Ambrose University in February 2026, Dr. Amelia Blanton Hibner served since 2020 as Dean of Mission Integration at Visitation Academy of St. Louis, where she provided senior-level leadership for Catholic identity, Salesian spirituality, and the Visitation charism across all dimensions of institutional life. In this role, she led multi-year formation programs for faculty, staff, trustees, parents, and alumnae; developed and directed domestic and international pilgrimages; collaborated closely with academic leadership and campus ministry to integrate mission into curriculum and co-curricular life; and represented the mission perspective in strategic planning, accreditation, and major institutional initiatives. She also served as primary liaison to the Academy’s canonical sponsor and as a leader within the national Visitation Salesian Network. Prior to Visitation, Dr. Blanton Hibner held leadership roles at Aquinas Institute of Theology as Director of Graduate Enrollment Management, where she guided national recruitment strategy and enrollment growth, and serving on the Association of Catholic Colleges and Universities Mission Leadership Institute, providing support for mission officers across Catholic higher education.

A Texas native, Dr. Blanton Hibner earned her bachelor’s degree from Saint Louis University, a Master of Theological Studies from the Clough School of Theology and Ministry at Boston College, and a Ph.D. in Higher Education Administration from Saint Louis University. Her doctoral dissertation, Participants’ Meaning Making of Collegium’s Summer Colloquy: A Phenomenological Study, explores how faculty experience vocational discernment through participation in Collegium’s national summer colloquy. Her research contributes to the broader conversation on mission in Catholic higher education, faculty development, and the role of lay leadership in institutional Catholic identity. In addition to her academic work, she has presented nationally and has served as a process team member and editor for the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Journeying Together 2020 national intercultural encounter.

Dr. Blanton Hibner’s academic preparation and professional experience reflect two guiding pillars of her leadership: a deep grounding in Catholic theology and spirituality, and a systems-level understanding of how mission is integrated into institutional culture, governance, and strategy. Her work is marked by a commitment to discernment, formation, and the translation of Catholic tradition into lived practice for diverse educational communities.