Jennifer Alley, executive director of the National Association of Collegiate Women Athletic Administrators for the past 13 years, announced she will retire at the end of the year.

Alley will continue to serve the organization on a part-time basis as executive director emeritus for two years. The association’s executive committee will launch a national search for her replacement soon.      

Alley took over as NACWAA’s first full-time director in 1996, after which NACWAA membership increased from 400 to 1,800. NACWAA’s summer educational institutes also quadrupled, with more than 1,000 graduates.

“It has been my pleasure to have had the opportunity to work for such a fabulous organization,” Alley said. “As we move to a new decade of leadership in intercollegiate athletics, the time is right to bring on a new executive director who can participate in the strategic planning and program development for the association.”