Dr. Bradley (Brad) J. Bates has served CSA Search & Consulting as Vice President and Managing Director for Consulting since 2017, leading the firm’s consulting practice and partnering with dozens of NCAA institutions to provide strategic planning support, conduct sport-specific program reviews, provide conference membership and realignment analysis, and more.
Recent consulting projects led by Brad include:
- Sport sponsorship study at University of Michigan
- Strategic planning and gap analysis at George Mason University
- Financial program review at University of California Los Angeles
- Sport-specific program review at University of Massachusetts Amherst
- Strategic planning at University of California, Davis
Prior Experience
Brad most recently served as Director of Athletics at Boston College. During his five year tenure in Chestnut Hill, Brad was an advocate for student-athlete well-being and oversaw the development of a strategic plan that called for over $200M in new athletics facilities. Prior to his time at BC, Brad served as the Director of Athletics at Miami University (OH), leading the RedHawks for a 10-year tenure that included numerous bowl and NCAA Championship appearances and featured record-setting academic achievements for student-athletes.
Brad’s career in athletic administration began at the University of Colorado, where he served as the Head Strength and Conditioning Coach before moving to Vanderbilt University for a similar position. At Vanderbilt, Brad held positions of increasing responsibility between 1985 – 2002, rising to the level of Senior Associate Athletic Director.
Education
Brad is a graduate of the University of Michigan, where he began as a walk-on defensive back before earning a football scholarship under legendary coach Bo Schembechler. Brad also holds a master’s degree in education from Michigan and a doctorate in education from Vanderbilt University.
Recognition and Service
Brad was honored by his peers in 2010 when he was selected as the first Group-of-Six president of the Division IA Athletic Directors Association (now FBS Athletics Director Association). He has served on numerous NCAA and Conference committees and councils, including the NCAA Committee on Academic Performance, the NCAA Championships Cabinet Administrative Committee and the NCAA Football Academic Working Group FBS Retention Sub-Committee. Brad currently serves on the teaching faculty at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill.
Personal
Brad and his wife Michele currently reside in Chapel Hill and frequently spend time in his home state of Michigan.