Academic Dean: Recent Episodes
David Gurchiek, Ph.D.
Douglas Palmer, the 11th President of Siena Heights University began his term on July 1, 2023. He comes to Siena Heights from Culver-Stockton College in Missouri, where he served as President. As president of Culver-Stockton, Palmer guided the college through the COVID pandemic while adding a number of high-demand programs designed to meet the needs of the local workforce. He secured a gift of more than $1 million to make Culver-Stockton the permanent home of the Tri-State Development Summit, an economic development organization covering 36 counties and three states. He expanded programs to meet local workforce needs, including establishing new majors in agricultural business and data analytics.
Palmer has a strong belief that a high-quality private education should be accessible for all students. He was a non-traditional student himself, earning his bachelor’s degree from the University of North Carolina at Asheville following an enlistment as an active-duty soldier and paratrooper in the U.S. Army. He used the G.I. Bill to fund his undergraduate education and subsequently earned full tuition scholarships to pursue graduate work. He completed his Ph.D. in history at The Ohio State University where he won a prestigious Fulbright Scholarship to study in the Netherlands. He was also awarded the Presidential Fellowship given to the 25 top dissertation writers in the university.
Palmer started his career at Walsh University, a Catholic university in North Canton, Ohio teaching world history where he became chair of the Humanities Division. His interest in helping students prepare for an interconnected world and global economy through the lens of Catholic social teaching led him to establish Walsh’s global learning program. Founder of Walsh’s campus in Rome, Italy, Palmer oversaw programs in Europe, Latin America and Africa. He worked with students to lead Walsh’s efforts in Universities Fighting World Hunger and attended a United Nations charter signing event in which higher education leaders from around the world pledged to direct the teaching and research efforts of modern colleges and universities to solve global hunger. In addition, he worked with local leaders and healthcare institutions as Provost to create programs which served the needs of the local community. He led the efforts to create a fully online nurse practitioner program in mental health and addictions treatment and a Master’s in Occupational Health to better serve Ohio’s healthcare needs.
As a researcher, Palmer has published and spoken often about law, politics and religion, particularly in the context of the American and French Revolutions. He completed a post-doctoral fellowship at Emory University School of Law. He is also recognized as a leader in the field of international education where he served as the Chair of the Teaching, Learning, and Scholarship committee for NAFSA: the Association of International Educators. He has worked with higher education leaders around the world, having led workshops and training on global learning to national and international audiences.
Palmer and his wife (Cathy) are both natives of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and they have three boys. Palmer has completed a full marathon and five half-marathons and is an avid fly fisherman.
A highly respected higher education administrator and a first-generation college student born of immigrant parents, Dr. Cronin has served in community colleges for more than two decades. Before beginning her presidency at Delaware County Community College in July 2023, Dr. Cronin spent five years as president of Columbia Gorge Community College in The Dalles, Oregon.
Dr. Cronin is the second woman and the first Latina to lead the College. Since her arrival her priorities have included providing greater accessibility to education to students in eastern Delaware County—via the future Southeast Center in Drexel Hill, Pa.—and in Chester County, where the College is expanding its offerings. She has focused on increasing high school dual enrollment with pilot programs such as the Teacher Education and Social Work programs for high school student. Passionate about inclusion, she has overseen the growth and expansion of the College’s Center for Equity and Social Justice as well as the College’s intercollegiate athletics programs She serves on the boards of the Chester County Economic Development Council and the Riverfront Alliance of Chester County.
Dr. Cronin served as co-chair of the Oregon Community College Association’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee, co-chair of the Board for the Oregon League of Minority Voters and president of the Comunidades board, a bi-state organization dedicated to advocating for and empowering Latino women and youth in the region. She also served on the American Association of Community Colleges’ Commission on Small and Rural Colleges, as a commissioner for the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities, and on former Oregon Governor Kate Brown’s Regional Solutions Advisory Committee.
Under Dr. Cronin’s leadership, Columbia Gorge Community College secured funding for a $16.4 million capital project, which led to the design and construction of the Columbia Gorge Regional Skills Center and Chinook Residence Hall on its main campus.
Prior to that Dr. Cronin served in administrative and faculty roles at Indian River State College in Fort Pierce, Florida, including vice president of Academic Affairs, dean of the School of Education, department chair and full professor. She also has more than a decade of K-12 teaching experience in Florida. While there Dr. Cronin served on several Florida Department of Education committees and advisory groups, as the Florida Delegate for the American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education, and as a representative for the college on the Achieving the Dream Core Team and the American Association of Community Colleges' National Guided Pathways Project. She also has more than a decade of K-12 teaching experience in Florida. Among the awards Dr. Cronin has received over her 30-year career in education are a Phi Theta Kappa International Distinguished Advisor Award and a League for Innovation in the Community College Innovation of the Year Award.
Dr. Cronin holds a Doctor of Education with an emphasis on curriculum and instruction from the University of Sarasota, a Master of Science degree in Reading from Barry University and a bachelor’s degree in French from the University of Miami.
Dr. Hazelbaker comes to PCC with a strong focus on equity and economic mobility. As president of NPC, a federally designated Native American-Serving Nontribal Institution, he established the college’s first formal group dedicated to diversity, equity, and inclusion that effectively strengthened partnerships with the surrounding tribal nations. He also secured a federal grant that directly supported Native and Indigenous learners and worked closely with local communities affected by coal plant closures to expand programming.
A collaborative, entrepreneurial leader, Dr. Hazelbaker spearheaded a college-wide strategic planning process and revamped NPC’s enrollment strategy, reversing a ten-year decline and boosting student retention by 7 percent. To meet industry needs, Dr. Hazelbaker also partnered with experts to launch in-demand programs in behavioral health, allied health, and energy and industrial technology and led accreditation of new bachelor’s degree programs.
Dr. Hazelbaker previously served as the Vice President of Enrollment Management and Marketing for Carroll College, a private four-year college located in Helena, Montana. There, he oversaw a 28 percent growth rate in first-time, first-year student enrollment and partnered with the local community college to improve higher education access across the region.
Dr. Hazelbaker graduated from the Aspen Institute’s prestigious New Presidents Fellowship and has served on many boards and commissions, including REAL AZ, Northeast Arizona’s Economic Development Engine, and the Governor’s Interagency and Community Broadband Advisory Council. He is excited to relocate to Pueblo with his wife and connect with the wider community.
Ms. Amy Williams joined the National Alliance of Concurrent Enrollment Partnerships (NACEP) as its Executive Director in 2019. NACEP is the nation’s sole dual and concurrent enrollment accrediting body and has more than 23 years of experience in supporting programs, practitioners, and policy to advance early access to quality college courses for high school students. Previously, Ms. Williams was the State Director of Career & Technical Education and Dual Enrollment for Montana and led the state’s efforts to expand access and increase affordability in dual enrollment through college and career pathways. Mrs. Williams has more than two decades of experience in secondary and postsecondary education and a strong background in research science. She has a passion for exploring policy levers at the institution, state, and national level to build relevancy into education, ignite a passion for learning, and give students an early start on college and career.
Pervis Evans has devoted over 20 years of his professional career in the fields of education and social services, in an effort to advance access and opportunity for underserved populations. He earned Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Interdisciplinary Studies from Texas Tech University and a Master of Education degree in Counselor Education from Sul Ross State University. Currently, Pervis serves as the Senior Dean for the School of Liberal Arts and Education at Odessa College, a nationally recognized community college in Odessa, Texas. He oversees six academic departments and provides leadership and support to several campus committees, including holistic advising, curriculum, accreditation, career/transfer, and program review committees. Dean Evans led the development of the college’s first Honors Program and the establishment of a Bachelor of Applied Sciences degree in Early Childhood Education and Teaching.
Previously, Pervis was employed as an academic advisor, an instructor, and a program director at Midland College. He was a regional community relations specialist and an equity specialist with the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services, and he served as the founding Executive Director of Educate Midland, a nonprofit community impact organization. Mr. Evans serves on the Board of Trustees at Midland Memorial Hospital and was selected as a 2022 Fellow for Deans for Impact, a national network of academic leaders committed to transforming educator preparation. As a performing artist, public speaker, educator, community organizer, and executive leader, Pervis has utilized numerous roles, abilities, and platforms to amplify the voice of hope and to make an impact in his community and abroad.
The Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia named Dr. David Schecter the President of East Georgia State College on January 3, 2022. Since that time he has helped lead the College through its “50th Anniversary” year in 2023 and his main focus is on growing enrollment and ensuring students have a terrific experience on campus.
Dr. Schecter leads an outstanding Cabinet that includes the Provost/Vice President for Academic and Student Affairs, Vice President for Business Affairs, Vice President for Information Technology, Chief of Staff/Legal Counsel, Vice President for Institutional Advancement, Associate Vice President for Grants and Data Analytics, Director of East Georgia State College-Augusta, Director of East Georgia State College-Statesboro, Director of Strategic Planning and Institutional Research, Director of Public Safety/Chief of Police, Director of Human Resources, and the Director of Athletics. This team led the successful implementation of the new FY2024 - FY2028 Campus Strategic Plan and is in the process of launching a new Bachelor’s of Business Administration degree.
Dr. Schecter currently serves on the Boards of the Golden Harvest Food Bank, United Way of Southeast Georgia, Bulloch-Chatham Regional Education Collaborative, Central Savannah River Area/Regional Educational Service Agency, and the Magnolia Midlands Georgia Youth Science & Technology Center. He is most proud to be partnering with Golden Harvest Food Bank to open the Bobcat Food Pantry and work on other projects that support students’ basic needs.
Schecter previously served as Provost and Senior Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs at the University of South Carolina - Upstate in Spartanburg, S.C., where he managed a budget of $38 million, administered a department of 686 employees and supervised deans of the schools and colleges and the library. Prior to serving at USC Upstate, Schecter served as Associate Vice President for Faculty Affairs and then Vice Provost at California State University, Bakersfield. He provided oversight for the university’s Office of Research and Grants as well as the Kegley Institute of Ethics. Before joining the administration at CSU Bakersfield, Schecter was Chair of the Department of Political Science at California State University, Fresno where he was granted tenure as a full professor and earned the Provost’s Award for Faculty Service. He also previously taught at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.
A Florida native, Schecter holds a Ph.D. in political science from the University of Florida and both a master’s degree in political science and a bachelor’s degree in interdisciplinary studies and history from Florida State University. He also holds an MBA from Fresno State. In his spare time, he can usually be found walking on the beach in his hometown of Ormond Beach, Florida, going to a concert to hear one of his favorite 80s bands, playing "No Limit Texas Hold ‘Em," or cringing as he watches his beloved Miami Dolphins in a close game.
Dr. Roger Parrott is one of America’s most experienced presidents. He earned his Ph.D. from the University of Maryland in Higher Education Administration. Dr. Parrott is a third-generation College president and was one of America's youngest college presidents first elected at age 34. He has served on various boards and was Chair of the 2004 Forum for World Evangelization hosted by the Lausanne Committee for World Evangelization. Dr. Parrott is the author of The Longview: Lasting Strategies for Rising Leaders and Opportunity Leadership: Stop Planning And Start Leading. His wife, MaryLou, earned her Ph.D. in English and is a Professor at Belhaven. They have two adult children who graduated from Belhaven.
On July 1, 2016, Christon Arthur began serving as the provost of Andrews University following his election to the position by the Andrews University Board of Trustees on May 11, 2016. He is married to Carmelita, and they have one adult son, Christon Arthur Jr.
Proceeding that appointment, Arthur has served as dean of the Andrews University School of Graduate Studies & Research since 2010. In addition to that role, he has also served as associate provost, with responsibilities for faculty policy and faculty development, since 2012.
Prior to coming to Andrews University, Arthur served as an associate professor of Educational Administration and associate dean of the College of Education, at Tennessee State University in Nashville, Tennessee. Arthur has been an educator for more than 30 years. He worked as both an elementary and secondary teacher. He holds a bachelor’s degree in theology from University of the Southern Caribbean (Trinidad & Tobago) and graduate degrees in Curriculum and Instruction and Educational Administration from Andrews University and has completed postgraduate studies at Harvard University’s Institute for Management and Leadership in Education
Dr. Eric Heiser proudly serves as the sixth President & CEO of Coconino Community College (CCC) in Flagstaff, Arizona. He guides a college of passionate faculty and staff who are dedicated to changing the lives of their students. He has worked in higher education nearly two decades starting as a full-time faculty member and progressing to senior leadership. He holds a Ph.D. in Higher Education Leadership from Colorado State University
Prior to assuming the presidency at CCC, Dr. Heiser was the inaugural Provost ofCentral Ohio Technical College (COTC). He served as the Chief Academic, Student Support, and Workforce officer for COTC. Dr. Heiser started his career as a faculty member at Central Wyoming College (CWC) and taught in the areas of business, management, and criminal justice. He also spent time as a director and workforce training coordinator during his time at CWC. He spent six years at Salt Lake Community College (SLCC) serving first as an Associate Dean and then moving into a Dean role. He and his team built one of the nation’s largest Competency-Based Education (CBE) programs, from which the college was recognized nationally by multiple outlets. He has delivered over three dozen conference presentations and key notes and published several articles on the topic of CBE and academic innovation over the past seven years. Dr. Heiser was appointed as a content expert to the U.S. Department of Education’s What Works Clearinghouse to advise the department on best practices in career and technical education and guided pathways.
Dr. Russell Frohardt currently serves as Dean for Academic Success at Northwest Vista College, overseeing the Science & Technology and Health & Biosciences Institutes, include the departments for Natural & Physical Sciences, Mathematics & Engineering, and Computer Science, Technology & Business (CSTB). The CSTB Department houses all of the 15 career and technical education (CTE) programs at the college. Prior to his time at NVC, Dr. Frohardt served as Interim Dean of the School of Behavioral and Social Sciences and Professor of Psychology and Behavioral Neuroscience at St. Edward's University in Austin, Texas, where he held various faculty and administrative positions since joining the community in 2003.
Before his Dean role at SEU, he was an American Council on Education Fellow, hosted by Vassar College in Poughkeepsie, New York, where he learned about administrative, curricular, and co-curricular practices across the country. Dr. Frohardt received his B.A. in Psychology from the University of Colorado, Boulder, his M.A. and Ph.D. in Experimental Psychology from the University of Vermont, and he completed a three-year postdoctoral fellowship studying the electrophysiology of head direction cells and their role in spatial navigation at Dartmouth College before coming to Texas. His research interests include the neurobiology of learning and memory, spatial navigation, sexual behavior, models of relapse and addiction, and higher education administration and strategy.
In his free time, Russ enjoys playing basketball, attending live music shows, and spending time with his friends and his wife, Dr. Fay Guarraci, and his seventeen-year-old son, Cole.
Ronald A. Matthews joined Eastern University in 1992 and was appointed the 10th President of Eastern University effective March 1, 2018. Prior to this call, Dr. Matthews served as Professor of Music, Chair of the Music Department, and since 2010, Executive Director of the Fine and Performing Arts Division.
Born and raised in Philadelphia, Dr. Matthews graduated from Central High School. Having received a Philadelphia Board of Education music scholarship, he did his undergraduate work in Church Music and Organ at Westminster Choir College where he graduated magna cum laude and received both the Senior Class Conducting Award and the Christian Leadership Award. Dr. Matthews received the Master of Music degree in Choral Conducting from Temple University, during which time he was invited to conduct the Jerusalem Chamber Orchestra for a recording project in Tel Aviv.
At the age of 23, Dr. Matthews was invited to join the faculty of Nyack College as the Director of Choral Activities. He received his Doctor of Musical Arts degree from Combs College of Music in Composition with an emphasis in Orchestral Conducting.
From 1982-1992, Dr. Matthews was the Chair of the Department of Music at what is now Cairn University. For several years, he was a Thomas F. Staley Foundation lecturer/artist and served on professional and denominational boards and task forces. From 2005 until 2018, he was the Pastor of Worship Arts at Church of the Saviour in Wayne, PA.
Dr. Matthews has conducted, recorded, and performed in France, Germany, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Switzerland and the Vatican. He is a commissioned and published composer. He has performed and recorded regularly with his younger brother, Rev. Dr. Gary Matthews, in concerts and workshops throughout the United States and internationally. His older brother, Dr. John T. Matthews, is Professor of English at Boston University. Dr. Matthews' most recent release is a jazz piano Christmas recording, Holly and Ivory.
Dr. Matthews is married to Pamela R. Matthews, who was raised in Oreland, PA and graduated from Springfield High School. She graduated from Chestnut Hill Hospital's School of Radiologic Technology. Mrs. Matthews is a registered Ultrasonographer and received her training in Ultrasonography from Jefferson University and Chestnut Hill Hospital. For over thirty years she worked in Obstetrics and Gynecology with Abington Hospital - Jefferson Health until 2017. She served as the President of the Home and School Association for the Upper Moreland Round Meadow Elementary School during which she raised funds for new playground equipment. For the Middle School, she organized a campaign resulting in the purchase of a new grand piano for the music program. Mrs. Matthews is an avid tennis player and is also interested in charitable and mission work. She has organized fundraising projects for Haiti and the Cherokee Indians in Cherokee, NC, and she has traveled to Cartagena, Colombia on a sports mission trip. Dr. and Mrs. Matthews have two adult sons.
Since June 2014, Dr. Michael J. McDonough has served as Raritan Valley Community College’s (RVCC) eighth president. The College, with an enrollment of 6,600 students, serves the residents and businesses of Somerset and Hunterdon counties, offering more than 90 associate degree and certificate programs. In addition, the College offers a dynamic set of workforce programs, a full range of professional development opportunities, innovative and customized business training, and enrichment programs for the entire community.
Prior to joining RVCC, McDonough served as provost and vice president of academic services at Monroe Community College in Rochester, NY (2011-2014); as dean of Liberal Arts at Monroe Community College (2007-2011); and as the Fred H. Gertz Professor of English at Alfred University in Alfred, NY (1987-2007).
Currently, McDonough serves as the chair of the NJCC Consortium for Workforce and Economic Development; he is the chair of the Academic Issues Committee; and is a board member for Engage NJ. He is a past chair of the College Board’s National Academic Council and a former College Board Trustee.
McDonough received his B.A. (Hons) in Film and Drama and a Post Graduate Certificate of Education from Reading University in England; an M.A. in English from Oklahoma State University; a Ph.D. in English from Pennsylvania State University; and an I.E.M. from Harvard University’s Graduate School of Education.
Lynn LaGrone assumed the role of Provost and Vice-President of Academic Affairs at Hawkeye Community College in Waterloo, IA in August of 2020. Undaunted about starting a new role at Hawkeye, Lynn had the additional challenge of tackling the unknowns in the middle of the pandemic. She previously served as District Chair of Humanities, the Ankeny Campus Group Leader for English Composition, and an associate professor of English and literature at Des Moines Area Community College for over six years. In addition to several years of teaching for both Houston Community College and Lonestar Community College in Texas, she was an assistant professor at Five Towns College in Dix Hills, New York, and has experience teaching at Dowling College in New York.
Ms. LaGrone holds an MFA from Southampton College of Long Island University in New York, a bachelor’s degree in journalism and broadcast communication from Eastern Michigan University, and an associate degree in liberal studies from C.S. Mott Community College. She completed additional graduate coursework at Colorado State University. Lynn’s career in higher education goes to back to 2001 after a dozen years as an award winning broadcast journalist where she worked as a news anchor and reporter for stations in Flint and Grand Rapids, MI, Sacramento, CA and Memphis, TN.
With her husband of 30+ years and two adult “kids,” the family moved to Iowa in 2010, after living in Texas, New York, Colorado, Tennessee, Florida, California and Michigan. A self-proclaimed nerd, she likes to read for fun, work jigsaw puzzles, listen to old school hip-hop and R&B and is an avid fan of Wordle.
Michele Poulos has been in education for the past twenty-two years, working in elementary, secondary and post-secondary settings. She has a Bachelor's degree in Elementary Education, a Master's Degree in Psychology and is currently pursuing her doctoral degree in Psychology. She has learned and taught in traditional and online environments. She currently serves as Dean for the College of Arts and Sciences with ECPI University. She was recently initiated into Marquis’s Who’s Who in America for 2022 and 2023.
She resides in Naples, Florida with her husband, nine-year-old son, Trenton, and seven-year-old daughter, Eliana. One fun fact about her is that she was a contestant on the Price is Right. While she never made it out of “contestant’s row,” she did win a year’s supply of Ivory soap and a vacuum.
Dennis is in his third year as Chancellor of Missouri State University-West Plains and in his 30th year as a Missouri State-West Plains staff and faculty member. Over the past three decades, he has served in several capacities including Dean of Academic Affairs, Assistant to the Chancellor, Director of the William and Virginia Darr Honors Program, Assistant Coordinator of Public Relations, Special Projects Coordinator, and throughout his career, as a teacher. Teaching is important to Dennis, and he maintains his assistant professor of letters status and continues to teach when he can and connect with students throughout the year. Dennis obtained his bachelor’s degree in English Literature and Philosophy from Drury University in 1984, a master’s degree in Journalism with an emphasis in political communication and media ethics from the University of Missouri in 1996, and an Ed.D. in Higher Education Administration from Lindenwood University, St. Louis, Mo., in 2014.
Prior to coming to Missouri State-West Plains, Dennis worked as a reporter/photographer for a small town daily newspaper, owned a bookstore, and worked as a waiter during college, all three formative experiences in his life and career. For the past 40 years, Dennis has been married to Rita, and they have four children, Seth (and daughter-in-law Beth), Leslie, Kori (and son-in-law Jarred), and Nicholas (and daughter-in-law Sarah), and seven grandchildren who he loves dearly and is amused by constantly. In his spare time, Dennis enjoys traveling, hiking, writing and working to restore his family’s 100-year-old farmhouse and grounds.
Dr. Laurie Borowicz has served as the 5th President of Kishwaukee College since January 2016. She has led the College through some of its most challenging times, including the state of Illinois two-year budget impasse and the COVID-19 pandemic. Fiscal constraints, declining enrollments, and the changing landscape of higher education has allowed Dr. Borowicz to demonstrate transformational leadership.
As an advocate of student success and with a focus on continuous quality improvement, Dr. Borowicz championed expanded student and academic support services, increased the use of technology for both internal and external stakeholders, and joined the Partnership for College Completion to eliminate the achievement gap for students of color. Under her leadership, partnerships were forged with the business community to serve local workforce needs. Partnering with other educational institutions, dual credit and transfer options were expanded for students.
Before coming to Kishwaukee College, Dr. Borowicz served as Vice President of Student Services at Northcentral Technical College (NTC), in Wausau, WI. With a 16 year career at NTC, she held two earlier positions at the college, focusing on student success and partnerships with local K-12, higher education, and employers. Prior to entering higher education, she worked as a high school guidance counselor and county social services specialist. Dr. Borowicz has demonstrated a commitment to helping others achieve their personal and educational goals throughout her professional career.
Dr. Borowicz holds a Bachelor of Science in Retailing from the University of Wisconsin-Madison; a Master of Science in Guidance and Counseling from the University of Wisconsin- Stout; and a Doctorate of Education in Higher Education Leadership from Edgewood College, Madison, WI. Her doctoral dissertation was an examination of Leading Organizational Change.
Flashback to 1991.
As a graduate of Bloom-Carrol High School, 18-year-old Brown, a student-athlete, packed up his car to head to Capital University, where he would play football while setting his sights on pre-med and athletic training degrees. Following a devastating knee injury during his sophomore year while playing football, he became increasingly interested in athletic training and helping others with their sports careers. Brown moved north to continue his education at the University of Michigan (for OSU fans, don’t hold that against him!) to pursue a Master’s in kinesiology. “I’ll never forget my first game at Michigan,” he explained, “running out of the tunnel, jumping to touch the famous ‘Go Blue’ banner. Graduate school was crazy busy, working full time as an athletic trainer with football and wrestling, carrying a full-time graduate course load in kinesiology, and even teaching classes.”
Flash forward another eight years.
Dr. Brown earned a Ph.D. in Higher Education Leadership from Ohio University. He was ready to take on a leadership role, only switching up the playbook a bit. Instead of staying on the field, he expanded his career goals inside the walls of a community college where he could make a difference in the lives of students and the community. Arriving at Zane State in 2005 as Dean of Health, Public Service, and Service-Related programs, he earned promotion after promotion over the years. And in 2015, he was appointed the sixth president of Zane State College. This role is rewarding as well as increasingly challenging. “My outlook on my community college president profession can be summed up by one of my all-time favorite heroes, President Teddy Roosevelt. He said, ‘Far and away, the best prize that life has to offer is the chance to work hard at work worth doing.’ And even on the hardest and longest days, I enjoy my work and the people I work with. I love the work we do.”
Dr. Brown is a servant leader who is passionate about empowering his employees in a creative and compassionate workplace culture. His leadership style shows a commitment to building trust, igniting passion, and caring deeply about the success of others. Keeping the local community at the forefront, he is involved in various boards and organizations that collectively benefit those most in need. While Dr. Brown’s academic accomplishments are honorable and respected, they do not truly explain who Dr. Brown is.
Family First.
With his wife, Dr. Susan Farus-Brown, Dr. Brown raised a son, Joey, who has taken on his parents’ passion for football. A student-athlete himself, Joey is earning a bachelor’s degree in business at Muskingum University.
Must Love Dogs.
As a dog dad to three lovable pups, Dr. Brown enjoys watching football and taking naps with English Bulldog named Lincoln and French Bulldogs named Ike and Churchill.
Being Present.
Having a chronic neurological condition called dystonia means Dr. Brown is thoughtful with every step he takes, every conversation he has, and every interaction he makes. Even on the toughest of days, he always sees our students as a source of inspiration. As he says, they are the purpose behind our vision of creating A Promising Future for Every One.
Work Hard. Play Hard.
This bio wouldn’t be complete without a plug for Dr. Brown’s woodworking talent and appreciation for bourbon. In his free time, he likes woodworking projects that range from cabinetry to wine racks to raised beds for his garden.
Dr. Christine Webster-Hansen is Dean of the Humanities Institute at Brookdale Community College in NJ. After earning her B.A. in Communication at Rowan University, she earned an M.A. in English from Rutgers University and a Ph.D. in English from Temple University. After teaching as an adjunct instructor for four years, she became a tenured, full professor and department chair at Camden County College. Eventually, she served as Assistant Dean of e-Learning at Ocean County College, and now she proudly serves the students, faculty, and staff at Brookdale.
Beth Brunk Ph.D. is Dean of Extended University at the University of Texas at El Paso. Extended University supports Professional and Public Programs; the Center for Instructional Design; The Osher Lifelong Learning Institute; UTEP Connect, UTEP’s suite of fully online degree programs; and the Office of Youth Program Development and Support.
Dr. Brunk is professor of Rhetoric and Writing Studies and has served in several other administrative roles at UTEP including Director of First-Year Composition and Associate Dean of the College of Liberal Arts.
A member of the inaugural class of University of Texas System Academy of Distinguished Teachers, Dr. Brunk is also a recipient of the University of Texas Academy Regents’ Outstanding Teaching Award. Dr. Brunk has served on several national boards, task forces, and committees and has published in the areas of online teaching and learning, online collaboration, student retention and persistence, serving diverse student populations, and academic administration. She has served on nearly 40 dissertation committees and chaired 24 of them.
She is PI, co-PI, or supporting staff on several awarded grants and gifts from the Department of Education, American Public and Land-Grant Universities, the University of Texas System, the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, and HCA.
Dr. Brunk holds a Ph.D. in English from the University of Texas at Arlington, A Master of Arts in English from the University of Texas at El Paso, and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Mass Communications/Advertising from New Mexico State University. She previously taught at James Madison University.
Leigh B. Goodson has served as president and chief executive officer of Tulsa Community College since July 2014. Under her leadership, the college launched and met the College’s $20 million campaign, developed Oklahoma’s first “early college high school program,” and gained TCC acceptance into the Aspen Institute Unlocking Opportunity: The Post-Graduation Success and Equity Network. Dr. Goodson is a key contributing member of the Tulsa Higher Education Consortium, a collaborative partnership with local universities.
Dr. Goodson earned a Doctor of Philosophy in Education Research and Evaluation from Oklahoma State University, a Master of Science in Organizational Communication from Fort Hays State University in Hays, KS, and a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from OSU. She is a graduate of Leadership Oklahoma class XXIII and Leadership Tulsa Class 35 and completed an Aspen Presidential Fellowship in 2016. In 2020, The Journal Record recognized Goodson as Oklahoma’s Most Admired CEO in the public category and inducted her into the Circle of Excellence for being honored three times as a 50 Making a Difference honoree at its annual Woman of the Year event. In addition, Dr. Goodson received the Leadership Oklahoma 2023 Distinguished Graduate Award. She is an active member of her community, and currently serves on the boards of AACC, Tulsa Area United Way, Oklahoma Business Roundtable, Jobs for the Future Policy Trust, CCCSE National Advisory Board and Tulsa Regional Chamber. She is a sought after local and national guest speaker on various topics including leadership development and community college student success. Goodson has invested herself and her career in education, having served previously as a university faculty member, university administrator and school board member for Tulsa Public Schools. Her priority and passion is student success.
Dr. Marc Seigar earned a B.Sc. in Physics from Imperial College London in the U.K. in 1993 and a Ph.D. in Astrophysics from the Liverpool Astrophysics Research Institute in 1998. Marc joined The University of Toledo as Dean of the College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics in August of 2021.
After obtaining his Ph.D., Marc went onto various research positions at Ghent University (in Belgium) and the Joint Astronomy Center (in Hilo, Hawaii). He was hired into his first faculty position at the University of Arkansas, where he worked his way through the academic ranks. In 2014, he was hired as Head of the Department of Physics and Astronomy at the University of Minnesota Duluth, where he also spent three years as Associate Dean of the Swenson College of Science and Engineering. Just before joining UToledo, from 2020 to 2021, Marc served as a Program Director (rotator) in the Division of Astronomical Sciences in the National Science Foundation.
Marc’s area of scholarship is astronomy and astrophysics. He studies nearby galaxies and is particularly interested in galaxy dynamics, structure and morphology. Throughout his career, Marc has used data from various astronomical observatories, such as the Hubble Space Telescope, Spitzer, Gemini, and facilities at Kitt Peak and Lick observatories.
Dr. Jacqueline Edmondson is the 14th President of the University of Southern Maine. She is an accomplished educator, scholar, and first-generation college student. For nearly twenty-five years, President Edmondson has fostered a student-focused model of higher education that prioritizes lasting community collaborations and inclusive excellence.
Before coming to USM, President Edmondson was a full professor in the College of Education at Penn State University, where she has served in a number of administrative leadership roles, including, most recently, as chancellor and chief academic officer of the Greater Allegheny campus.
As a scholar, President Edmondson focuses her research on education policy, rural education, teacher education, and popular culture. In addition to publication in numerous academic journals, she has authored eight books on subjects ranging from critical policy analysis to Jesse Owens to Jerry Garcia. She holds a PhD in Curriculum and Instruction from Penn State.
Dr. Robert Exley is the seventh president of Alvin Community College. Prior to ACC he served as the 17th President of Snead State Community College in Boaz, Ala., from January 2008 to August 2020. During his nearly 13-year tenure in Alabama, Dr. Exley focused on providing a compassionate campus experience for students and staff with an emphasis on academic excellence and civic engagement. His own higher education experience began at the community college level and has provided a foundation for his passion to encourage well-rounded citizens through comprehensive higher education opportunities. He also served as President of Parkland College in Champaign, Ill., and as the Vice President for Academic Affairs at Iowa Western Community College in Council Bluffs, Iowa. He has held a number of administrative positions with Miami-Dade College (MDC) over a nearly 10-year period.
Dr. Exley received his Associate of Arts degree from San Jacinto College in Pasadena, Texas, his BA and MS from the University of Houston-Clear Lake, and his Ph.D. from The University of Texas at Austin. In May 2007, Dr. Exley was named a Distinguished Graduate of the University of Texas at Austin's Community College Leadership Program in recognition of his national contribution to American Community Colleges. While a student at San Jacinto College in Pasadena, TX., he served as the 1979-1980 National President of Phi Theta Kappa. In January 2014, Phi Theta Kappa honored Dr. Exley with the prestigious Shirley B. Gordon Award of Distinction.
Colleen Perry Keith, Ph.D. is the14th president (and first female president) in the 136-year history of Goldey-Beacom College, assuming this role July 1, 2019. With more than 36 years of higher education experience, Dr. Keith served as president at Pfeiffer University, who moved from NCAA Division II to NCAA Division III during her tenure from 2015-2019 and at Spartanburg Methodist College, a member of the NJCAA, from 2009–2015. She currently serves on the The Partnership Board of Directors, the education affiliate of the Delaware State Chamber of Commerce; the Board of Governors for the Delaware State Chamber of Commerce; the Board of Directors of Transform Mid-Atlantic, serving as the Vice Chair of the Executive Committee; and as the Vice Chair for the Division II Executive Board of the National Collegiate Athletic Association. Locally, Dr. Keith serves on the board of the Wilmington Rotary Club.
Dr. Keith is also active with the Forum of Executive Women – Delaware, the Fund for Women, the Steering Committee for the Delaware Million Women Mentors and on the advisory committee for the Fresh Start Scholarship program. In 2010, she was named the South Carolina Career woman of the Year by the South Carolina Business and Professionals Woman’s Foundation and was selected as a 2022 Women in Business Honoree by Delaware Today Magazine. As a doctoral student, she was awarded the Earl W. Anderson Award for Outstanding Graduate Students by The Ohio State University, College of Education and as a master’s student, she was inducted into Kappa Delta Pi (Education Honor Society) at the University of Pittsburgh. She is an invited speaker at many events each year, speaking to groups on the topic of leadership, women in leadership, and (of course) Goldey-Beacom College.
Dr. Keith’s career in higher education started following her work at a temporary help company in Pittsburgh in the mid-1980s. She saw the steel industry shutting down in the area, leaving many workers without jobs and without training for other work. Working with those displaced workers led to a strong commitment to help people to acquire some form of post-secondary training so that they could have economic security throughout their adult lives. That commitment led her to graduate degrees and eventually to Goldey-Beacom College, a place committed to providing post-secondary education that helps people to achieve economic security in an ever-changing world of work.
Dr. Keith holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Political Science from Binghamton University; Master of Education Degree in Education Counseling from University of Pittsburgh; and a Doctorate of Philosophy in Higher Education Administration and Student Affairs from The Ohio State University. She lives in Pike Creek with her husband, Barry and their two English bulldogs, Daisy and Charlie. She has one son and daughter-in-law, Tim and Anna Hogan, residents of Silver Spring, MD.
Dr. Suzy Ames is the 7th President of Peninsula College in Port Angeles, WA. Since joining the college, she was selected as Secretary of the Board for the Clallam County Economic Development Council and as a member of the Executive Board for West Sound STEM and the North Olympic Health Network. Prior to joining Peninsula College, she worked at Lake Washington Institute of Technology in Kirkland, WA as Vice President of Instruction, Associate Vice President of Instruction and Dean of Instruction. She served as the Director of Planning and Institutional Effectiveness at Skagit Valley College where she also taught marketing and social media management. Much of her background is in marketing and communications including: Vice President of Advancement/Executive Director of the Foundation at Pierce College, Director of Marketing at the State Board for Community and Technical Colleges, and Director of Marketing and Communications at Cascadia College.
In her first year as President of Peninsula College, she supported the college in the development of nine associates and applied bachelor’s degrees that will start in Fall 2024. She formed relationships with community-based service providers to bring comprehensive wraparound support services to at-risk students on campus.
As an instructional administrator, Suzy served as co-Principal Investigator on three National Science Foundation grants, including one that supported equity-focused IT education at eight community and technical colleges and led to the development of a bachelor’s in computer science degree offered at these colleges. She led significant diversity, equity and inclusion efforts including the design and implementation of a diversity and social justice degree requirement for all students across transfer and professional-technical degree programs; the implementation of a cultural humility student learning outcome; and infusing DEI into the faculty tenure evaluation process.
Suzy served as Vice President and Secretary of NCIA of the National Council of Instructional Administrators. Suzy is an evaluator for the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities. She holds a doctorate in Educational Leadership for Change from Fielding Graduate University, an MBA from City University, and two bachelor’s degrees in Communications and Political Science from the University of Washington. She lives in Port Angeles, WA with her husband and two chocolate labs.
Joseph Barry Hasenkopf (Barry), Chief Operating Officer, has 30 years of experience as an executive consultant across multiple industries, cultures, and geographies. A proven leader, he is committed to the growth, education, and enrichment of his clients at every level of their career. Over his career he has assisted some of the largest global professional consulting firms in the world, including Ernst & Young, Capgemini, HP, IBM, and Tata Consulting.
Mr. Hasenkopf has taught leadership, communication, and relationship skills to business students in Georgia State University, J. Mack Robinson College of Business. His academic experience includes working with professors and department chairs as an adjunct professor to prepare and deliver a successful enterprise business process curriculum within the Information Systems, Master of Science degree program.
As an executive of Myers McRae, he is committed to continuing the strategic direction and quality services that has earned the firm national recognition. The editors and analysts at Hunt Scanlon Media continue to name Myers McRae as one of the "Top 50 Education / Non-Profit Search Firms" in a special edition of Executive Search Review. The company stated the selected firms are considered the most prominent trailblazers in education and non-profit searches.
Mr. Hasenkopf holds a Bachelor of Science degree in computer science with a minor in mathematics and Russian from Edinboro University of Pennsylvania (now PennWest Edinboro). He received his Master of Business Administration degree with a concentration in finance at the University of Pittsburgh, Joseph M. Katz Graduate School of Business.
Dr. Rodney Reed is the former chancellor at Indiana Wesleyan University-Marion. He also served as dean of Christian formation, university chaplain and associate professor of theology at John Brown University.
In addition to his work at John Brown University, Reed has worked as an affiliate consultant for CREDO Higher Education Counseling since 2013 providing executive coaching for local and national non-profit organizations. As consultant or peer advisor for over two decades, he has worked in more than 30 Christian universities in the United States, Canada, Asia and Africa in the areas of spiritual formation, faculty development, curriculum, retention and human resources.
Reed holds a Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration from Sioux Falls College, a Master of Divinity from Bethel Theological Seminary and a Doctor of Philosophy in Theology from University of Bristol.
Dr. Kelly Otter is Dean of Georgetown University’s School of Continuing Studies (SCS). In this role, Dr. Otter oversees professional graduate programs; liberal studies programs at the undergraduate, master’s and doctoral levels; professional certificate programs and custom education; and summer and special programs. Before coming to Georgetown in 2014, she served in academic dean roles at Northeastern University, the University of Pittsburgh, and the College of New Rochelle, and previously held positions in academic administration at New York University. She also taught at each of these institutions in the fields of media studies and interdisciplinary research. Dr. Otter’s professional portfolio comprises academic program development, the design and management of technology-mediated education infrastructures and programs, veterans support services, international education and partnerships, and adult and workforce education. Dr. Otter is a member of the University Professional and Continuing Education Association (UPCEA), the International Leadership Association (ILA), and the National Association of College and University Business Officers (NACUBO).
Stephen Healey is a seasoned Higher Education leader and innovator with experience at every level of administration in a university environment. His leadership experience includes serving as faculty leader, Dean of Arts and Sciences, Associate Provost, Provost, and most recently interim President. He has significant experience developing programs (helped to create more than 30 programs), overseeing budgets, and managing accreditation, as well as skill in career development, student recruiting, and assessment. He specializes in identifying opportunities, institutional change, and online/campus hybridization. Over the course of his academic career, he has pioneered solutions to 21st century challenges.
Healey began his work as an educational professional by earning a Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) from Boston College, focusing on the interdisciplinary intersection of theology, social sciences, philosophy, and ethics. His expertise on how social and institutional entities react to changing ideas has informed his leadership roles over the past two decades.
Healey served as the lead negotiator of the transfer of assets from the Bridgeport Hospital School of Nursing to the University of Bridgeport. Through collaboration with other academic leaders and faculty, he has helped to create more than fifteen academic programs.
Healey earned his Ph.D. from Boston College; an M.A. Andover Newton Theological School; and a B.A., Eastern Nazarene College.
Karen H. Brown, Ph.D., MPH, CCC-SLP is Dean of the School of Education and professor at the University of the Virgin Islands (UVI). The School of Education earned accreditation for seven years under Dr. Brown’s leadership. She has greater than 20 years of higher education experience and 15 years in higher education leadership. She has served as Associate Director for the University Center of Excellence in Developmental Disabilities (UCEDD), also at the University of the Virgin Islands (UVI). Prior to her employment with UVI, Dr. Brown was a tenured associate professor at an institution for higher education (IHE) in the continental United States. She was the first black and first speech-language pathology faculty member to achieve tenure in her department and program, respectively, where she also led that program to achieve accreditation status for seven years. Dr. Brown holds a Ph.D. in curriculum and instruction with a concentration in special education, a Master of Science degree in speech-language pathology, and a Master of Public Health with a concentration in social and behavioral sciences. Dr. Brown is a licensed speech-language pathologist with 30 years of experience. She continues to practice and maintains the Certificate of Clinical Competence (CCC) by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA).
Dr. Robin Kay is currently the Dean and a Full Professor in the Faculty of Education at Ontario Tech University in Oshawa, Canada. Dr. Kay received his MA in Computer Applications in Education at the University of Toronto and his Ph.D. in Cognitive Science (Educational Psychology) at the University of Toronto. He has published over 160 articles, chapters and conference papers in the area of technology in education and has taught in the field of computer science, mathematics, and educational technology for over 25 years at the high school, college, undergraduate and graduate levels.
Rafael Castilla is the executive vice president and provost of Eastwick College, a New Jersey career-oriented institution offering certificates and degrees in health care, technology, and business. Dr. Castilla oversees strategic planning, program development, institutional and programmatic assessment, and institutional compliance at the state, programmatic accreditation, institutional accreditation, and federal levels.
Dr. Castilla began his career at Eastwick College 25 years ago as an instructor of medical courses. Seven years later, he joined the administrative staff and rose through the positions of associate dean, dean of academics, corporate director of education, and vice president for academic affairs to his current position. He led the process to convert three independent career schools to Eastwick College and develop a portfolio of associate and bachelor’s degrees, some of which hold programmatic accreditation.
Previously, Dr. Castilla held a private practice in aesthetic medicine in Bogotá, Colombia, where he also taught medical courses, served as the director of an aesthetics certificate program, and organized continuing education courses in aesthetic medicine.
Dr. Castilla is a member of the Academic Issues Committee of the New Jersey Presidents’ Council. As a member of the Academic Quality Subcommittee, he collaborated in drafting regulatory text to implement portions of P.L. 2021, c.27. He is a former commissioner and chair of the Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools and a former member of the Advisory Council for Rider University’s Executive MBA program.
Dr. Castilla holds an MD degree from the Corpas School of Medicine and an MBA from Rider University.
Anne Alexander is Vice Provost for Strategic Planning and Initiatives for Academic Affairs at the University of Wyoming. She earned her Ph.D. in Economics at UW, and her Master’s and BBA in Economics from New Mexico State University. Dr. Alexander’s research and teaching focuses on the history of American capitalism, international economics, and health economics. She regularly speaks to statewide audiences and state and national media about the status of the Wyoming, US, and global economies. She produces an annual economic and statewide engagement report on the impacts of the University on the state, and she has authored several publications on the political and economic impacts of transboundary pandemics and the productivity effects of various diseases. Prior to her position in Academic Affairs, she was the Director of International Programs and Associate Dean of Outreach at UW. She has also served as a Resources Economist in the U.S. Department of State, Assistant Dean of the UW College of Business, and Director of the interdisciplinary Health Economics Policy Center at UW. She is an alumni of Leadership Wyoming, Class of 2013.
As the Chancellor of Keiser University, Arthur Keiser. Ph.D., oversees and manages all operations at Keiser’s 21 Florida campuses, three international campuses, two in China and the other in Nicaragua, as well as the graduate and online school. Under Dr. Keiser’s four-plus decades of leadership, Keiser University, a private not-for-profit university, has become Florida’s largest independent university and is regionally accredited as Level VI by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACS).
Dr. Keiser earned his doctorate in higher education administration at the Union Institute and University Graduate School, where he wrote his dissertation, “Benchmarking in Private Career Schools: A Preliminary Empirical Investigation in the Establishment of Quantitative Strategic Indicators in this Specialized Postsecondary Education Sector.” As a tireless advocate for students, he has given numerous presentations and published many articles and reports on various subjects related to private career-focused schools and not-for-profit institutions.
Curt Lox, Dean, Brooks College of Health, University of North Florida, Jacksonville, FL
Curt was born and raised in Orange County (California). He completed his bachelor’s degree at the University of California, Riverside, received his master’s degree from Miami (Ohio) University, and earned his doctoral degree at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Curt began his career at Northern Illinois University in 1994 before moving on to Southern Illinois University Edwardsville in 1996 where he later served as Dean, Associate Dean, and Coordinator of Grants & Research in the School of Education, Health, and Human Behavior as well as Chair of the Department of Kinesiology and Health Education. In 2017, he became Dean of the Brooks College of Health at the University of North Florida. His research has centered broadly on the psychosocial benefits of physical activity for special populations including the elderly, pregnant women, individuals with traumatic brain injury, overweight adults, cardiac rehabilitation patients, and individuals with HIV-1. He is co-author of The Psychology of Exercise: Integrating Theory and Practice, which is currently in its fifth edition. Curt has served as a sport psychologist and leadership trainer for athletes and coaches at the interscholastic, intercollegiate
Catherine Wehlburg, Ph.D., currently serves as Interim President and Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs at Athens State University. Prior to this role, she was named Senior Fellow at AAC&U. She also served as Founding Dean for the College of Sciences, Mathematics, and Education at Marymount University. She has served in several different roles in her thirty years of higher education as a tenured full professor, department chair, Associate Dean, Dean, and Associate Provost. In each of these roles, she has focused on assessment of learning, mission, enhancing student learning, and strategic decision making. Dr. Wehlburg has published many articles, books, and chapters and has always had a focus on educating the whole student as the essential role in higher education. She has been recognized for her work in student learning outcomes assessment by being elected president of the Association for the Assessment of Learning in Higher Education (AALHE) and received their Outstanding Achievement Award. Her leadership has been called innovative and inclusive as she seeks to engage others in the ongoing discussions surrounding access and success for all. Dr. Wehlburg received her Ph.D. from the University of Florida in Educational Psychology.
Born in Pittsburgh, Stephen Maynard Caliendo grew up in a Western Pennsylvania exurb and later attended Clarion University, as a first-generation college student, to study English literature and political science. He earned Master’s and Ph.D. degrees in political science from Purdue University and has taught at the University of Missouri—St. Louis and Avila University (Kansas City, Missouri). He is currently dean of the College of Arts and Sciences and professor of political science at North Central College (Naperville, Illinois).
With Charlton D. McIlwain (New York University), Caliendo is co-author of Race Appeal (Temple University Press, 2011) and co-editor the Routledge Companion to Race and Ethnicity, which is now in its second edition (2022). They have co-authored articles in The Harvard International Journal of Press/Politics, The Journal of Black Studies, and American Behavioral Scientist and entries to a number of edited volumes and specialized encyclopedias.
On his own, Caliendo is the author of Teachers Matter: The Trouble with Leaving Political Education to the Coaches (Praeger 2000), in which he examines the effects of political socialization on attitudes toward American political institutions. His textbook, Inequality in America: Race, Poverty, and Fulfilling Democracy’s Promise (Routledge) is now available in its third edition (2022). He has authored or co-authored dozens of papers presented at national and regional professional conferences and is often called upon to provide analysis for print media stories and to appear on radio and television programs to lend his expertise to national, state and local political issues.
Caliendo has been honored with numerous awards, including the American Political Science Association’s Ralph Bunche Award for Race Appeal (shared with Charlton D. McIlwain), Purdue University’s “Emerging Voice” (alumni) Award (2010), and awards for teaching (2007), research (2011), and service (2009) at North Central College. He was named Professor of the Year at Avila University in 2002. He lives in Chicago with his wife, Jillian, and is the proud father of Amelia, Gianni, and Stella.
Steven Bloomberg serves as President at Southeast Arkansas College (SEARK). He began his tenure on January 3, 2018. Among other accomplishments, under President Bloomberg’s leadership, the College has opened a new campus Food Pantry and Career Closet, developed a new five-year strategic plan, lowered the cost of attendance through a textbook agreement with Cengage Unlimited, opened a new Health and Wellness Facility, SEARK@Seabrook, launched a new strategic marketing plan with the tagline “Make Your Mark at SEARK”, and debuted a new website.
In less than two years, President Bloomberg has raised over $11 million to support the construction of a new student center/classroom learning complex and 316 units of student housing. Most recently, SEARK became one of the first community colleges in the State of Arkansas to develop a two-year degree program in Cyber Security.
Prior to his tenure at SEARK, President Bloomberg was most recently the Executive Vice President at Oklahoma City Community College. He is also a certified economic developer and served as the Chief Executive Officer of the Borger, Texas Economic Development Corporation. President Bloomberg has worked for higher education institutions in California, Texas, Florida, Oklahoma, and Arkansas.
Jeff W. Coker, dean of the College of Arts and Sciences and professor of history at Shenandoah University (Winchester, Virginia), is a thought leader in higher education with more than twenty years of administrative leadership experience at multiple universities, including private and public institutions. Holding degrees from the University of Texas at Austin and Ohio University, Coker is the author of books and articles in the fields of American politics, culture, and social thought. He has served as a mentor of students throughout his career, overseeing undergraduate research initiatives, serving on graduate student thesis committees, and traveling abroad with students. He has served as a grant reviewer for the National Endowment for the Humanities, as a consultant for the College Board, and has experience in university accreditation. The U.S. Department of State has tapped Jeff on several occasions to speak internationally on American history and culture and also on trends in higher education.
Clay Christensen has been the President at Mountainland Technical College since 2006. He has responsibility for day to day operations of the multiple campuses in the three county service region and delivery of occupational programs that meet the needs of business and industry.
Prior to his employment at MTECH he was the Director of Career & Technical Education for Alpine School District. He had direct supervisory responsibility for Career and Technical Education and Comprehensive Guidance programs, instructors, financial management, and operating budgets.
Previous assignments include Agriculture Specialist at the Utah State Office of Education with direct supervision and responsibility over secondary and post-secondary agriculture programs. He also served as the Utah FFA and Young Farmers Educational Association State Advisor. In addition, he had assignments with coordination of Career & Technical Education and Special Education, Post-Secondary and Technical Colleges.
He started his educational career as a high school agriculture/welding instructor at Lehi and Uintah High Schools. He has worked in education for over 40 years. He lives with his wife Lori in Genola and they have three married children, three granddaughters and one grandson.
Dr. Kellie Bean has more than 25 years of experience as an educator and senior academic administrator serving small, non-profit, mission-driven institutions, including Marshall University, Northern Vermont University, Hartwick College, and more. Kellie began her career as Professor of English, at schools like these.
She was the Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost for Rio Grande University/Rio Grande Community College from Fall 2021 to Fall 2022 and has recently moved on to her next assignment. Dr. Bean has dedicated her career to increasing access to higher education for traditionally underserved populations. Kellie has worked with institutions on a range of initiatives related to student success, faculty development and support, operational fitness and improvement, strategic curricular planning, workforce development, program creation and implementation.
She received a PhD in English Literature and Cultural/Feminist Theory from the University of Delaware; a Master of Arts in English as well as a Bachelor of Arts in Drama from The Ohio State University.
Christina A. Clark, Ph.D., serves as the Chief Academic Officer at Marywood University, providing leadership in all academic matters and working collaboratively with the deans, faculty, staff, students, and administration to further Marywood's mission and vision.
Prior to her appointment at Marywood University, Dr. Clark served as Dean of the School of Design, Arts, and Humanities at Marymount University [Arlington, Va.], where she also was a tenured professor of literature and languages.
Dr. Clark’s academic administration skills include strategic planning, program assessment, recruitment and retention, curricular development, shared governance, university advancement, partnership development, and grant writing, among other issues of critical focus in higher education. She has had extensive leadership development experience, particularly at Marymount and Creighton Universities. Currently participating in the Council of Independent College's Executive Leadership Academy, she previously participated in Leadership Arlington and CASE Advanced Development for Deans and Academic Leaders. Committed to action enabling diversity, equity, and inclusion, she currently serves as chair of the Society for Classical Studies’ Committee on Diversity in the Profession and has served on the Council of Colleges of Arts and Sciences’ Committee on Cultural Diversity.
Dr. Clark’s professional specialty is in classics. As a scholar, Dr. Clark focuses on the representation of gender and nonverbal behavior in ancient Greek and Roman poetry and her professional contributions and research include peer-reviewed books, book chapters, articles, papers, and reviews. Dr. Clark has been recognized for her accomplishments and contributions with the Gamma Phi Beta’s Shine (Teaching) Award at Creighton University and “Iggy” Award for Outstanding Freshmen Mentors, Role Models, and Advocates, also at Creighton. A member of the Eta Sigma Phi and Phi Kappa Phi honor societies, Dr. Clark also was a Junior Fellow at Harvard University’s Center for Hellenic Studies..
Previously, Dr. Clark served as director of the world literature program and the health administration and policy program at Creighton University [Omaha, Neb.], where she also chaired the Classical and Near Eastern Studies department and served as a professor. She has served internationally as an associate professor at the Intercollegiate Center for Classical Studies [Rome, Italy] and has taught in the United States at Iowa State University [Ames, Iowa]; Bowdoin College [New Brunswick, Maine]; Gustavus Adolphus College [St. Peter, Minn.]; Florida State University [Tallahassee, Fla.], and the University of Wisconsin-Madison [Madison, Wisc.].
Growing up in a military family and living in many different areas of the United States as well as the Philippines, Dr. Clark earned a BA in Classics from Georgetown University and a MA and PhD in Classics from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. During her undergraduate education, Dr. Clark spent her junior year abroad at Trinity College [Dublin, Ireland].
Paul Gladen is the Director of Accelerate Montana, the University of Montana’s portfolio of economic and workforce development programs.
Paul is a co-founder of the Montana Code School and the Hellgate Venture Network, an entrepreneurial networking group. He also serves on the Board of the Missoula Economic Partnership and was the 2017 Montana Ambassador Educator of the Year.
Originally from England, Paul has an MA in Mathematics from Oxford University and an MBA from Manchester Business School.
Dr. Greg Feeney is Provost at Bluegrass Community andTechnical College (BCTC). In this role, he serves as the chiefacademic officer and provides leadership for academic andstudent support areas at the college, including adult education,global learning, and workforce development. Dr. Feeney servedin other administrative roles including Vice President ofAcademics and Workforce Development, Dean of Academics,Dean of Academic Support, and Assistant Dean of History,Languages, and Social Sciences at the college. He achieved thefaculty rank of full professor and has been at BCTC since 1998. He earned his doctorate, with an emphasis in interpersonal andhealth communication, at the University of Kentucky. Hecompleted his masters at Northern Illinois University, with anemphasis in communication theory and organizationalcommunication.
J. Kim McNutt is currently in his 8th year as Dean of the College of Extended & International Education at California State University Dominguez Hills. The self-support college generates nearly $18M annually in tuition, delivering a portfolio of nearly 50 online and classroom-based education and training programs. The educational offerings cover the entire lifelong learning spectrum. He has co-launched several new programs at CSUDH including new master’s degree in Cyber Security and a new MS in Systems Engineering. A graduate degree in Radiologic and Imaging Sciences launched Spring 2021 and can be completed in 12 months. A new MS in Accounting is rolling out Fall 2023.
His college is leading a new initiative to reengage “stopped out” CSUDH students to come back and finish their degree through an innovative concierge style service.
His college also led the way as the first Cal State to offer alternative credentials and digital badges to students so they can easily share their skills and competencies with employers more and add it to their lifelong digital backpacks as a Comprehensive Learner Record (CLR).
Kim is a 1st generation college graduate. This drives his passion to expand access to underserved populations, including adult, returning and non-traditional students.
Over a 30-year career, he has worked for public and private universities, including Cal Maritime, SMU, ASU, OLLU and NMSU.
Dr. Elaine Carey is an accomplished historian, acclaimed scholar and passionate academic leader. In 2021, she added dean of Oakland University’s College of Arts and Sciences to the vast list of roles she’s held.
Having originally pursued her Ph.D. in history from the University of New Mexico with the intention of becoming a journalist, Carey’s detour into academia was as unanticipated as it was enlightening. It took hesitantly declining a dream job offer that’s area of focus didn’t correlate enough with her studies for her to make the transition, quickly realizing just how valuable her personal expertise was within the classroom.
Following her first position post graduate school at The University of Detroit Mercy, she continued expanding her teaching resume through positions at various schools across the nation, whilst simultaneously advancing her remarkable contributions to academic research. Having published dozens of works, she highlights her book Women Drug Traffickers: Mules, Bosses, and Organized Crime as one of her proudest achievements. Instrumental in altering the conversation surrounding women in the drug trade, this source is considered the first to assign focus to the ways in which these women have often been bosses in a number of ways — a focus previously so under explored, several fellow scholars initially assumed Carey’s presentation to be one of fiction.
Carey’s recent position was founding dean of Purdue University Northwest’s College of Humanities, Education and Social Sciences. Arriving in 2017 at the university’s inception, she played an instrumental role in the school’s development, collaborating with faculty, administration, librarians and students across all of the university’s colleges on endeavors such as general education offerings.
Dean Turner is an experienced higher education administrator, communication teacher-scholar and organizational consultant with an extensive background in gender in the workplace, strategic planning, mentoring, change management, budgeting, education technology and international education. Her focus upon collaborative working partnership has allowed her to support the creation of year-round high school to college programs, assessment practices with 100% compliance, faculty and student mentoring programs, award winning faculty educator/learning technology platforms, budget/mission alignment for net revenue gain, and award-winning international programs.
Her background in organizational communication and commitment to achieving goals that fulfill an organization’s mission has garnered her the opportunity to serve higher education in a variety of roles.Currently she serves as the finance chair for the ACE Women’s Network of Indiana, Vice Chair of Operations for the Muncie Chamber of Commerce, and Principal associate in Communication Resource Associates, LLC. Prior to arriving at Ball State University Dean Turner served as the executive director for the National Communication Association, Associate Dean at Webster University, and Associate Vice President at Saint Louis University. Her peers elected her to serve as president of the Organization for the Study of Communication, Language and Gender and chair of the Organizational Communication Division of the National Communication Association.
As an award-winning teacher-scholar, Dean Turner has published over 40 books, chapters and articles in the area of organizational communication, specifically on topics of internationalization, organizational socialization, customer satisfaction, gender, midwifery and birth, breastfeeding, and the body. In recognition of the breadth of her background she has been invited to serve on national and editorial boards including the Journal of the Association for Communication Administration, Journal of Media Critiques, Women’s Studies in Communication, Women and Language, Journal of Applied Communication, Management Communication Quarterly, Communication Monographs, and Communications Studies.
Dean Turner has earned international and national awards for her meritorious work in the field of communication including a Presidential Citation for Service from the National Communication Association, Fulbright-Nehru International Education Administrators Award for India, Learning Happens Everywhere Award for exemplary collaboration, Faculty Excellence Award and SLU Star Award. Most recently, she was an associate editor for the International Handbook of Organizational Communication that received the NCA Organizational Communication Division 2017 Edited Book Award.
She has presented or consulted for a range of Fortune 500 companies and educational associations, including the Australia and New Zealand Communication Association, American Council on Education, Universidad Interamericana de Puerto Rico Recinto de San Germán, National Brazilian Education Conference, Institute for Curriculum and Campus Internationalization, EducationUSA Training Institution, Boeing, Energizer.
Kimberly Lawless is professor of education (educational psychology) and dean of the College of Education at Penn State. She earned her Ph.D. in educational psychology at the University of Connecticut in 1996; her M.A. in educational psychology from the University of Connecticut in 1994; and her B.A. in psychology from Boston College in 1991. She joined the College this fall after a 20-year career at the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC), where she most recently held the position of associate dean for research in that institution’s College of Education.
Lawless' research, which garnered more than $30 million in grants and contracts during her time at UIC, focuses on the meaningful integration of educational technology with an emphasis on seventh- and eighth-grade students’ STEM and writing skills development.
She has been recognized throughout her career with several honors and awards, which most recently include the 2018 Distinguished Researcher in the Social Sciences from the University of Illinois at Chicago; and the 2016 Best Paper Award from the Cognition and Engaged Learning in the Digital Age Conference (CELDA).
Tom Huebner has been described in many ways throughout his career, an energetic instructor, an inspiring professor, a trusted mentor, and a visionary leader.
A native of Kansas City, Missouri Huebner earned a bachelor’s degree in communication and English from Southwest Baptist University in Bolivar, Missouri, a master’s degree in speech communication from the University of Georgia and a doctorate in communication from the University of Southern Mississippi. He also graduated from The University of Alabama's Community College Leadership Academy.
An educator for more than 30 years, Huebner began his professional career in 1990 at Southwest Baptist University as an instructor and assistant director of speech and debate. His first experience in Mississippi began in 1994 where he became an instructor of communication and director of speech and debate at William Carey University in Hattiesburg. At Carey, Huebner progressed from instructor to assistant professor to director of admissions and recruiting.
Huebner's ascent into higher education administration really began at Carson-Newman University in Jefferson City, Tennessee in the early 2000's as he moved consecutively from assistant professor and director of speech and debate to become dean of admissions, vice president of enrollment management, and vice president of student affairs.
Moving to Shelton State Community College in Tuscaloosa, Alabama in 2010, Huebner was responsible for all student services of the College and began the pursuit of a presidency. Just five years later, he was named president of East Mississippi Community College. During his tenure at EMCC, the community college was twice named an Aspen Top 150 community college and was listed as the nation’s 3rd best community college by SmartAsset. The community college was also one of only four nationwide selected by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to receive an InsideTrack grant. Huebner was also instrumental in the production of the Netflix documentary, Last Chance U, an Emmy nominated documentary series based on the redemption of disadvantaged students through the college's football program.
Dr. Thomas Huebner became the third president of Meridian Community College on July 1, 2018. Since arriving at Meridian Community College Huebner has hit the ground running. In addition to leading efforts to tell the MCC story and elevate the presence of the institution, he has worked to secure multiple grants, including substantial awards for advanced manufacturing, has developed relationships with industry and educational partners, moved the College to develop a number of new industry-relevant programs, renovated campus facilities, implemented a new strategic planning process, and received the Phi Theta KappaPresident’s Paragon Award. He was recently named top 10 over 50 for Meridian and Lauderdale County by the Meridian Star and was recently recognized by the Mississippi Business Journal as one of Mississippi’s top CEOs.
Stefani Gray Hicswa, Ph.D., became Montana State University Billings’ chancellor in January 2021. She is the first woman chancellor since the university’s founding in 1927.
Hicswa served as president of Northwest College in Powell, Wyoming from 2013-2021. Under her leadership, Northwest College achieved the highest completion rate in its history, and launched comprehensive strategic visioning, enrollment management, and facilities master plans. Prior to Northwest College, Hicswa served as president of Miles Community College in Miles City, Montana for seven years.
A first-generation college student, Hicswa holds a doctorate in educational administration from the University of Texas at Austin; a master’s degree in adult, community, and higher education from Montana State University; and a bachelor’s degree in organizational communication from the University of Montana. She was raised in Dillon, Montana, and is married to Scott Hicswa, a consulting forester. They have two teenage sons.
Scott Dolan is a leader and innovator in the development of flexible and affordable online education. He was named dean of the School of Graduate Studies at Excelsior College in May 2019.
As dean, he provides strategic academic and administrative leadership to the School of Graduate Studies, and is responsible for all academic matters, including strategic planning, budget oversight, and curriculum development, delivery, and assessment. Currently, he oversees programs in business, human resources, organizational leadership, data analytics, cybersecurity, public administration, health sciences, and criminal justice. Dr. Dolan joined Excelsior College in 2014, and has served in various roles including: Director of Assessment and Program Evaluation, Executive Director of Accreditation, Assessment and Strategy, Associate Dean of Business and Associate Dean of Graduate Studies.
Prior to joining Excelsior College, Dr. Dolan worked in the private sector as a Senior Researcher conducting program evaluations of federally- and foundation-funded programs in the P-20 education and health and human services sectors, including projects on the role of technology in education. His experience also includes nearly 15 years as an instructor at the College of Saint Rose, Siena College, Schenectady County Community College, University at Albany, and Excelsior College.
His areas of expertise include assessment, accreditation, strategic planning, and program evaluation, with research interests in complex organizations and political and economic sociology. He is published in his field and has presented widely on current issues in online higher education. When not pursuing his passion for higher education, he enjoys spending time with his wife and two children, playing golf, and following his favorite sports teams—especially the Yankees. Dr. Dolan has his PhD in Sociology from the University at Albany—State University of New York.
Devin Byrd, Ph.D., is a Clinical Psychologist and currently serves as the President for Bastyr University. Prior to joining Bastyr, he served as the Vice President for Academic Affairs for Saybrook University where he provided oversight for programs such as the Mind Body Medicine and Integrative Functional Nutrition programs, Counseling, Psychology, and Clinical Psychology degrees. His fiscal responsibility included overseeing budgets for all academic programs (for both Colleges) and the Academic Affairs Operations division (e.g., registrar, library, writing center, department of research).
He spent 13 years at South University in several roles including Associate Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, wherein his responsibilities included oversight for five (5) Colleges and one (1) School of the Institution (Arts and Sciences, Business, Health professions, Nursing and Public Health, Theology and School of Pharmacy), supervision of the College/School Deans, Faculty, and curriculum. An additional function of this role was to oversee the development and launch of new academic programs and to achieve programmatic accreditation (including reaffirmations) and programs offered across eleven campuses.
Dr. Byrd graduated from the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill with a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology and from Virginia Tech with a Master of Science and PhD degrees in Clinical Psychology. During his graduate studies, he completed his pre-doctoral internship at Brown University where he served as the Intern Representative for the Child track and completed rotations at the VA PTSD clinic, Bradley School, Child/Adolescent Inpatient facility, and the Child/Adolescent Anxiety Disorders clinic. His personal interests include spending time with his family and friends, traveling, boating, golf, and home projects.
Jeffrey Cass is the Dean of the College of Arts and Humanities at Arkansas Tech University in Russellville, AR. Prior to this appointment he was Provost at the University of Houston-Victoria and Professor of English. He also been a faculty member and administrator at the University of Louisiana at Monroe and Texas A&M International University. Jeffrey is a native of Valley Center, CA and received is Ph.D. from the University of California at San Diego. His professional field is British Romanticism and has published in the area of women and Orientalism. More recently, he has published research on the work of John Galt and William Godwin.
Dr. DeWayne Frazier currently serves as the University Provost where he is the Chief Academic and Student Development Officer for Iowa Wesleyan University. Dr. Frazier is known as an academic entrepreneur and his career is marked by enrollment growth through creative academic programming. Dr. Frazier’s portfolio includes the Adult and Graduate Programs, library services, academic support, international education, Registrar Office, Office of Student Development, career services, community service office, campus ministries and the university academic divisions (Business, Education, Humanities, Nursing, and Sciences). Dr. Frazier serves on the President’s Cabinet and is also a full professor in the Division of Business. Under Dr. Frazier’s leadership, Iowa Wesleyan has seen over 100% increase in overall student enrollment in less than two years. Under Frazier’s leadership, Wesleyan has increased international student enrollment by over 600% (18 to 120 students). Frazier has designed and incorporated a step-by-step plan for designing new academic programs and has implemented in the university wide strategic plan metrics to develop a minimum two new programs for review each academic year. Under his leadership the university has launched its first two graduate programs as well as an aggressive micro-credential program. Frazier is a national presenter on academic entrepreneurship.
Prior to serving at Iowa Wesleyan, Dr. Frazier was the associate vice president for academic affairs and dean of the Graduate School at Campbellsville University in Kentucky. At Campbellsville University, Dr. Frazier oversaw 17 different graduate programs across various disciplines including business, counseling, education, music, social work, social science, and teaching English to speakers of other languages. Frazier was responsible for implementing recruitment strategies, overseeing curriculum development and monitoring program resources. Under his leadership, the Graduate Programs grew steadily from a Full-Time Equivalency (FTE) of 453 in the Fall 2010 to 535 FTE in the Fall 2012. Two of the programs have recently (2014) been ranked by U.S. News and World Report in the top online programs in the United States.
Dr. Frazier came to Campbellsville University after serving three years as the Senior Vice President for International Programs (SVP for IP) at Upper Iowa University (UIU) in Fayette, Iowa. Dr. Frazier was responsible for overseeing UIU’s academic extension centers located in foreign locations. Upper Iowa University currently has centers in Hong Kong, Singapore, and Malaysia. Under Dr. Frazier’s leadership, full-time student numbers at the international academic extension locations have increased from 399 to 831 over the past three years. The enrollment growth reflects a 108 percent increase in total students. As the Sr. VP for IP, Dr. Frazier oversaw all academic requests, including final grade appeals, internship extensions, appeals from suspension, approval of faculty, and final review of course substitutions. Frazier served on the university wide curriculum committee and graduate curriculum committee as an ex-officio member. He also worked closely with the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association on Accreditation to assure that all programs operate within the given principles and parameters of the commission.
Dr. Frazier has presented at various conferences on topics ranging from job satisfaction to immigration regulations. He has presented at the World Conference of the International Association for the Promotion of Christian Higher Education and the NAFSA national conference. Dr. Frazier has presented on “F-1 Students for Admissions Offices” and “International Student Recruitment 101” at the Southern Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers as well as presentations on globalization. He has published numerous articles on topics such as internationalization of the campus and international recruitment.
Dr. Frazier’s earned his Bachelor’s degree from Campbellsville University in Political Science/ Mathematics. He completed his M.A. in international politics at the Patterson School for Diplomacy and International Commerce on the campus of the University of Kentucky and finished an additional M.A. at the University of Louisville in higher education administration. Dr. Frazier completed his Ph.D. in leadership at the University of Louisville. The topic of his dissertation was the “Job Satisfaction of International Educators in the Post-September 11th Era”.
Dr. Best joined UCM in August 1995 as an assistant professor of finance and became a professor in 2005. He was named chair of the Department of Economics and Finance in 2003, associate dean of the Harmon College of Business Administration in 2008 and dean of the college in 2010. Following an extensive restructuring of academic programs, Dr. Best began service as dean of the newly formed Harmon College of Business and Professional Studies in 2011. His strong business acumen contributed to Dr. Best becoming interim senior vice president for Finance and Administration in August 2017, and concurrent with a university administrative reorganization, he was appointed executive vice president and chief operating officer in January 2018. In this capacity, he was responsible for implementing a three-year budget planning cycle for the university, revising university fiscal policies and leading efforts to provide more robust reporting for budget managers. With board oversight, he also helped formalize the university’s contingency reserves guidelines.
Early in his tenure as president, Dr. Best established priorities that include: ensuring a focus on and highlight on academic quality; building a sustainable financial model, which includes automation and streamlining practices; expanding the spectrum of educational opportunities available to students, including seeking out markets beyond undergraduate and graduate degrees; strengthening alumni engagement and developing a strong fundraising arm through the UCM Alumni Foundation, including filling key staff and leadership positions; and engaging marketing and branding efforts to roll out a new slogan and graphic icon that relates to students and assists with building program-level recruitment. He has also challenged faculty and staff to continue a long legacy of being service-minded toward students and to become problem solvers.
Throughout his service at UCM, Dr. Best has shared his financial and administrative expertise to the benefit of the university. Early in his career, he was appointed to a Board of Governors Academic Affairs Subcommittee on Faculty Compensation, which recommended a new faculty compensation model ultimately approved by the board. During the 2014–2015 academic year, he played a role in the development of the university’s Strategic Resource Allocation Model (SRAM) by chairing a team that considered how the budget process could further enhance transparency and accountability, optimally allocate resources to academic programs and directly connect to student success, growth with quality and sustainability and efficiency metrics.
While serving the Harmon College, Dr. Best played a key role in the college’s accreditation by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB International), having been involved in three of the college’s Continuous Improvement Review visits by external teams. He was also engaged with AACSB at a national level, having served on the AACSB Continuous Improvement Review Committee and on numerous peer review teams for other university business programs. As dean, he oversaw the creation of the Donn G. Forbes Center for Financial Studies, funded through a private gift to the university, and facilitated a partnership with the UCM Alumni Foundation to create the Student Managed Investment Fund (SMIF) with an initial allocation of $500,000.
Dr. Best’s tenure at UCM includes a strong record of participation in department, college and university committees that have given him a broad, well-rounded knowledge of the campus community. He has served on the Faculty Senate, Academic Program Review Committee, University Research Committee, University Scholarship Committee, Professional Enhancement Committee and a number of other committees and work groups. His teaching assignments included more than 100 sections of a dozen unique courses at the undergraduate and graduate levels covering concepts in corporate finance, international finance, investments and personal finance. His professional contributions include publication of numerous scholarly research-based articles in peer-reviewed journals and more than 40 presentations at professional conferences, as well as service on the Board of Directors for both the MidAmerican Business Deans Association and the Southwestern Business Deans Association.
Dr. Best began his higher education at Georgia College in Milledgeville, where he earned a Bachelor of Business Administration with a major in management. Advanced study led to a Ph.D. in finance from Florida State University in Tallahassee.
Active members of the community, Dr. Best and his wife, Robin Best, reside in Warrensburg, Mo., and have two daughters, Amy Burk and Lindsey Keirsey, and six grandchildren. Previously, Dr. Best served as treasurer and board member of Habitat for Humanity of Johnson County, and he currently serves as a member of Johnson County Economic Development Corporation’s Board of Directors, Whiteman Area Leadership Council, Missouri Campus Compact Presidential Advisory Board and KCPT Board of Directors.
Dr. Chris Bustamante serves as the Executive Director of the Arizona Community College Coordinating Council (AC4). In this position, he leads the statewide council of presidents/chancellors of the ten community college districts in their work to advance the mission and interests of Arizona’s community colleges. He is also the former president of Rio Salado College (Rio) and the Maricopa Corporate College (MCOR), both located in Tempe, Arizona. The institutions are part of the Maricopa County Community College District (MCCCD) which serves approximately 200,000 students annually. Rio is the largest of the District’s ten individually accredited colleges and serves nearly 50,000 students each year. Dr. Bustamante retired in August 2018 after forty years of public service in Arizona, including over twenty-six years in MCCCD.
Dr. Bustamante is a well-known advocate for increasing access to higher education and degree completion. In addition, he is highly regarded for forging transformational partnerships with business, government, and educational providers.
He was appointed President of Rio in June 2010 and President of MCOR in August 2016. Prior leadership roles at Rio include: Vice President of Community Development and Student Services and Dean of Academic Affairs. Previously he served in senior level government affairs positions for MCCCD and as Assistant to the Superintendent for Community and Government Relations for the Phoenix Union High School District, and as a Legislative Assistant in the Arizona House of Representatives.
A native to Arizona, he holds both a doctorate and master’s degree in educational leadership from Northern Arizona University. He earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration from the University of Arizona and attended Pima Community College as a transfer student.
Dr. Bustamante’s commitment to higher education is noted by his leadership roles nationally and locally. He currently serves as the Board Chair for Higher Learning Advocates (HLA), a Lumina funded advocacy organization, and served as Chair of the Council for Adult and Experiential Learning (CAEL) Board of Trustees (2016-17), and as a CAEL Senior Fellow (2020-21); currently serves as a CAEL Advisory Board member (2018-Present) and ED2Work Advisory Council member (2021-). In addition, he served as a board member for the American Council on Education (ACE) (2016-2018) and Chair of ACE’s Commission on Education, Attainment, and Innovation (2014-15). He served on the Board for the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC) (2015-2017) and its Executive Committee (2017), and as President of the National Community College Hispanic Council (NCCHC) (2014-15). In 2018, he completed service as a member of the Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education (WICHE), the Presidents’ Forum Advisory Board, Credential Engine Board, and the Advisory Board for the Higher Education Research and Development Institute (HERDI). In addition, Dr. Bustamante served as President of the Continuous Quality Improvement Network (CQIN/AFIT) and member of its Executive Committee (2012-2018). He currently serves on the National Council for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements (NC-SARA) and its Executive Committee. Locally, he was co-chair of the Arizona-Mexico Commission’s Education Committee (2016-2018), Friends of Public Radio Arizona Board Member (2010-2018), and currently serves on the local boards of the Boy Scouts of America and the Be A Leader Foundation in Phoenix.
Chris and his wife, Mary, live in Tempe, Arizona, where they are raising their three daughters.
On Nov. 12, 2019, the Central New Mexico Community College (CNM) Governing Board unanimously selected Tracy Hartzler to become the sixth president of CNM. She officially began her presidency on Jan. 1, 2020.
Before becoming CNM President, Ms. Hartzler was CNM’s Vice President for Finance and Operations and has been at CNM since 2015.
In September 2021, President Hartzler was one of 25 community college presidents nationwide selected to participate in the Aspen New Presidents Fellowship, managed by the prestigious Aspen Institute College Excellence Program. The program supports community college presidents in the early years of their tenure as they strive for higher and more equitable levels of student success.
President Hartzler has been a key leader among a partnership of five colleges in New Mexico to establish the Collaborative for Higher Education Shared Services (CHESS). The five partner colleges are collaborating on an unprecedented level to implement shared technology platforms that all five colleges will use to improve the student experience from recruitment and enrollment to completion and career, as well as modernizing and streamlining technology and processes that will be consistent across the colleges for administrative, HR and financial services. CHESS’ unique structure allows the colleges to take advantage of the efficiencies of a true college system while retaining their independence and unique connections to their local communities. In addition to CNM being a founding partner for CHESS, President Hartzler also serves as the Vice Chair on the CHESS Board.
Under President Hartzler’s leadership, CNM was one of five community colleges nationwide that helped found and launch Unmudl, a national skills-to-jobs marketplace that provides working learners with the shortest, most flexible and affordable options for skilling up quickly and improving their career prospects. Businesses use the service to find the skilled workers they need to grow. President Hartzler serves as Chair for the Unmudl Steering Committee.
President Hartzler has served the public sector for more than 25 years in education, government, and policy roles. She earned her Juris Doctorate from the Columbus School of Law at the Catholic University of America. She earned her Master of Education Degree from the University of Virginia with highest honors; and she earned her Bachelor of Arts Degree, cum laude, from Saint Mary’s College in Indiana. She is a member of the New Mexico, Indiana (inactive), and District of Columbia Bars.
Dean Gilbert has been a leader in higher education for more than 20 years. She began her career as a faculty member and over the years has served in a variety of higher education leadership positions. She became the Dean of the University of Toledo’s College of Arts and Letters on July 10, 2017.
During her tenure, the College of Arts and Letters (CAL) has seen record highs in retention rates, graduation rates, and external research funding. Faculty in the College have received numerous accolades for their research excellence including four Fulbright scholars, a National Endowment for the Humanities Fellow and a winner of the Kennedy Center’s National Playwright Award. In addition, students in the college have significantly increased their participation in undergraduate research both on campus and at regional and national conferences. This past fall CAL students represented over 20% of the student participants in the University’s annual undergraduate research showcase. In the spring CAL students were part of two teams of students who competed in the international Biodesign Challenge at the Museum of Modern Art in New York city.
During her first year as Dean, Gilbert led the College through a college-level strategic planning process that identified the following five key values as the foundation for achieving strategic success during the next five years: Integrity, Excellence, Diversity, Engagement and Innovation.
Dean Gilbert is deeply committed to building the College of Arts and Letters into one of the finest liberal arts colleges, housed in a public university, in the country. In her first year as Dean, the College approved a new minor in Data Analytics. In her second year, she led a university-wide initiative to develop new majors in data analytics and data science. Other curricular initiatives under her leadership have included: a LatinX curriculum infusion project, a graduate certificate in Disability Studies, a re-activated Masters in Public Administration program, and an ongoing effort to develop an interdisciplinary doctoral program in the humanities.
Gilbert believes that creating a supportive and engaging academic environment is essential to academic excellence. During her tenure as Dean, the College established a New Scholars Program designed to create an intellectual community for students who are highly engaged in terms of their academic achievements, commitment to service and/or leadership. In addition to co-curricular activities, Gilbert has prioritized scholarship support for students in need. Under her leadership the College has created the Strategic Scholarship Initiative designed to support students in academic good standing who need a small amount of financial assistance to stay on track to graduation.
From July 2014 to July 2017, Professor Gilbert served as the Dean and Director of the Ohio State University, Lima Campus. During this time the campus saw record increases in retention rates, graduation rates, and fundraising. Under Gilbert’s leadership, the campus became known for its commitment to community engagement efforts focused on creative collaborations and service. She also served as a Professor in the OSU Department of Women’s , Gender, and Sexuality Studies. Prior to this position, she had been at the University of Toledo as a full professor and Chair, in the Department of Women’s and Gender Studies and the founding director of the School of Interdisciplinary Studies.
In addition to serving as the Dean of the University of Toledo’s College of Arts and Letters, Gilbert is also a tenured full Professor in the Department of Theatre and Film. For the past 20 years Gilbert has been an independent documentary filmmaker, teacher and scholar. She has been a national producer for public television and has produced two award-winning feature documentaries and several short non-fiction films. Her first feature documentary film, Homecoming Sometimes I am Haunted by Memories of Red Dirt and Clay, premiered nationally on PBS and won several national awards for Best Documentary. Professor Gilbert also co-authored, with Quinn Eli, a companion book to the film, also entitled Homecoming, published by Beacon Press. Her documentary, Children Will Listen, which followed DC public school children engaged in a year-long theater arts project, premiered at the 2004 AFI Silverdocs Documentary Festival and had a national primetime PBS broadcast premiere. Her films and videos have been screened in numerous international and national festivals including the Women in the Director's Chair Festival, the Chicago International Television Festival, FESPACO, the Athens International Film and Video Festival, and the Philadelphia Festival of World Cinema.
Gilbert is the recipient of several awards and fellowships including the Rockefeller Media Arts Fellowship, Harvard University's Bunting Fellowship, the Kellogg National Leadership Fellowship award and the American Council on Education Fellowship. Dean Gilbert received her bachelor's degree from Yale University, her Master of Fine Arts degree from Temple University and Ph.D. from the University of Nebraska
Tom Gallagher serves as Dean at Missoula College and Point of Contact (POC) Director for Cybersecurity Center of Academic Excellence (CAE2Y) at Missoula College. Tom has been a professor of Information Technology and Computer Science at Missoula College, University of Montana since 2001. Prior to coming to UM, Tom served in the roles of Technology Director and System Administrator. He holds a doctoral and masters degree in Education Leadership from the University of Montana, masters degree in Computer Science from Western Washington University, and baccalaureate degree in Mathematics from Carroll College. His dissertation is entitled Baccalaureate Time-to-Degree for Montana University System Two-year College Transfer Students
Marguerite Cotto had nearly four decades of service to Northwestern Michigan College when she retired in 2021. She started her career at NMC in 1979 as a Spanish instructor. It was a long way from the University of Puerto Rico where she focused on Soil Science and Hispanic Studies. She advanced to become academic chair where she developed one of the richest modern language programs of its kind in the state. She was later tapped to lead the University Center. In that role, her diplomatic leadership style united independent minded institutions under a common goal. That strength also positioned her to lead a group of programs as diverse as College for Kids and the Marine Center as Vice President of Lifelong & Professional Learning. One of her strengths was her ability to connect with a wide variety of people from different backgrounds. The other was to see endless possibilities.
Stephanie was born in Texas, raised in Colorado, and has lived, raised 3 daughters, and worked in Bozeman Montana for 26 years. All the men in her family where in construction, the ski industry, and ranching while the women were all educators going back 3 generations. It is no wonder that her professional life involves connecting industry to education and education to industry. Making these connections supports students as they reach their potential and a diverse local economy. Dean Gray holds a bachelor’s degree in Psychology from University of Colorado and a Master of Public Administration from Eastern Washington University. Stephanie has been with Gallatin College for 8 years, and two years the Dean. Prior to Gallatin College Dean Gray worked in a variety of non-profits in a home for pregnant teens, a teen shelter as a case worker, on a mental health team as a case manager, and at the local Human Resource Development Council as the Youth Development Director. Without a doubt, her favorite job, and the work that has made the largest difference in peoples lives and the communities future is as the Dean of Gallatin College!
Dave began his tenure as the President of Sauk Valley Community College in July of 2015. He serves on the Board of the Council for the Study of Community Colleges, Dixon Area Chamber of Commerce/Main Street, KSB Hospital, KSB Foundation, Sauk Valley Community Leadership Program, Sterling Noon Rotary Club, and the Shaw Media Advisory Board. In 2021, he was selected as the Dixon Citizen of the Year and the Sauk Valley Area Chamber Champion. Prior to coming to SVCC, he served 28 years as an administrator and as an English professor at community colleges in Florida, Minnesota, and Kentucky. Dave has taught graduate courses in ethical leadership in Minnesota and Kentucky. He is the editor of and contributing author for Ethical Leadership in Community Colleges: Bridging Theory and Daily Practice and the co-editor of Ethical Decision-making in Community Colleges: Not Losing Our Way, in which he and his wife Linda wrote a chapter on narcissistic leadership. Dave earned his B.A. in English from DePauw University, his M.A. in American Literature from Indiana University, and his Ph.D. in Higher Education Administration from the University of Florida. He and Linda, a clinical psychologist, have been married for more than 36 years; they are parents of three kind, intelligent, and beautiful adult daughters and have three wonderful grandchildren. Dave is the fourth of eleven children and grew up in small-town Indiana. He is a cyclist and a life-long Packer fan.
Dr. Paul R. Watson II serves as the Vice President for Instruction at Kellogg Community College. Prior to that appointment, he has served Pennsylvania College of Technology in multiple administrative roles, as a high school teacher in Jefferson, New York, and as an assistant professor of mathematics at Houghton College.
With an outlook that systems-thinking effects positive change, Watson creates and supports leadership teams and communities that are bases for sustainable change. As a transformative leader, he excels in building relationships that allow for authenticity, transparency, and collaboration where one can exemplify the curiosity, inquiry skills, and scholarly competencies needed to investigate an idea and transform it into meaningful action. Additionally, rooted in the personal belief that all students can learn and can be successful, Watson’s emphasis on the learning paradigm provides a focused perspective on student success. He is committed to ensuring the academic and economic empowerment of diverse learners and their communities by developing authentic partnerships that ensure safe and equitable learning environments that promote belonging, active engagement, and student success. He regularly engages with students, faculty and staff – sharing a meal, attending performances or athletic events, participating in student orientations and leadership development programs, as well as intentionally making connections in hallways and offices.
He has extensive experiences in higher education, and has successfully worked to provide intentional and innovative pathways for transfer, dual and concurrent enrollment, continuing education, workforce development, and career and technical education. Watson fully engages in fostering community connections as respected partners and has been recognized at the state-level for his work on chamber of commerce taskforces, civic organizations, and contributing towards multi-county economic development efforts. He has had the opportunity and experience in advocating at the local, regional, state, and national level for meaningful change in legislation that would positively affect his community, higher education, and students.
Watson serves as a Higher Learning Commission Peer Reviewer, and serves on the Executive Board of the Council of Accreditation for Two-Year Colleges.
Watson holds an Ed.D. in Educational Leadership & Management from Drexel University, an M.S. in Teaching & Curriculum from the University of Rochester, an M.S. in Mathematics Education from Syracuse University, and a B.A. in Mathematics from Houghton College.
A first-generation college student from a rural, working-class family, Laurie Chesley understands the transformative power of education first-hand. Her entire career has been dedicated to helping other students have the same life-changing experience that she was fortunate to have. It has been the honor and privilege of her life to serve this mission.
Prior to becoming the sixth President of Central Oregon Community College, Chesley was the provost and executive vice president for academic and student affairs at Grand Rapids (Michigan) Community College. She taught English at a variety of higher education institutions for 14 years, serving diverse student populations. She has 20 years of administrative experience, including as interim dean of learning at Northwestern Michigan, assistant vice president for academic affairs at Ferris State (Michigan) University, dean of humanities at Montgomery County (Pennsylvania) Community College, and then associate dean and dean of arts and sciences at Grand Rapids Community College, before becoming its vice president in 2015.
As the president of a community college – one of “democracy’s colleges” – that serves a diverse district spanning over 100,000 square miles, Chesley understands the importance of providing both the access and the supports needed by all learners who are seeking a better future – through enrichment courses, basic skills development, job training, certifications, degrees, or transfer to a four-year institution.
Marnel Niles Goins is the Dean in the College of Sciences and Humanities at Marymount University in Arlington, VA. Prior to this appointment, she was Professor of Communication at California State University, Fresno for 12 years. She is a native of Philadelphia, PA. She earned her Ph.D. from the Department of Communication and Culture at Howard University in Washington, DC and her BA from the Department of Communication at Oakwood College in Huntsville, AL. She taught courses in Small Group Communication and Organizational Communication and has a special interest in gender and racial dynamics in organizational settings.
At Marymount, a number of new academic programs have been developed under Marnel’s leadership, including a graduate certificate program for Ethics and Leadership in Criminal Justice, which launched in the Fall 2021 semester, and a B.S. in Engineering. Also new is the 4+1 M.A. in English program, which enables students to earn a B.A. in Literature & Languages or Digital Writing & Narrative Design and a M.A. in English & Humanities over five years of study at Marymount. This program facilitates a student’s transition from a broad-based liberal arts B.A. into a flexible, customizable and interdisciplinary M.A. program that concludes with a thesis or an advanced internship practicum that addresses the student’s professional goals.
Marnel has several books, book chapters, and articles published in the Communication discipline She is co-editor of The Routledge Handbook of Gender and Communication and Still Searching for Our Mothers’ Gardens: Experiences of New Tenure-Track Women of Color in ‘Majority’ Institutions. She has articles published in Communication Studies, Women & Language, and The Alliance of Black School Educators, in addition to book chapters published in Let’s Communicate and the Routledge Handbook of Applied Communication Research. She has presented papers and panels at a number of conferences, including the National Communication Association convention, Western States Communication Association convention, and Eastern Communication Association convention.
Marnel is President of the Western States Communication Association. She is the former President of the Organization for Research on Women and Communication, a former member of the National Communication Association’s Executive Committee, past Chair of the National Communication Association’s Black Caucus, and former Secretary of the National Communication Association’s Group Communication Division.
Dr. Jennifer Wimbish, President Emeritus for Cedar Valley College (CVC) of the Dallas College System, was the first African American President of the College. She is the CEO of BW Success Strategies, Incorporated, a consulting firm focused on strategic planning, success coaching, and solutions connected to problem-solving. Her leadership journey has included her serving as Provost and Chief Academic Officer at Lansing Community College in Michigan; Dean of Students and Faculty Counselor at Brookhaven College in the Dallas, Texas area; and teacher and counselor within the public school system of Corpus Christi, Texas. She is a member of the steering committee for the Texas Poor People’s Campaign, and a Co-Chair for the Dallas Affiliate Group. Dr. Jennifer Wimbish is also a member of the Dallas Alumnae Chapter of the Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated.
Dr. Wimbish has designed and taught leadership courses, presented at leadership conferences across the nation, and published a guide to student leadership. Her recent book, Leadership Wisdom for All Generations, is being used for professional development across the nation with a variety of populations. Recently, she has engaged in professional development for students, and college professionals relative to the topics of Multigenerational, Collaborative Learning, Equity in the Classroom, and Pathways to Career Success. She is a member of the Presidents’ Roundtable, a national organization committed to training and mentoring individuals aspiring to become college presidents. Dr. Wimbish is also active with her Church’s Outreach and Economic/Workforce Programs.
Dr. Wimbish’s legacy includes a number of key accomplishments. She is the founder of the Corpus Christi, Texas Black History Cultural Committee, an organization that more than forty years later continues to engage the community in historical, cultural, and equity related activities. While in Michigan, as Provost of Lansing Community College, she was instrumental in uniting organizations to develop both transitional housing for homeless families and increase access to technology for underserved populations. At CVC, she led the college to recognition as a military friendly campus, established several Early College High Schools, and initiated a Minority Male program to influence positively college youth. The college’s Phi Theta Kappa Chapter won the title of Most Distinguished Chapter in the world, contributing to Wimbish receiving its prestigious Michael Bennett Lifetime Achievement Award. Moreover, the college enrollment, completion and graduation rates increased significantly. Dr. Wimbish’s dynamic leadership has been acknowledged through such awards as the National Role Model Award from Minority Access, Incorporated, and the Woman of the Year Award from the Dallas Women’s Council.
Her involvement in the Dallas community includes service with the Best Southwest Partnership and Oak Cliff Chamber of Commerce Boards, Methodist Hospital Citizens Advisory Group, and Head Start of Greater Dallas.
Dr. Wimbish holds a Doctorate in Higher Adult and Lifelong Learning Education from Michigan State University, a Master’s Degree in Guidance and Counseling from Texas A & M University in Kingsville, Texas, and a Bachelor’s Degree in History Education from Hampton University. She is proudest of being a daughter, wife, mother, and grandmother.
Dr. Ricky Shabazz is an enthusiastic, student-centered leader with over 20 years of executive experience advancing academic achievement, educational equity, diversity, and improving access to higher education. He is an effective public speaker and team builder with an accomplished track record developing collaborative partnerships that improve student success. He specializes in enrollment management and cultivating institutional policies, processes, and culture that provide personalized student experiences and improves student outcomes. Dr. Shabazz's demonstrated strengths include using data informed decisions to lead high impact models of practice, promoting innovative solutions that stimulate inclusive dialogue amongst all stakeholders, and being a passionate lifelong learner who is absolutely committed to the mission of community colleges to educate a diverse community of learners.
As San Diego City College's President and CEO, Dr. Shabazz provides executive leadership at one of the most innovative and socially active community colleges in the nation with a focus on student completion, success, and social justice. He has previously held positions as Vice President of Student Services, San Bernardino Valley College; Dean of Student Services, El Camino College Compton Center; Associate Director of Admissions, Harvey Mudd College; MESA Program Director and Assistant Director of Undergraduate Admissions, University of California, Davis (UCD); and Analyst in the University of California Office of the President.
Dr. Shabazz earned an Ed.D. in educational leadership, a master's degree in educational administration from California State University, San Bernardino, and a bachelor's degree from UCD. His research expertise is in increasing college access for underrepresented students.
Dr. Shabazz was the first person in his family to attend college. His mother was a teenage parent and his father is a veteran. He takes pride in helping students from diverse communities achieve academic excellence and building highly effective teams. Dr. Shabazz serves on the boards of Sharp Hospitals, the San Diego Workforce Partnership, the Jackie Robinson YMCA, YPO Pacific West, A2MEND, The President's Round Table, and a host of other community agencies.
San Diego City College is an Aspen Institute Top 20 community college that is accredited by the ACCJC. City College is a Hispanic Serving Institution serving approximately 17,000 students in credit and noncredit programs. City College has nearly 1,000 employees and an annual budget of approximately $70 million.
Kenny Daugherty joined Myers McRae in 2008 as Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer and was named President in 2016. Identifying and attracting highly qualified, undeclared candidates to searches is one of his specialty.
His ability to relate to search committees and candidates stems from his 28 years of managerial experience in public and independent institutions. Throughout his career in higher education, he had responsibilities that involved interdepartmental cooperation and personnel management at multiple levels. He became known for his ability to assess candidates, which resulted in his placement on numerous search committees for professional staff and administrators across the university community.
His career in higher education administration began at the University of Alabama, where Mr. Daugherty served in the areas of facilities, planning, and services for Housing and Residential Life. During his 11-year tenure at the state flagship institution, he designed and managed the facility planning process that included a seven-year plan for building renovations, projects, and new construction, as well as developed, implemented, and maintained a building audit system for housing facilities. As a University Total Quality Management Facilitator, he led TQM teams in the Housing and Recreation departments. With student services, he also served as a judicial officer for the university.
In 1996, he joined Mercer University as Assistant Vice President for Development, steadily progressing in leadership roles to Vice President for Advancement Administration by 2003. He provided strategic management and planning for 10 operational areas including development, capital campaign, alumni services, public relations, government relations, records and research, admissions, and financial aid. Additionally, he had a major role in recruiting volunteer leadership and major contributors for Mercer University. During his career at Mercer, the university had a 35 percent growth in donors.
In the area of admissions, he assisted with the restructuring of the Admissions Office, including the development and implementation of recruiting and scholarship strategies for incoming undergraduates. In the first year of the restructuring and redesign, freshman enrollment increased by over 50 students making it the largest freshman class in Mercer history while SAT averages rose by 67 points.
Mr. Daugherty earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Mercer University. While in graduate school, he served as the Assistant Men's Basketball Coach, recruiting high school and junior college basketball players in the Southeast and Midwest and hiring and supervising the managerial staff.
Dr. James Dale (J.D.) Rottweiler became the 11th president of Cochise College on July 1, 2009. A first-generation college graduate himself, J.D. understands the importance of education in enhancing one’s quality of life.
J.D. earned a bachelor of arts in sociology with a Japanese minor in 1990, and a master of arts in sociology in 1992 from the University of Wyoming. In 2005, he earned a Ph.D. in educational leadership and policy from the University of Utah. His dissertation, “Presidential Profiles: University Presidents by Institutional Type, Control, and Reputation,” established mobility patterns for American university presidents.
J.D.’s area of expertise is in cultural studies and social mobility. He has spent a significant amount of time in Japan and produced the documentary film “A 20th Century Matsuri: The Secularization of the Japanese Religious Festival.” A teacher at heart, J.D. enjoys any opportunity to teach others the subtle meanings and influences of culture and social structure.
J.D. has over 25 years of higher education experience, ranging from small, rural colleges to large, multi-campus, urban institutions. Prior to becoming president of Cochise College, he was executive vice president for academic services and professor of sociology at Central Wyoming College. He has served as associate dean of instruction at Western Iowa Tech Community College in Sioux City, Iowa, and on the faculty at Ricks College, now Brigham Young University – Idaho, and was associate professor/chair of the Department of Sociology at Salt Lake Community College. He also is a consultant/evaluator with the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools.
J.D. is a graduate of the Community College Leadership Initiative Consortium, the Salt Lake Leadership Academy, and Leadership Fremont County in Wyoming. In 2006, he was recognized as one of Wyoming’s “40 under 40,” individuals under the age of 40 making a difference in Wyoming.
J.D.’s wife, Melanie, is also an educator; the couple has three children, and two grandsons.
Dr. Daria J. Willis serves as the 17th president of Everett Community College, an institution with over 19,000 credit and non-credit students in the Seattle Metropolitan area. She is the school’s first African American president and fourth woman in this role in its 78-year history. Everett Community College is one of eleven community colleges nationwide that earned recognition from Achieving the Dream as a “Leader College of Distinction.” EvCC was recognized for increases in the number of students completing math and English requirements during their first year, year-to-year retention and degree completion.
Drawing from her experience as a first-generation college student and a student parent, Dr. Willis has partnered actively with public school districts, four-year universities, local businesses, and not-for-profit organizations to offer services and support to students from all backgrounds. She is a member of the American Association of Community College’s Commission on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, the Aspen Ascent President Advisory Group, and the Presidential Advisory Board for the Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society. Her community service activities include the United Way of Snohomish County, the Economic Alliance of Snohomish County, and the Girl Scouts of Western Washington.
Dr. Willis was named a 2018 recipient of the American Association for Women in Community Colleges’ “40 Under 40” Award. She is a graduate of Florida A&M University and Florida State University, earning her BA, MA, and PhD in African American History.
Dr. Lori Sundberg is the 5th president of Kirkwood Community College and the first female to serve in that role. Sundberg holds a Doctor of Business Administration in Management from St. Ambrose University (2003) as well as a Master in Business Administration in Marketing from Western Illinois University (1998). She received her Bachelor of Arts degree from Knox College with a double major in Economics and History (1995). Prior to coming to Kirkwood, Sundberg served for eight years as the President of Carl Sandburg College in Galesburg, Illinois. Sundberg was the 6th president for Carl Sandburg College and the first graduate and female to lead the institution. She has more than 25 years in community College leadership.
Lee D. Lambert, J.D., has been Chancellor of Pima Community College since July 2013. Chancellor Lambert has long held that community colleges such as Pima are uniquely positioned to address systemic educational and economic inequity. Throughout his community college career, he has been an innovator in connecting industry and community colleges in order to revitalize communities through educational opportunity in an age marked by rapid technological and demographic change.
A graduate of The Evergreen State College in Olympia, Wash., Chancellor Lambert appreciates the lifelong value that a Liberal Arts education provides for thousands of our students. Chancellor Lambert received a Juris Doctor degree from Seattle University School of Law and a bachelor’s degree in Liberal Arts from Evergreen. Chancellor Lambert is a U.S. Army veteran. He was born in Seoul, South Korea, grew up on three continents, and graduated from high school in the Olympia, Wash., area.
Dr. Sandra Bauman is currently serving as the Dean/CEO for Helena College. Prior to moving into her current position, Bauman served as the college’s Associate Dean for Academic and Student Affairs. She earned her Bachelor’s degree in Modern Language from MSU-Bozeman; her Master’s degree in Public Relations from MSU-Billings; and her Doctorate in Adult and Higher Education from MSU-Bozeman, where her dissertation was on student success and retention of 2-year college students. Before her roles with Helena College, she served as Director of Academic Success for Great Falls College MSU, where she also served as an instructor and academic advisor. Additionally, she was the Director of Financial Aid at University of Providence (formerly University of Great Falls) and worked for many years with the Montana Guaranteed Student Loan Program, serving as a default prevention counselor, Default Prevention Manager, and Client Services Manager.
Dr. Josh Baker is the vice president of instructional services at Pikes Peak Community College in Colorado. He oversees academics, including supports such as libraries and tutoring. Pikes Peak Community College (PPCC) offers more than 200 certificates and degrees and prepares students for transfer and/or employment in a variety of fields. PPCC serves nearly 20,000 students annually at three campuses and other off-site locations.
Prior to PPCC, Josh was a campus and academic dean at Bates Technical College in Washington, an assistant dean at Vincennes University in Indiana, and a faculty member/coordinator/program manager/coach at Highline College in Washington.
Josh earned a doctoral degree from Oregon State University, where he completed the Community College Leadership Program and researched actions of community college presidents that increased organizational trust. His master’s and bachelor’s degrees are from Brigham Young University.
Josh and his wife, Toni, invest their free time in the activities of their three kids, and enjoy exploring the beautiful hiking trails of Colorado.
Since her hire at Bates as the dean of continuing education, apprenticeship and child studies in 2013, Dr. Lin Zhou served as dean of instruction and executive dean before becoming the vice president of institutional effectiveness and student success in 2016. Previously, she held the positions of associate dean of extended learning, and director of branch campus and continuing education at Lake Washington Institute of Technology.
Dr. Zhou holds a Ph.D. in education, with an emphasis in community college leadership, from Oregon State University, a master's degree in business administration from City University in Seattle, an Associate Degree in computer science and networking technology from Lake Washington Institute of Technology, and an Associate Degree in accounting from Renmin University of China. In 2017, Dr. Zhou participated in the Harvard University's Institute for Educational Management, administered by the university's Graduate School of Education.
Dr. Zhou is a member of the Washington State Community and Technical Colleges, where she chaired the Capital Budget Committee and served on the Executive Committee during the 2019-2020 academic year. Dr. Zhou is a member of the Board of Trustees for the American Technical Education Association and the Past President of Region 6. She also serves on the board for the Pierce County Workforce Development Council and College Sparks Foundation, City Club of Tacoma. In November 2019, Dr. Zhou was appointed as the Board of Trustee for the Washington State Adult Education Advisory Council. Dr. Zhou was also appointed to serve on the board for Aerospace Joint Apprenticeship Committee (AJAC) in February 2021.
In addition to her career in education, Dr. Zhou has experience in the business sector as a project manager for IT companies in China. Dr. Zhou is the college's first female president, and the first female Chinese immigrant to serve as president at a public two-year college in Washington state.
Dr. Waded Cruzado has served as the 12th president of Montana State University since 2010. She is well known for her understanding of the Morrill Act, which created the land-grant university system, and she is a passionate champion of the tripartite land-grant mission of education, research and public outreach.
MSU has set new student enrollment records under Cruzado's leadership, becoming the fastest growing and largest university in the state, and students routinely win prestigious national awards, including Rhodes, Goldwater, Truman and Udall scholarships. Cruzado is also known for placing student success as the campus’s top priority.
During Cruzado’s tenure MSU’s research enterprise has flourished; the university tallied an all-time high for research expenditures in 2019–2020, totaling $167 million, and MSU has competitively won more than $650 million for sponsored research projects. MSU is classified as R1 in the Carnegie Classification for "very high research activity," and is one of only two universities nationally with an R1 classification that is also classified as Very High Undergraduate enrollment.
Under Cruzado’s leadership the campus has seen numerous major construction and renovation projects. Current projects include the renovation and repurposing of Romney Hall and the construction of a new American Indian Hall. Completed projects include Norm Asbjornson Hall, Jabs Hall, Gaines Hall and the Animal Bioscience Building. Cruzado has also overseen significant improvements to student facilities, including new residence halls, recreation and dining facilities.
Philanthropic support has grown for MSU during her tenure. Among other efforts, MSU’s comprehensive fundraising campaign raised more than $413 million, and construction is underway on MSU’s donor-funded Bobcat Athletic Complex.
Cruzado has provided new pathways to higher education with the establishment of Gallatin College MSU, and she obtained approval to designate the Honors Program as the Honors College. MSU also won a grant for the LaunchPad, a program that introduces entrepreneurship as a viable career option and provides university students and alumni with support for entrepreneurial ventures.
MSU’s national reputation is strong. Notable recognition includes winning the C. Peter Magrath University Community Engagement Award from the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities, and the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching awarded MSU its community engagement classification. Cruzado has also enhanced alumni and community relations. One visible community project is the CatWalk, an annual celebration of the relationship between MSU and the community.
Cruzado chairs the board of the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities and is a commissioner of the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities. She has also served on numerous boards; current board memberships include the American Council on Education, Campus Compact, U.S. Bank and the Burton K. Wheeler Center.
Her awards include the “Hero” Award from the National Alliance on Mental Illness – Montana Chapter; the Chief Executive HR Champion Award from the College and University Professional Association for Human Resources; and the Michael P. Malone Educator of the Year from the Montana Ambassadors. She also was recognized as a Paul Harris Fellow by Rotary International and was awarded the Seaman A. Knapp Memorial Lectureship.
Cruzado previously served as executive vice president and provost at New Mexico State University. A native of Puerto Rico, she has a son and a daughter and two grandchildren.
Teresa Rivenes, PhD and Ed.D, is in her third year as the Vice President of Instruction at Tillamook Bay Community College which is a small rural community college on the beautiful Oregon Coast. Teresa started her higher educational journey teaching psychology and sociology at Park University and then at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University where she also served as campus center director. From there she went to work at Great Falls College-MSU where she fell in love with the mission of community college and community college student success. Believing that community college is the foundation of democracy, and a primary driver for socio-economic equality, Teresa cannot imagine a future where she does not further the work of community college.
Teresa has 19 years of experience leading teams to successful outcomes and 11 years of experience in midsize rural community college leadership which she considers her primary area of expertise. She is passionate about relationship based management, curriculum outcomes design, strategic planning for long term success, innovative educational solutions, and building community partnerships that support student success and economic mobility. Teresa is a recognized voice in Oregon academic affairs serving as Chair of the Oregon Chief Instructional Administrators (CIA) a statewide group consisting of Vice Presidents from all of Oregon’s 17 community colleges. Since 2013 she has also served as an NWCCU peer accreditor and chair of several mission fulfillment visits.
Teresa’s awards include the Distinguished Scholar award (2020) from Montana State University for her research in community college governance and unfunded mandates, the Rising Star in Education (2019), the 21016/2017 President’s Innovation Award, and the 2017 John And Suanne Rouesche Award among others. She graduated from both Leadership Great Falls and Leadership Medford. And, she is a 2020-2021 NWCCU Assessment fellow.
Teresa and her husband Bret live walking distance from the ocean where they share their home with two Old English Bulldogge’s, Diesel and Diva, who rule the house. Their seven grown children live across Montana and Oregon. Besides the dogs, their joys in life include their nine beautiful grandchildren.
Dr. Tim Cook has spent the last 30 years working to improve student success at the individual and system level so all students can achieve their educational goals. He has a proven record of developing partnerships with business and education that lead to mutually beneficial outcomes. A first-generation college student, Dr. Cook personally understands how community colleges provide economic mobility for students and the communities where they live.
A native of Oregon City and proud graduate of Oregon City high school, Dr. Cook joined Clackamas Community College as its eighth president in 2018.
Prior to Clackamas, Dr. Cook was the chief academic officer at Clark College in Southwest Washington. Dr. Cook led the implementation of the college’s initial three Applied Bachelor’s degrees. He championed the redesign and remodel of the Culinary Institute and led the guided pathways college initiative.
Dr. Cook has worked as a faculty counselor, he taught courses in human development and sociology as a tenured faculty member for more than 14 years. He has served as division chair for the behavioral sciences, director of counseling and acting dean of student success and retention. He successfully co-led a college’s comprehensive accreditation self-study.
Dr. Cook earned a doctorate in community college leadership from Oregon State University. He holds a master’s degree in counseling psychology from Lewis & Clark College and a bachelor’s degree in English from Western Oregon University. Outside of work, he enjoys spending time with his wife, three children and puppy. An avid runner, he has completed 33 marathons in 22 states.
Dr. Daniel P. Corr has served as the ninth president of Arizona Western College in Yuma, Arizona since 2016. Dr. Corr is focused on facilitating student success, increasing access to higher education, creating a comprehensive strategic plan, and fostering a climate of innovation, collaboration and stewardship at AWC.
He has always placed an emphasis on establishing and maintaining community partnerships. He also remains committed to being responsive to local business needs. Locally, he serves on the Yuma County Workforce Development Board, the Yuma County Intergovernmental Public Transportation Authority Board of Directors, the Yuma County Ag Producers Scholarship Fund Review Committee, the Yuma Education Consortium, the Arizona Western College Foundation Board, and the Consortium for Higher Education Sonora-Arizona. Additionally, Dr. Corr Daniel serves on the AZ network (RRN)for the “Reskilling and Recovery” work in Arizona pairing College programs and resources to upskill and reskill workers for economic recovery. Under his leadership, AWC Career & Technical Education created the first Community College Manufacturing Program with TBIC certification (Transatlantic Business & Investment Council) to train students in the U.S. with global electrical and construction standards to attract more European companies to our community, and provide a well-prepared workforce.
Dr. Corr serves on a number of additional local, state, and national boards. However, his greatest passion is for AWC’s students and their success. This focus on student success and community partnerships is why you will hear Dr. Corr exclaim “It is a great day to be a Matador!”
Dr. Michael Reed is currently serving as the Vice President for Academic Affairs & Provost for the Pennsylvania College of Technology. The Pennsylvania College of Technology is a national leader in applied technologies and a special affiliate of the Pennslyvania State University (Penn State). Prior to the provost role, Mike served as the Vice President for Academic Operations, and as the Dean and Assistant Dean for the School of Sciences, Humanities and Visual Communications. In all of these roles, Mike has had the opportunity to work closely with industry and faculty experts to ensure students are equipped to advance within their chosen degree fields.
Prior to joining the Pennsylvania College of Technology, Mike worked in public education for over 20 years, most recently serving as the principal for the Williamsport Area High School, a large urban public high school in Williamsport, PA and at SciTech High School, a STEM magnet school in Harrisburg, PA. At Williamsport, Mike worked closely with Advanced Placement and career and technical education programs to assist in the transformation of their high school, and at SciTech, he worked diligently to connect students and teachers with high demand, industry leaders and the local colleges. Both high schools created a culture of rigor and relevance and demonstrated historic achievement growth in all areas measured by the Pennsylvania Department of Education.
Mike earned his bachelor of science degree in secondary education through Clarion University. He completed his master’s degree and school counseling certification at Indiana University of Pennsylvania, and his school administrative certifications were awarded through the Pennsylvania State University. Michael completed his doctoral studies through Drexel University with a focus on innovation and a concentration in educational leadership.
Michael has an extensive background in collaborative and system leadership, innovation, career readiness, instructional design, formative assessments, comprehensive literacy, problem-based learning, data driven decision-making, instructional coaching, and professional development.
Michael is active in the community, recently serving the Salvation Army as their board’s vice chairperson, and he currently serves on the Lycoming County Chamber of Commerce’s Advisory Board. In addition, Mike routinely volunteers in youth development programs and assists at a local outdoor conservation club.
Kimberly Moffitt (Ph.D. in communication/media studies from Howard University) joined the UMBC community as an assistant professor of American Studies. Before assuming the role of interim dean for the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences, she was professor and director of the Language, Literacy and Culture doctoral program and affiliate professor of Africana Studies. A media critic whose research focuses on mediated representations of marginalized groups as well as the politicized nature of Black hair and the body, Dr. Moffitt has published several articles and book chapters, as well as five co-edited volumes, including Michelle Obama and the FLOTUS Effect: Platform, Presence, and Agency (Lexington Books, 2019), Gladiators in Suits: Race, Gender, and the Politics of Representation in Scandal (Syracuse University Press, 2019), Blackberries and Redbones: Critical Articulations of Black Hair and Body Politics in Africana Communities (Hampton Press, 2010), The Obama Effect: Multidisciplinary Renderings of the 2008 Campaign (SUNY Press, 2010) and The 1980s: A Transitional Decade? (Lexington Books, 2011). Her latest work explores the black body in Disney programming and the impact of colorism on Black teens. Dr. Moffitt often writes op-ed articles for the Baltimore Sun and is a frequent guest on local public radio, television, and Internet broadcasting programs. She is a member of the public service sorority, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., the secretary of the board of the National Association for Media Literacy Education (NAMLE), and the founding parent and former board member of Baltimore Collegiate School for Boys Charter School, a 4th-8th college preparatory school.
Steve began his 20-plus year career in higher education at Sauk Valley Community College where he spent 16 years serving students as a faculty member in the Department of Biology, 14 years as the advisor of Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society, and two years as President of the Faculty Union. He spent his last eight years at Sauk Valley as a senior administrator supervising various departments. In his last role as vice president, Steve provided leadership over all for-credit and non-credit academic programs, student services, the Small Business Development Center, adult education (G.E.D./E.S.L.), and student recruitment. While at the College, Steve also served as a Higher Learning Commission peer reviewer where he participated in over ten accreditation reviews of community colleges.
In 2020, Steve was hired at Pennsylvania Highlands Community College as their fifth President. He currently serves as a Board Member for the Cambria Regional Chamber of Commerce, Somerset County Chamber of Commerce, and the Southern Alleghenies Workforce Development Board. He is also a member of the Greater Johnstown Regional Partnership, the Ebensburg Rotary Club, and the Blair County Chamber of Commerce Executive Roundtable.
He earned an associate degree from Southwest Virginia Community College, both a bachelor’s and master’s degree in biology from Virginia Tech, and a doctorate in community college leadership (Ed.D.) from Ferris State University.
Dr. David Krueger is a higher education professional with over 30 years extensive experience in collaborating and partnering with Career and Technical Education (CTE) professionals, university administrators, industry and community leaders. Dr. Krueger began his career as a high school agriculture teacher and CTE professional in Idaho before moving to Michigan to earn a doctorate degree in Agriculture and Extension Education at Michigan State University and begin preparing the next generation of CTE professionals. Dr. Krueger has collaborated on many CTE curriculum projects around the country and started CTE programs to meet the needs of the ever-changing skilled workforce landscape.
In the summer of 2018 Dr. Krueger accepted the position of Dean in the College of Technical Sciences at Montana State University – Northern. Dr. Krueger directs the college which offers a wide range of degrees and programs through a blend of applied, project-based curricula that educates a diverse group of students. Graduates of the College are equipped with strong analytical capabilities, the latest in cutting-edge technologies, and the skills for innovation, entrepreneurship, and leadership. They continue to fuel the economic and technological development of Montana and beyond. The College of Technical Sciences strives to become a leader nationwide in shaping new concepts of applied technical and apprenticeship education.
Dr. Coll was born in Havana, Cuba, and migrated to the United States during the 1980 Mariel Boat Lift. After serving as a noncommissioned officer in the United States Marine Corps, he completed a bachelor’s degree in Social Work from Saint Leo University, his master’s degree in Social Work from the University of Central Florida, and a Ph.D. in Counseling Education and Supervision from the University of South Florida.
Dr. Coll is the Dean of the School of Social Work and Acting Dean of the College of Education at Portland State University. Additionally, he has held administrative and faculty positions at Texas State University, University of Southern California, and Saint Leo University. His research interests have been predominantly on worldview development and counseling veterans with a focus on veteran transition. He is the author and co-editor of numerous publications, including The Counselors Primer for Counseling Veterans, Linus Publications; co-editor of The Handbook of Military Social Work, Wiley Press; Student Veterans in Higher Education: A Primer for Administrators, Faculty, and Advisors, Lyceum Books and most recent Civilian Lives of U.S. Veterans: Issues and Identities, Praeger Publishing.
He is a graduate of the American Council on Education (ACE) Fellows Program, University of California, Berkeley, Executive Leadership Academy (ELA), Harvard’s Institute for Management Development Program (MDP), Harvard’s Institute for Management and Leadership in Education (MLE).
Roberta “Robbie” Teahen’s professional experiences include secondary and postsecondary teaching and leadership roles. Dr. Teahen most recently served as Associate Provost at Ferris State University and as founding director of the Doctorate in Community College Leadership. Effective January 2021, she will continue teaching and dissertation advising in this nationally recognized leadership program.
Prior to joining Ferris as a dean and her subsequent associate provost role, Dr. Teahen spent more than 30 years at Northwestern Michigan College in Traverse City, Michigan, where she began as an adjunct faculty member and concluded her career as the Dean of Workforce Development. Throughout her long administrative career, Dr. Teahen has consistently taught in the areas of business, education, and leadership. Teaching assignments have included undergraduate and graduate teaching for Northwestern, Ferris, Western Michigan University, and Michigan State University.
She earned her doctorate in Higher, Adult, and Lifelong Education at Michigan State University in 2000. Professional endeavors include extensive service to the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) as a team chair, assessment mentor, and member of the Institutional Actions Council. She is also a long-serving board member of the Community College Baccalaureate Association and serves on a committee of the Association for the Advancement of Learning in Higher Education.
Recent recognitions include the Athena Grand Traverse Award in 2014, the Distinguished Woman in Higher Education recognition by the Michigan chapter of the American Council on Education (ACE) in 2015, and being selected as a Fellow of Northwestern Michigan College, the college’s highest honor, in 2020.
Robbie is committed to the value of education and learning and regularly helps others to advance their educational and professional careers. In her personal life, she has been married for 50+ years, has two beautiful and intelligent grown daughters, and three amazing grandchildren. For fun, she enjoys theatre, travel, golf, cooking, and time with many good friends.
Seth Bodnar currently serves as the 19th president of the University of Montana where he works alongside students, faculty, staff and the community to ensure students from all walks of life and backgrounds have access to a quality education that prepares them for successful careers and lives as engaged, service-minded citizens.
Before coming to the University of Montana, President Bodnar was a senior executive at the General Electric Company, serving as its first-ever Chief Digital Officer and leading GE Transportation’s Digital Solutions business. Prior to GE, President Bodnar served on faculty at West Point where he taught economics.
President Bodnar graduated first in his class from West Point, received both the Rhodes and Truman scholarships, and earned two master’s degrees from the University of Oxford. President Bodnar had a distinguished military career, serving in the 101st Airborne Division and the U.S. Army’s First Special Forces Group. As a member of the Army’s elite Green Berets, he commanded a Special Forces detachment on multiple deployments around the world and later served as a special assistant to the Commanding General in Iraq.
President Bodnar is the son of two educators and the husband of a fifth-generation Montanan. He is very proud to be raising three kids in Montana, and he considers it a great honor to be working on behalf of public education in such a special place.
Dr. Stacy Klippenstein is the President of Mohave Community College (MCC). Prior to joining Mohave Community College, Dr. Klippenstein served as the President of Miles Community College (Miles City, Montana) from January 2014 – June 14, 2019. Previously, Dr. Klippenstein served as the Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs and Enrollment Management at Montana State University Billings, which includes the City College, a two-year technical college. From this experience, Dr. Klippenstein became passionate about two-year education and helping students attain industry recognized credentials, certificates, and two-year degrees. He knows that a college education can transform the lives of so many and a community college contributes to the economic growth of any small, rural community.
Prior to his time at Montana State University Billings, Dr. Klippenstein served as the Assistant Vice President for Student Affairs and Director of Housing and New Student Programs at Central Washington University. He has also worked at Texas Tech University and Northern Arizona University in various capacities. He received a bachelor’s and master’s degree from Eastern Montana College (now Montana State University Billings) and a doctorate in higher education leadership from Nova Southeastern University. Dr. Klippenstein also serves as a Senior Associate Consultant for the Strategic Enrollment Planning division of Ruffalo Noel Levitz. Over the past 30 years, Dr. Klippenstein served as an instructor for many first-year experience, student leadership, psychology, and graduate courses.
Dr. Klippenstein is married to Carrie Klippenstein and has two sons, Steven and Ty. Both are successful college graduates. In his spare time, Dr. Klippenstein enjoys a round of golf, spending time outdoors, traveling with Carrie, and spending time with friends and family.
Dr. Jane A. Karas became the 11th president of Flathead Valley Community College (FVCC) in Kalispell, Montana, on July 1, 2001. Dr. Karas began her service at FVCC as the vice-president/dean of instruction and student services beginning July 1999. She holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Wellesley College and a Ph.D. in social policy from the Heller School at Brandeis University. Dr. Karas has published numerous articles and has given presentations on education policy, economic development and workforce training.
Dr. Karas serves as chair of Montana Campus Compact (MTCC) Board of Directors, Past-Chair of the board of directors for North Valley Hospital, and Past-President of Kalispell Daybreak Rotary. She is also a board member of the Kalispell Chamber of Commerce and a Board member of Logan Health Care. In addition, Dr. Karas has served as chair of the National Campus Compact Board Executive Committee and as a past board member of Northwest Healthcare. Dr. Karas served as chair of the Board for the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC) from 2013-2014.
She was honored with the 2009 and 2016 Association of Community College Trustees (ACCT) Chief Executive Officer Award for the Mountain Region and was the recipient of the 2003 Montana Ambassadors Educator of the Year Award. In addition, Dr. Karas received the 2016 Association of Community College Trustees, Marie Y. Martin Chief Executive Officer Award.
Nicolle Parsons-Pollard is Associate Provost for Faculty Affairs and a professor of Criminal Justice and Criminology at Georgia State University. In her administrative role, she is responsible for faculty development to strengthen teaching and research as well as leadership programming for administrators. She is also responsible for developing policies and assisting with the promotion and tenure process.
Dr. Parsons-Pollard continues her research on disproportionate minority contact and program evaluation. The second edition of Disproportionate Minority Contact Current Issues and Policies was released in 2017.
She is a graduate of Virginia Commonwealth University and has a Ph.D. in Public Policy and Administration. Dr. Parsons-Pollard also completed the American Council on Education (ACE) Fellows Program in 2014-2015.
Clifford P. Coppersmith, Ph.D., is in his third year as the sixth president of Chesapeake College. He brought with his appointment almost 30 years of experience as a faculty member and leader in higher education, with a particular focus on applied technology education. In his work at Chesapeake he has focused on continuing the development of Chesapeake College as a rural comprehensive community college providing both liberal arts transfer and professional and career focused programming for the residents of the five counties of the Eastern Mid-Shore region of Maryland.
Born in the West Indies, he grew up on his Grandfather’s farm in Western New York and began his own college education at Jamestown Community College’s Cattaraugus County Campus. He later completed advanced degrees at St. Bonaventure University and Oklahoma State University. He attended school and paid for college, including graduate school, through military service in the National Guard and Army Reserve as an enlisted man and later commissioned officer in military intelligence and civil affairs. He also served as an intelligence officer with the Central Intelligence Agency in Washington, D.C. prior to pursuing his graduate education.
Cliff began his professional higher education career as faculty, teaching history and anthropology at the College of Eastern Utah where he was tenured before transitioning to administrative leadership as a dean and assistant dean at the Pennsylvania College of Technology, a special mission affiliate of the Pennsylvania State University. He last position before relocating to the Eastern Shore was Dean and CEO at City College at Montana State University in Billings, Montana.
Cliff and his wife Kathleen live in Queen Anne’s County and have three children and three grandchildren. They enjoy working and living in and exploring the Eastern Shore.
Dr. Marie desJardins joined Simmons University as the Inaugural Dean of the College of Organizational, Computational, and Information Sciences in 2018. Previously, she was a member of the computer science faculty at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, from 2001 to 2018, most recently as the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs in the College of Engineering and Information Technology. Before joining the faculty at UMBC, she was a Senior Computer Scientist at SRI International. She earned her A.B. in Engineering from Harvard University and her Ph.D. in Computer Science from the University of California, Berkeley.
Her research is in artificial intelligence, focusing on the areas of machine learning, multi-agent systems, decision making, and interactive AI. She was named one of the "Ten AI Researchers to Follow on Twitter" by TechRepublic and one of "14 Women in AI You Should Follow on Twitter" by craigconnects. She has published over 135 scientific papers on AI and CS education, and has been PI or co-PI on nearly $12,000,000 of external research funding, including a prestigious NSF CAREER Award. She has mentored 13 Ph.D. students, 27 M.S. students, and nearly 100 undergraduate researchers. She is known on campus and throughout her professional community for her dedication to mentoring, diversity, outreach, and innovative educational practices.
Dr. desJardins is a Fellow of the Association for the Advancement of Artificial Intelligence (AAAI) and a Distinguished Member of the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM). She is a recipient of the Distinguished Alumni Award in Computer Science from UC Berkeley; the A. Richard Newton Educator ABIE Award from the Anita Borg Institute; the NCWIT Undergraduate Research Mentoring Award; and the CRA Undergraduate Research Mentoring Award. She was the 2014-2017 UMBC Distinguished Teaching Professor, was an inaugural UMBC Hrabowski Innovation Fellow, and was named one of UMBC's ten "Professors Not to Miss" in 2011.
Dr. desJardins is known nationally for her support of and commitment to improving student diversity, access, and quality of computer science courses at the high school level, and received multiple NSF awards to support her efforts in this area. She was the lead PI on the NSF-sponsored "CS Matters in Maryland" project, which created curriculum and trained high school teachers to teach the AP CS Principles course. She built a statewide coalition in Maryland to increase access to K-12 CS education, with a focus on inclusion and diversity, and cofounded the Maryland Center for Computing Education, which received $5,000,000 in state funding for teacher preparation and advocacy. She was the Maryland team leader for the Exploring Computing Education Pathways (ECEP) Alliance and a founding member of the Maryland chapter of the Computer Science Teachers Association.
Dr. Susan J. Wolff, CEO/Dean of Great Falls College MSU is a 5th generation Montanan raised on a cattle ranch homesteaded in Hall, Montana in 1876. Susan earned her bachelor’s degree from Montana State University. Later in her career, she earned her master’s and doctorate degrees from Oregon State University. Dr. Wolff was an educational leader at the community college and university levels in the States of Oregon and Washington before returning to Montana July 2012 to accept the position at Great Falls College MSU.
Creating strong, collaborative relationships with community agencies, business and industry, government, and other education partners opens doors to success. Susan’s career passion is building community through education, economic growth, and workforce development. She has worked with national and state policy advisors, agencies, and departments to develop new education opportunities in her quest to improve the lives of others.
Dr. Wolff currently serves on the following boards: Great Falls Development Authority; Great Falls Area Chamber of Commerce and its Agriculture and Military Affairs Committees; United Way of Cascade County Campaign Cabinet; and within the last two years termed off the Montana Chamber of Commerce; Montana Manufacturing Extension Center Advisory Board; Montana Ambassadors; and the Mountain Pacific Patient and Family Advisory Council.
Susan is a Rotarian, a 2019 graduate of Leadership Montana, was named the Mike Malone Educator of the Year for the State of Montana in 2015 by the Montana Ambassadors, and honored to be given the Phi Theta Kappa Distinguished College Administrator Award in 2012.
In January 2020, Ron Slinger became the 9th President of Miles Community College located in Miles City, Montana. Prior to taking this position, he served as Vice President for Institutional Advancement, Strategic Partnerships, and Workforce Solutions at Red Rocks Community College in Colorado. During his career, he has raised over $36 million dollars in capital needs, scholarships, academic program support, and student support services. Ron has a long track record of building strategic partnerships that benefit the community, employers, and the faculty, staff, and students of the college he is working for.
Ron has been elected to four public offices: County Commissioner, Mayor, City Council, and School Board. He is currently in the final stages of completing his Doctorate in Community College Leadership from Ferris State University (Michigan). He holds a Masters Degree in Higher Education Student Affairs from Bowling Green State University (Ohio)and a Bachelors Degree in Communications from The Defiance College (Ohio). At Defiance College, he was a four-year starter and three-time captain on the football team as well as a four-time national qualifier on their speech team.
Dr. Jon Harbor joined Purdue Global as provost in 2020. Previously, he served as the provost and executive vice president for the University of Montana and as executive director of digital education and associate vice president for teaching and learning at Purdue University. Harbor champions teaching excellence and the expansion of quality online education to meet the needs of diverse learners. He is experienced in designing processes that help academic organizations develop and implement novel strategies for success, with a particular focus on access, innovation, and excellence.
At the University of Montana, Harbor oversaw academic and student affairs and, with his team, launched partnerships to develop new online programs, transitioned to a data-informed academic advising model, designed a new budget model, and encouraged pedagogical transformations through a teaching excellence initiative. He joined Purdue University as an associate professor in 1994 and was promoted to full professor in 2001.
Harbor was recognized with Purdue University’s top awards for both undergraduate teaching and graduate mentoring and was inducted into Purdue’s “Book of Great Teachers.” He has served in a wide range of leadership positions at the university level, including associate vice president for research, dean of a college of liberal arts and sciences, founding/interim director of a global sustainability institute, and founding co-director of a learning research center.
Harbor was born in England and completed his undergraduate studies at Cambridge University and his PhD in geological sciences at the University of Washington. His research and education initiatives have been supported by grants from the National Science Foundation, the Environmental Protection Agency, NASA, National Geographic, and international science foundations. Harbor has served as a Fulbright Senior Scholar, an American Council on Education Fellow, and a European Union Marie Curie Fellow. In 2015, Stockholm University awarded him an honorary doctorate.
An effective communicator with varied audiences, Harbor is a frequent speaker at conferences, at academic institutions, and for community, business, and K–12 audiences.
Dr. John Cech is the 18th President of Carroll College
Dr. Cech previously served in the Montana University System for the past 16 years, first as the leader of City College at MSU Billings, which doubled its enrollment and significantly expanded its campus footprint under Cech’s leadership. Cech spent eight year as Deputy Commissioner of Higher Education for the Montana University System, where he was responsible for Academic, Research, and Student Affairs for the State.
During his tenure, the Montana University System was recognized for its work through Complete College America as one of four states in the nation to make systemic advances in key initiatives around student success and completion. Cech has led the CCA efforts for Montana and was recently appointed by the Complete College America President as one of 50 CCA Fellows in the nation.
Prior to his tenure with the Montana University System, Cech served Rocky Mountain College for 15 years, first as a faculty instructor, then as a director, and eventually as Dean of Community Services, Continuing Education and Summer Sessions. Cech earned a doctorate in higher education leadership, a master’s degree in nonprofit management, and a baccalaureate in business administration and computer information systems.
Cech is also looking forward to working with Carroll faculty and staff to underscore the importance of the liberal arts as the foundation of Carroll’s academic programs and to explore opportunities for expansion of graduate and undergraduate opportunities for students at the College. During his interview, he discussed his desire to engage faculty, staff, students, alumni, and trustees to create a shared vision and strategic plan for the future of Carroll College. “Carroll’s future is so bright given its amazing academic reputation with outcomes such as highest athletic GPA in the NAIA conference, 85 percent acceptance rate into medical school, and nearly 100 percent acceptance rate into graduate schools,” said Cech.
Prior to applying for the presidency, Cech and his wife Victoria already had a special familiarity with Carroll. “As the parents of a Saint (son Isaiah is a current junior), both Victoria and I believe in Carroll College, its mission and the large impact the Carroll experience has on students,” said Cech.
For the past several years, I have had the pleasure of getting to know many of the faculty, staff and Carroll community, the mission, and its Catholic identity. I’ve come to see firsthand that ‘Not for School, But for Life’, isn’t just some motto on a plaque. It’s something real and life-giving.”
Cech assumed the Carroll presidency in June 2018. He replaced Rev. Stephen Rowan, PhD, who served as interim president for the college since August 1, 2017, after former President Thomas Evans, PhD, stepped down to accept the position of president at the University of the Incarnate Word in San Antonio, Texas.D