NAUH Board of Directors

Dr. Edward Buckingham

Chairman of the Board of Directors

Dr. Edward Buckingham joined the NAUH Board in October 2016 and was elected Chairman of the Board in August 2018. Dr. Buckingham is a medical doctor and the founder, director, and owner of the Buckingham Center for Facial Plastic Surgery in Austin, Texas.

Dr. Buckingham began his professional career as an auditor with Coopers and Lybrand. He founded the Buckingham Center for Facial Plastic Surgery in July 2003 after completing his residency at the University of Texas and a fellowship at New England Laser and Cosmetic Surgery Center in June 2003. He is a board member for the American Board of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery and is a frequent publisher and lecturer on facial plastic surgery.

Dr. Buckingham is the son of Mr. Robert Buckingham, former Chairman of the Company’s Board, and the grandson of Mr. Harold Buckingham, founder of NAU. He grew up in Rapid City, South Dakota. Dr. Buckingham earned his accounting degree from Southern Methodist University and his Doctor of Medicine degree from the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston with highest honors.

Dr. Buckingham’s lifelong involvement with NAU, audit experience with Coopers and Lybrand, and management of his own medical practice bring in-depth knowledge and experience in finance, management, and NAU’s business to the Board.

Dr. Susan Murphy

Member of the Board of Directors

Dr. Susan Murphy joined the NAUH Board in December 2022. Dr. Murphy is retired from a career at the University of New Mexico (UNM) and Central New Mexico Community College (CNM). She taught in Campeche, Mexico, at the Universidad Autonoma during a Fulbright assignment and has served in numerous administrative positions.

At UNM, she coordinated the operations of branch campuses for the Office of the Provost. At CNM, she served as Dean of Arts and Sciences, Vice President for Academic Affairs, and Vice President for External Affairs. She led CNM’s work in assessment and institutional effectiveness spanning liberal arts, career, and professional degree programs.

Dr. Murphy has consulted widely on issues of accreditation and assessment, guiding institutions in developing outcomes, mapping curricula, and designing viable assessment plans. She earned her doctorate in Romance Languages from the University of New Mexico.

Dr. Daisy Halvorson

Member of the Board of Directors

Dr. Daisy Halvorson joined the NAUH Board in April 2023. With 20 years of service in higher education, Dr. Halvorson is fiscally minded and brings experience in achieving institutional goals, budget management, and developing innovative approaches.

Dr. Halvorson serves as Vice President for Finance & Administration at Waldorf University in Forest City, Iowa. She has held similar roles at Marian University in Wisconsin, Presentation College in South Dakota, Briar Cliff University in Iowa, Clarke University in Iowa, and Mount Marty College in South Dakota.

Dr. Halvorson earned a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration in 1996 and a master’s degree in Business Administration in 2001, both from the University of South Dakota. In 2017, she earned a doctorate in Educational Leadership from the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, Minnesota.