Lighthouse Counsel Adds Dr. F. Stuart Gulley as Of Counsel, Expanding Expertise in Education and Nonprofit Leadership
Dr. Stuart Gulley
Dr. Stuart Gulley has joined the firm, bringing more than 30 years of leadership experience in higher education and independent schools.
FRANKLIN, TN, UNITED STATES, November 27, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Lighthouse Counsel announces that Dr. F. Stuart Gulley has joined the firm as Of Counsel, bringing more than 30 years of leadership experience in higher education and independent schools.
Dr. Gulley has served as president or head of school across both higher education and pre-K–12 institutions, strengthening governance, guiding mission strategy, and leading comprehensive campaigns totaling more than $250 million. His work will support Lighthouse Counsel clients across the education and nonprofit sectors, with a focus on leadership, philanthropy, and organizational health.
“For many years, we’ve admired Stuart’s integrity, wisdom and commitment to mission-driven institutions,” said Jeff Jowdy, president of Lighthouse Counsel. “His background in governance, fundraising and executive leadership aligns beautifully with the work we do to help organizations thrive. We are delighted to welcome him.”
“Lighthouse Counsel partners with mission-driven institutions in meaningful and practical ways. I am grateful for the opportunity to join this team and support organizations as they clarify mission, strengthen leadership and elevate their philanthropic support,” said Stuart Gulley.
Dr. Gulley served more than 15 years as president of Woodward Academy in Atlanta, the largest independent school in the continental United States. Previously, he was president of LaGrange College—becoming, at age 34, the youngest college president in the nation. Earlier, he served as associate vice president for university development and church relations at Emory University, overseeing fundraising across academic units outside the health sciences.
He is a strong advocate for the transformative power of education. Dr. Gulley serves as president emeritus of LaGrange College and as executive director of the North American Association of Methodist Schools, Colleges, and Universities, representing nearly 100 institutions nationwide.
Dr. Gulley holds a bachelor’s degree in Modern European History from Vanderbilt University, a Master of Divinity from Candler School of Theology and a Ph.D. in Higher Education from Georgia State University. An ordained elder in the United Methodist Church, he serves on the boards of the Southern Association of Independent Schools and the W. I. H. and Lula E. Pitts Foundation, and chairs the United Methodist Commission on Higher Education. He has been included six consecutive years among Atlanta Magazine’s “500 Most Powerful Atlantans.”
He is the author of The Academic President as Moral Leader: James T. Laney at Emory University 1977–1993 and is widely recognized for his writing and speaking on values-based leadership.
Founded in 1999, Lighthouse Counsel partners with mission-driven institutions nationwide. A member of The Giving Institute, the firm helps organizations elevate mission awareness, strengthen organizational effectiveness and grow philanthropic support. Lighthouse Counsel provides counsel in fundraising, strategic planning, board development and leadership development.
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Learn more at lighthousecounsel.com.
Jeff Jowdy Jowdy
Lighthouse Counsel
+ 16154916246
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