The Phi Beta Kappa Society Announces Amber Elaine Cox as New Associate Secretary and Chief Operating Officer

WASHINGTON, DC — April 7, 2025 — The Phi Beta Kappa Society, the nation’s most prestigious academic honor society, is pleased to announce the appointment of Amber Elaine Cox as its new Associate Secretary and Chief Operating Officer (COO), effective April 1, 2025. 

In this executive role, Cox will oversee the Society’s operations, support its nationwide network of chapters and associations, and help advance its mission to champion education in the liberal arts and sciences, foster freedom of thought, and recognize academic excellence. 

“We are thrilled to welcome Amber Elaine Cox to the Phi Beta Kappa leadership team,” said Frederick M. Lawrence, Secretary and CEO of The Phi Beta Kappa Society. “Her expertise and passion for the arts and sciences will help us strengthen our operations and best serve our members across the country.” 

"I am honored to join the Phi Beta Kappa Society and advance its mission centered in excellence in the liberal arts and sciences,” said Amber Elaine Cox. “I look forward to working with the national office team to expand the Society’s impact and support its vibrant community of members.” 

Prior to joining The Phi Beta Kappa Society, Cox served for nine years as Executive Director of the Council of Colleges of Arts & Sciences (CCAS), where she led the development of a new strategic plan, delivered over 30 leadership development programs for deans and chairs, established partnerships with several national and international higher education organizations and introduced innovative virtual programming during the COVID-19 pandemic. Previously, Cox spent a decade as Associate Director of the Big Ten Academic Alliance (formerly the Committee on Institutional Cooperation). She spearheaded several key initiatives, including a Mellon Fellows partnership with the Associated Colleges of the Midwest, an NSF ADVANCE Grant, and CourseShare, the Alliance’s signature program for delivering Less Commonly Taught Languages through video conferencing. She also led the Traumatic Brain Injury Research Project in collaboration with the Big Ten Athletic Conference and the Ivy League. Cox has held executive roles at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, the American Cancer Society, and the Alzheimer's Association. She earned a Master’s degree in Social Work (Policy, Planning, and Administration) from the University of Illinois and is a 2015 graduate of the Harvard Institute for Management and Leadership in Education. Based in San Antonio, Cox and her husband are empty nesters who enjoy world travel and foster pregnant, nursing, and orphaned stray dogs for area rescue organizations. 

For more information about the leadership of Phi Beta Kappa, visit https://www.pbk.org/about/leadership.