The In Trust Center for Theological Schools is pleased to announce the appointment of Elizabeth Palmer Bennett, CPA, CFE, as the new vice president for operations/CFO. An experienced financial leader in higher education, she will be responsible for the finances and operations of the In Trust Center.

“We are thrilled to welcome Elizabeth to our team,” In Trust Center President Amy Kardash said. “She brings a rare blend of financial acumen and sector-wide experience that will not only help shape our work but also have a broader impact across the field.”

Bennett has extensive experience in higher education, nonprofits, and corporate finance and management, and she has worked as a CFO, controller, and auditor. She serves as a peer reviewer and commissioner for the Association of Theological Schools and a peer reviewer for the Middle States Commission on Higher Education.

She spent nearly a decade at Lancaster Theological Seminary in Pennsylvania and was the vice president for finance and administration and CFO and helped engineer the merger of the seminary with Moravian University.

Bennett will join the leadership team of the In Trust Center and help support the center’s work at a time when theological schools are facing significant opportunities and challenges. Kardash said Bennett’s background and deep understanding of the field will be instrumental in the In Trust Center’s ability to resource our members and affiliates.

“Elizabeth has a first-hand understanding of the complex issues schools face,” Kardash said. “I know she will be an asset in fulfilling our mission in support of theological schools.”

Bennett will start her role in September.