Len Jessup

Len is a visionary leader in higher education, known as a consensus builder with a deep interest in innovation and entrepreneurship.

Len serves on several nonprofit and for-profit boards and is the Managing Partner of Desert Forge Ventures, a venture capital firm in Las Vegas, Nevada. Len previously served as the President at Claremont Graduate University, a member of the prestigious Claremont colleges in southern California. At CGU, Len has put into place a significant transformation of the advancement function, leading to a doubling and then tripling of fundraising in his first and second year there. Prior to joining CGU, he was president of the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV), launching a medical school, helping to secure the deal for Allegiant Stadium and the partnership with the Oakland Raiders to use it jointly with the NFL team, and helping the university to break several fundraising records.

Len previously served at his alma mater as the dean of the Eller College of Management at the University of Arizona, and prior to that as vice president of university development and president of the Washington State University Foundation, as well as serving as dean of the business college at WSU.