Cross Channel Initiatives
The leader has a great idea but needs added expertise to navigate the best way forward.
About Us
Cross Channel was created to assist civic groups, nonprofit organizations, membership associations, educational institutions, and business clients in the design and execution of strategic initiatives.
The firm specializes in engagements that require a mix of long-term vision, operational planning, program development, partnership cultivation, alliance building, environmental scans, brand assessments, and community outreach.
In all areas, the focus is on identifying individualized and creative ways to leverage client strengths to achieve desired goals.
Among its various clients, Cross Channel has worked with the Georgia Research Alliance, Mercer University, the Mercer Innovation Center, the Georgia county association (ACCG), Atlanta’s Midtown Alliance, the Georgia Partnership for Excellence in Education, Georgia Bio, the Healthcare Ethics Consortium at Emory University, Life University, ClearPoint Financial Solutions, and the Biophilic Institute (founded to advance sustainability education).
The unpredictable cross-directional currents
of channel tides are a metaphor for the challenges confronting leaders who seek to launch and sustain a key initiative: The leader has a great idea but needs added expertise to navigate the best way forward. We provide that expertise.
Michael A. Gerber
About the President, Michael A. Gerber
During his career, Mike Gerber has developed a keen sense for strategic thinking and planning, seeing ahead of the curve, and connecting people with each other and with opportunity.
In addition to an extensive background in higher education working with decision-makers at all levels, he possesses longstanding government experience in lobbying, policy-making, and building strategic alliances. He’s also worked with a wide variety of civic groups, business organizations, membership coalitions and nonprofit entities. Prior to founding Cross Channel in 2012, Gerber spent 34 years leading higher education associations.
From 1998 to 2012, he served as president of the Atlanta Regional Council for Higher Education (ARCHE), a membership organization of 20 public and private colleges and universities that collaborated to share resources and raise awareness of the impact and value of higher education. Under his leadership, the organization helped create connections between higher education and partners in both the public and private sectors. During his tenure, Gerber was twice elected Georgia’s public representative to the SACS Commission on Colleges, the regional accrediting agency for 800+ institutions in 11 states. He also was named a “notable Georgian” by Georgia Trend magazine, was one of the first recipients of Business-to-Business magazine’s IMPACT Leader Awards, and received the Georgia county association’s “Advocate of the Year” award for helping launch a county internship program for college students.
Prior to ARCHE, Gerber served eight years as president of the Connecticut Conference of Independent Colleges, an advocacy organization representing that state’s private colleges and universities on public policy matters at the state and federal levels. As part of his duties, he also served as executive director of the Connecticut Higher Education Supplemental Loan Authority. He began his professional life as vice president of the Maryland Independent College and University Association. A native of Baltimore, he graduated Summa Cum Laude from the University of Maryland at College Park with a Bachelor of Arts in Government and Politics.
During his career, Mike Gerber has developed a keen sense for strategic thinking and planning, seeing ahead of the curve, and connecting people with each other and with opportunity.
In addition to an extensive background in higher education working with decision-makers at all levels, he possesses longstanding government experience in lobbying, policy-making, and building strategic alliances. He’s also worked with a wide variety of civic groups, business organizations, membership coalitions and nonprofit entities. Prior to founding Cross Channel in 2012, Gerber spent 34 years leading higher education associations.
From 1998 to 2012, he served as president of the Atlanta Regional Council for Higher Education (ARCHE), a membership organization of 20 public and private colleges and universities that collaborated to share resources and raise awareness of the impact and value of higher education. Under his leadership, the organization helped create connections between higher education and partners in both the public and private sectors. During his tenure, Gerber was twice elected Georgia’s public representative to the SACS Commission on Colleges, the regional accrediting agency for 800+ institutions in 11 states. He also was named a “notable Georgian” by Georgia Trend magazine, was one of the first recipients of Business-to-Business magazine’s IMPACT Leader Awards, and received the Georgia county association’s “Advocate of the Year” award for helping launch a county internship program for college students.
Prior to ARCHE, Gerber served eight years as president of the Connecticut Conference of Independent Colleges, an advocacy organization representing that state’s private colleges and universities on public policy matters at the state and federal levels. As part of his duties, he also served as executive director of the Connecticut Higher Education Supplemental Loan Authority. He began his professional life as vice president of the Maryland Independent College and University Association. A native of Baltimore, he graduated Summa Cum Laude from the University of Maryland at College Park with a Bachelor of Arts in Government and Politics.
Contact Us
- Atlanta, Georgia, United States
