President

Alfred State College has selected Dr. John M. Anderson as President, effective in March 2008. Dr. Anderson is currently Executive Vice President and Provost at Hartwick College in Oneonta, NY, where he provides leadership to the College's academic schools and departments and oversees the development and administration of annual budgets, strategic planning for academic affairs, the development and implementation of academic regulations, and the recruitment of new faculty. In addition, he has recently served as interim Vice President for Student Life at the College.

Prior to this position, Dr. Anderson served as Vice President of Academic Affairs at State University of New York (SUNY) Institute of Technology from 2003 to 2004, and Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs at Alfred State College from 1999 to 2003. For the eight years prior, Dr. Anderson held several positions at Alfred State, including Vice President for Institutional Advancement, Dean of Student Development, and Vice President for Student Services.

Executive Vice President

The Alliance for Academic Internal Medicine (AAIM) has selected Bergitta E. Smith as their new Executive Vice President. She will join the AAIM team in the summer 2008.

Ms. Smith brings a rich blend of leadership experience with an academic medical center, a community hospital, physician groups, and medical associations. Since 2004 Ms. Smith has worked with medical associations, most recently as the Chief Operating Officer for the National Patient Safety Foundation. Earlier in her career, she spent eleven years leading the administrative functions of a variety of physician group practices. In 1999, she joined Children's Hospital of Philadelphia where she spent the next five years as a Director of Ambulatory Practice Management and later Director of Medical Staff Affairs. She has also served as the president of the board of directors of the Medical Group Management Association (MGMA), and is currently the Chair of the MGMA Investment Advisory Subcommittee and a member of the Finance/Audit Committee. Ms. Smith holds a bachelor of arts from Indiana University of Pennsylvania, Indiana, Pennsylvania. This search was led by Denise Gaffney with Gail Gregory.

Director, Academic Affairs

The American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM) has selected William Iobst, M.D., F.A.C.P. as their Director of Academic Affairs. He will join the ABIM team in the summer of 2008.

Since 2002, Dr. Iobst has been Vice Chairman for Educational Affairs for the Department of Medicine and Designated Institutional Official at Lehigh Valley Hospital. Dr Iobst is also an Associate Professor of Clinical Medicine at the Pennsylvania State College of Medicine. He brings a long career in graduate medical education, and has served in numerous leadership roles including Program Director of the Internal Medicine and Transitional Year Residency Programs, and Director of Faculty Development. As Program Director, he was responsible for elevating the quality of the internal medicine residency programs by implementing standardized assessment tools, developing an evidence-based curriculum, and increasing faculty development. Prior to joining Lehigh Valley, Dr. Iobst spent eight years practicing rheumatology with the Geisinger Health System and at Guthrie Medical Center.

Deputy Executive Director for Campaigns and Activism

Amnesty International USA (AIUSA) is pleased to announce the appointment of Gouri Sadhwani as Deputy Executive Director for Campaigns and Activism. Ms. Sadhwani comes to Amnesty from the Service Employees International Union (SEIU), Local 32BJ, with a record of accomplishment in campaigning for immigrant, worker, and human rights.

Ms. Sadhwani began her career in campaigning on labor rights and human rights as the Director of Organizational Development at the National Labor Committee where she was instrumental in building the organization's infrastructure, campaigns, programming, and fund development. She also served as Executive Director for the Hague Appeal for Peace, organizing the largest civil society peace conference in history, with over 10,000 activists, numerous governments, and all major United Nations agencies in attendance. She was the founding Executive Director of the New York Civic Participation Project (NYCPP) and La Fuente, a tri-state worker and community fund. Under her leadership, a new model of working with labor and community partners on immigrant and worker rights was established and implemented across the region. Her success at NYCPP led to her position at SEIU, Local 32BJ as Special Assistant to the President. In her role at Local 32BJ, she guided senior management in shaping and implementing a policy agenda and building strategic partnerships. Ms. Sadhwani received her BA in political science from Montclair State University and her MPA in nonprofit management and public policy from New York University. This search was led by Sue Gambaccini with Pam Pezzoli.

Executive Director

Former UCLA Law School Dean Susan Westerberg Prager has been named Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Association of American Law Schools (AALS), the nation's principal representative of America's law schools and the scholarly society of the law teaching profession. Prager will become the sixth Executive Director of the AALS since its founding in 1900.

Professor Prager is a graduate of Stanford University and the UCLA School of Law, where she served as editor-in-chief of the UCLA Law Review. She joined the UCLA faculty in 1972, became Dean a decade later, and served as dean from 1982-1998 - the longest tenure of any dean in UCLA law school history. At the time Prager became Dean she was one of only two female law Deans in the country. Prager was a trustee of Stanford University for 14 years. She chaired the board's Academic Policy Committee and was a Vice President of the Board. She left UCLA in 1999 to become Provost at Dartmouth College, and recently was President of Occidental College in Los Angeles. Prager is a longtime Director of the Pacific Mutual Holding Company, which owns Pacific Life Insurance Company.

Vice President

The Atlantic Philanthropies has appointed Marcia Smith as Vice President. In addition to serving as a key member of the senior management team, she will oversee programs on Disadvantaged Children and Youth and Population Health. Ms. Smith has a long and diverse history of working for change in the lives of disadvantaged and vulnerable people. As Vice President, she will help Atlantic work across fields and regions, consider new initiatives, and will be a close partner in strategic change efforts. Ms. Smith is currently President of Firelight Media, an independent not-for-profit documentary film production company.

Under Ms. Smith's leadership, Firelight Media has produced over 15 hours of award-winning, primetime, non-fiction film for broadcast on cable and public television. The company is known for its focus on key events, people, and issues – whether past or present – that have critical relevance to contemporary public debate. Firelight Media is also known as a leader in the development of initiatives to use film as a tool for public education and community action. Ms. Smith is also a well known, award-winning writer both for film and in print.

Chair of Ob/Gyn and Ob/Gyn-in-Chief at Women & Infants Hospital

Women & Infants Hospital (WIH) and Brown University have announced the appointment of Joanna M. Cain, MD, as Chief of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Women & Infants Hospital and Chair of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University.

Dr. Cain comes to WIH and Brown as chair of the Obstetrics and Gynecology Department at Oregon Health and Sciences University (OHSU) and the Julie Neupert Stott director of the OHSU Center for Women's Health, a National Center of Excellence in Women's Health since 2001. She is an undergraduate of the University of Washington in Seattle and earned her medical degree from Creighton University in Omaha, Nebraska. Dr. Cain completed a residency in obstetrics and gynecology at the University of Washington and was the first woman to complete subspecialty training in gynecologic oncology at the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York.

Dean of the Division of Information Technology and Sciences

Champlain College has selected Dr. Ali Rafieymehr as its new Dean for the Division of Information Technology and Sciences. Dr. Rafieymehr brings a combination of academic and industry experience to Champlain. He most recently was Chair of the Department of Computer Science and Information Technology, and Director of the Institute for Computing and of the Computer Science Technology Lab at Western New England College (WNEC). He taught full-time in the Computer Science Department at Saint Anselm College for a year before joining WNEC in 2004, and before that served as a part-time faculty member at St Anselm, at Merrimac College, and at the University of Massachusetts, Lowell. Prior to transitioning full-time into higher education, Dr. Rafieymehr worked for over twenty years in industry as a project leader and principal software engineer at Digital Equipment Corporation, then as an engineering manager at Avici Systems.

Dr. Rafieymehr received a BS in mathematics from the College of Mathematics and Economic Management in Iran and earned an MS in computer engineering and a PhD in computer science from the University of Massachusetts, Lowell. This search was led by Sarah Herman with Ponneh Varho.

Chief Financial Officer

Richard J. "Rick" McCrossan has been named Chief Financial Officer of Community Resources for Justice (CRJ) and began employment on June 9, 2008.

Mr. McCrossan brings considerable knowledge and experience to CRJ, having served most recently as Chief Financial Officer of Massachusetts Medical Society for six years and prior to that as Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of The National Fire Protection Association for two years. He had a very successful career in the private sector prior to his work in nonprofits, serving in various financial roles for Raytheon and its subsidiary, DC Heath & Company, for over 20 years. He holds a bachelor of arts degree in economics from Boston College and a masters of business administration degree from Northeastern University. Martha Brest led this search.

Anne and Elmer Lindseth Dean

Dr. L. Joseph Thomas, Interim Dean and Nicholas H. Noyes Professor of Manufacturing and Professor of Operations Management, was selected to become the Anne and Elmer Lindseth Dean of Cornell's Johnson Graduate School of Management.

Prior to his appointment as Interim Dean in June of 2007, Dr. Thomas served the Johnson School for over 30 years in positions including Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, Director of the Doctoral Program and Director of Executive Education. An accomplished academic leader, Dr. Thomas has been instrumental in helping grow the Johnson School tenure and tenure-track faculty by 54 percent in the last decade, meeting growing demands for MBA and executive MBA programs, and enhancing the school's functional strength in accounting, finance, marketing and management.

Dean, School for New Learning

Dr. Marisa Alicea has been named Dean of the School for New Learning (SNL) at DePaul University and will start on July 1, 2008.

Dr. Alicea holds a BS in education, an MA in sociology, and a PhD in sociology from Northwestern University. Her research in race, ethnicity, and immigration has been supported by grants from the Rockefeller Foundation, the State of Florida's Department of Health and Rehabilitative Services, and the Inter-University Program for Latino Research at Cal-Poly Pomona.

Vice President for Family and Children Services

The Finance Project has selected Dr. Lori Connors-Tadros as Vice President for Family and Children Services, effective April 21, 2008.

Dr. Connors-Tadros has over 30 years of experience in the fields of education and psychology. She has conducted research in the areas of family impact on children's learning, family literacy, and cultural implications on teacher preparation. She has been Early Learning and Literacy Coordinator at the National Child Care Information Center, a service of the Child Care Bureau, since 2002. Prior to that, she was the lead evaluator on the New Mexico Culturally Responsive Teacher Preparation Project funded by the Eisenhower Federal Activities Program on Professional Development, and an Associate Research Scientist at Johns Hopkins University.

President and Chief Executive Officer

Grace Hill Settlement House has selected Roderick Jones as its new President and CEO. Mr. Jones will assume his new role n July of 2008.

Mr. Jones brings a wealth of experience in community capacity building, public policy, constituency building and multicultural leadership. Most recently he has served as the President and CEO at the Community Place of Greater Rochester, Inc., in Rochester, NY, where his leadership in fiscal diversification and grant development established the organization as one of the premier nonprofit providers of neighborhood-based human services in Rochester. Prior to his role as President, Mr. Jones served as Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer at the Community Place where he facilitated the merger of three settlement houses—Eastside Community Center, Genesee Settlement House, and Lewis Street Center—in 2001, to better serve the community.

Executive Director

The Harte Research Institute for Gulf of Mexico Studies at Texas A&M University - Corpus Christi (TAMU-CC) has selected Dr. Larry D. McKinney as its new Executive Director. Dr. McKinney will assume his new duties in July of 2008.

Dr. McKinney was most recently the Director of Coastal Fisheries and Senior Director of Aquatic Resources for the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD). He earned his PhD from Texas A&M University in 1976 and is a recognized authority on the habitats of amphipod crustaceans in the Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean Sea.

Administrative Dean for the Sciences

Harvard University Faculty of Arts and Sciences (FAS) has selected Russell K. Porter, Associate Provost and Director of Administration for Interdisciplinary Science at Harvard University, as its new Administrative Dean for the Sciences.

Mr. Porter brings significant senior leadership experience in scientific administration across the University. As Associate Provost, he brought administrative leadership and structure to the Harvard University Science and Engineering Committee (HUSEC) which was created by the Harvard Corporation in January 2007 to advise the University's senior leadership on all matters related to collaborative, interdisciplinary, and interschool science.

Scientific Director

The Board of Directors of the International Rett Syndrome Foundation has appointed Dr. Antony Horton, currently Director of Scientific Affairs at the Alzheimer's Drug Discovery Foundation, as its Chief Scientific Officer. As Chief Scientific Officer, Dr. Horton will oversee the foundation's research portfolio and its network of Rett Clinics, a series of clinics throughout the US with established neuromedical research and treatment centers. In addition, Dr. Horton will assist the IRSF Board of Directors in growing its funding pool and broadening its network of research partners. Dr. Horton received his PhD in developmental neurobiology at St. Andrew's University in Scotland and did his post-doctoral work as a scientist at the Rockefeller University Laboratory of Molecular Biology. Before joining the Alzheimer's Drug Discovery Foundation, he worked for several years as Program Director at the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. This search was led by Jane Gruenebaum with Gina Flores.

Vice President for Communications and Information Technology

Jobs for the Future, a nonprofit research, consulting, and advocacy organization focused on education and workforce development, has named Jass Stewart as their new Vice President for Communications and Information Technology. Mr. Stewart will join Jobs for the Future on April 1, 2008 following a highly successful career at The Big Picture Company, where he has served as National Director of School Recruitment and Community Engagement since 2005. Prior to his role at The Big Picture Company, Mr. Stewart served as Founder and Chief Client Officer of Invent Media from 2000 to 2005. A Texas native, he received a Bachelor of Science in Communications and a Master of Education, both from Boston University, and served as a Senior Research Fellow in the Department of Urban Studies and Planning at Massachusetts Institute of Technology. This search was led by Kristin Demong with Allison Kupfer.

President

The Maine Coast Heritage Trust has selected Paul Gallay as its new President, effective July 14, 2008. Since 2000, Mr. Gallay has been Executive Director of the Westchester Land Trust in Bedford Hills, New York. Under his leadership, the organization achieved a seven-fold increase in conserved lands and staffing levels, established its first stewardship endowment fund, and participated in the pilot round of national accreditation by the Land Trust Alliance. Paul excels at working with local towns and other organizations to protect high priority lands; during his tenure, Westchester Land Trust created four local conservation chapters and a regional land trust alliance and helped establish open space acquisition programs in a dozen cities and towns in the county. Prior to his work at Westchester Land Trust, Mr. Gallay served as the Special Assistant to the Commissioner of the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, where he managed a number of high profile environmental cleanup projects including coordinating state supervision of the closure of New York City's largest landfill. Paul is a graduate of Williams College where he is a Visiting Professor of Environmental Studies. He has a law degree from Columbia University. This search was led by Sheryl Ash with Maggie Gilmore.

Chief Diversity Officer

The MGH Institute of Health Professions has selected Dr. Calvin Hill as its new Chief Diversity Officer effective July 1, 2008.

Dr. Hill received his BA in history and political science from Bethany College (Kansas), his MS in student personnel administration from Emporia State University (Kansas), and his PhD in political science from Howard University (Washington DC). He is currently serving as Assistant Dean and Director of Diversity Programs at Worcester Polytechnic Institute, where he previously served as Director of Minority Affairs.

Executive Director

Ali Noorani, Executive Director of the Massachusetts Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy Coalition, has been named the next Executive Director of the National Immigration Forum, one of the nation's preeminent pro-immigrant advocacy organizations. He will assume his new role in June of 2008.

Mr. Noorani has served as the MIRA Coalition's Executive Director since 2003. He has served on the Board of the National Immigration Forum since 2006. Born in California, he is the son of Pakistani immigrants. He is a graduate of the University of California at Berkeley and received his MPH from Boston University. Recently, he received the Alfred L. Frechette Award from the Massachusetts Public Health Association for exceptional leadership in promoting social justice and received the 2007 Boston University Young Alumni Award. This search was led by Sue Gambaccini with Gina Flores.

President

Northeast Texas Community College has selected Dr. Bradley Johnson as President, effective July 1, 2008. Dr. Johnson is currently Vice President and Dean of Development at Amarillo College in Amarillo, Texas.

Dr. Johnson brings a commitment to community college education and numerous years of experience in community college administration. During his 13 year tenure at Amarillo College, Dr. Johnson also served as Director of Enrollment Management and Dean of College Advancement. In these roles he addressed stagnant enrollment, technology planning, strategic planning, and resource development. The College also developed significant innovations, including a comprehensive contact center that was recognized in 2007 as one of the top ten projects in the nation for planning, governance and finance by University of Florida's Bellwether program. He has also spent nearly twenty years teaching at the undergraduate and graduate levels prior to, and while serving in administration. Prior to entering higher education, Dr. Johnson spent more than a decade as a psychotherapist and several years in private business.

Dean, School of Nursing

Dr. Debera Thomas has been selected to become the new Dean of the School of Nursing at Northern Arizona University and will start September 2008.

Dr. Thomas most recently served as the Assistant Dean of Undergraduate Programs and as an Associate Professor of the Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing at Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton, Florida. Prior to that, she served as the Graduate Program Coordinator and as an Associate Professor of the School of Nursing at the University of Connecticut in Storrs, Connecticut. Earlier in her career, Dr. Thomas served as an Assistant Professor in the School of Nursing at Case Western Reserve University.

Vice President for Research

Dr. Laura Foster Huenneke, Dean of the College of Engineering & Natural Sciences at Northern Arizona University, has been selected to become the next Vice President for Research, bringing an impressive record of accomplishment with both breadth and depth in research administration. The Founding Dean of the College of Engineering and Natural Sciences at Northern Arizona University, Dr. Huenneke came to NAU in 2003 as the Dean of the College of Arts & Sciences. Prior to her appointment at NAU, Dr. Huenneke, spent 16 years at New Mexico State University, where she rose through the ranks to become Regents' Professor and Chair of the Department of Biology. Dr. Huenneke holds an AB from the University of Missouri, Columbia and a PhD in ecology and evolutionary biology from Cornell University. Her research interests pertain to the relationship between biological diversity and ecosystem structure and function. As Vice President for Research, Dr. Huenneke will spearhead the development of a research agenda that will guide Northern Arizona University to a new level of success and prominence among the nation's research universities. This search was led by Gale Merseth with Maggie Gilmore.

Director of Financial Aid

Northern Arizona University has named Michelle Dawson Castillo as its Director of Financial Aid. She has most recently served as the Interim Financial Aid Director and the Associate Director at Northern Arizona University. Prior to that, she served as a Financial Aid Manager at the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Throughout her career, Ms. Dawson Castillo has served in several other capacities within universities working with students in the areas of student services, residential assistance and community development.

Ms. Dawson Castillo received her MA in public administration from the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque, and her BS in family and consumer resources from the University of Arizona in Tucson. The search was led by David A. Haley with Meacie Fairfax.

President and CEO

The Northwest Area Foundation has selected Kevin F. Walker as its next President and CEO, effective May 19, 2008. Mr. Walker comes to NWAF from the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation in Flint, Michigan, where he has served in various capacities over the last 13 years. Since 1999, he has led Mott's Pathways Out of Poverty program, a national anti-poverty initiative focused on improving education, expanding economic opportunity, and building organized communities. The program makes grants of approximately $37 million a year across the United States. In addition, since 2005 Mr. Walker has also overseen the Foundation's place-based work in its home community of Flint, where it awards approximately $12 million annually.

Mr. Walker also currently serves on a number of nonprofit boards including the Afterschool Alliance, which he chaired for several years; Grantmakers for Children, Youth and Families; Hispanics in Philanthropy; Voices for Michigan's Children; and the Flint Institute of Music. A published poet, he holds a BA in English and American literature and language from Harvard University and an MFA in creative writing from the University of Michigan. His early career included working in and then helping to lead a hunger relief organization and a stint as Grants Coordinator for the City of Ypsilianti, Michigan. This search was led by Karen Wilcox with Rebecca Swartz.

Dean, College of Arts and Sciences

Dr. Sean Decatur, a distinguished scientist who has taught and published in the field of biophysical chemistry, has been named Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences and professor of chemistry and biochemistry at Oberlin College. Dr. Decatur currently holds an endowed professorship in chemistry and life sciences and serves as associate dean of faculty for science at Mount Holyoke College. He earned a bachelor's degree with honors at Swarthmore College and a PhD in chemistry at Stanford.

At Mount Holyoke, where he has taught for 13 years, Dr. Decatur established a world-class research program in biophysical chemistry. He won the Meribeth E. Cameron Faculty Prize for Scholarship in 2001 and has received national recognition for his research. He has earned more than $3.75 million in grants, including a prestigious National Science Foundation Faculty Early Career Development grant and a Henry Dreyfus Teacher-Scholar Award. Diverse: Issues in Higher Education magazine honored him as an "Emerging Scholar" in 2007. He has regularly involved undergraduates in his research, supporting them with funding from the NSF and the National Institutes of Health.

President

Dr. Wim Wiewel, Provost and Senior Vice President of the University of Baltimore, has been named the new President of Portland State University (PSU).

Dr. Wiewel, who will begin at PSU in the fall of 2008, has served as Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs and Professor of Public Affairs at the University of Baltimore, part of the University System of Maryland, since 2004. One of his greatest achievements has been the creation of an entirely new freshman and sophomore program. He also has the lead academic responsibility for the planned 50% growth of the institution, including development of a joint MBA, an undergraduate real estate program, and other degree programs. He oversaw the University's successful Middle States reaccreditation, promoted diversity among faculty and staff, and strengthened shared governance. He also led the revamping of the University's budget model and process, creating greater equity, incentives and transparency, reorganized enrollment management, and led the University's increased engagement with the metropolitan area.

Executive Director

The Prospect Hill Foundation, a family foundation established in 1960 by Elizabeth G. and William S. Beinecke, has appointed Penny Fujiko Willgerodt as Executive Director, effective in September, 2008. The foundation’s mission is to advance the human experience while ensuring the well-being of the earth, and it pursues this mission through programs in environmental conservation, nuclear nonproliferation, reproductive health and rights, and criminal justice.

Currently a vice president at Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors (RPA), Penny has worked in the foundation field for 20 years. She began her philanthropy career at the Ms. Foundation and then joined the Joyce Mertz-Gilmore Foundation as a Program Officer. Over nine years, as that foundation’s annual grantmaking grew from $2.5 to $17 million, Penny worked in the areas of human rights, energy and environment, security, and New York City issues. She then joined the Rockefeller Family Office in 1999 and became part of the start-up team and senior staff of Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors when it was created in 2002. At RPA, Penny has worked with a wide range of individuals, family foundations, charitable trusts, donor advised funds, and funder collaboratives. She is pleased now to devote her considerable skills and talents to the leadership of a single organization, especially one whose grantmaking interests and approach resonate so well with her own. This search was led by Karen Wilcox with Erin Sullivan.

Vice President and Dean of Student Services

Jerlena Griffin-Desta has been selected as the new Vice President and Dean of Student Services for Reed College.

Jerlena brings over 20 years of experience in higher education and student services to Reed. Most recently she has served as the Executive Director for Student Development the University of California, Berkeley where she supervised the residential living programs for more than 6,000 undergraduate and graduate students, as well as new-student services, academic support, and family programs. She holds a bachelor of arts degree in communication studies from Mercer University. She will complete her master of arts degree in policy and organizations from University of California Berkeley's Graduate School of Education later this month and she expects to complete her PhD there in 2009. Julie Filizetti led this search with Deborah Hodson.

Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer

The Russell Berrie Foundation has selected Ruth M. Salzman as its Chief Executive Officer, effective May 9, 2008. Prior to joining the Foundation, Ruth Salzman served as Senior Vice President of Commercial Lending & Investing within the Community Development Group of JPMorgan Chase. Prior to joining the Community Development Group she led the Middle Market Banking team providing lending and noncredit services to major nonprofit organizations based in the New York area. Ms. Salzman came to JPMorgan Chase following four years with Citibank, and had previously been a consultant with Martin E. Segal Co., working with managed care organizations undergoing the federal HMO qualification process.

Ms. Salzman earned an MBA at The Wharton School, and holds a BA from Brooklyn College. She chaired the Investment Committee of the New York Community Investment Company, a multi-bank investment fund created by the Clearing House bank members of New York City. She serves on the board of the Primary Care Development Corporation and Nonprofit Finance Fund. In addition, she was named a 2000-2001 David Rockefeller Fellow by the New York City Partnership and recognized as a Woman of Distinction in 2002 by the Brooklyn YWCA. She is a member of The Financial Women's Association and the Social Enterprise Alliance and a former board member of her synagogue.

Vice President for Academic Affairs

Saint Michael's College has selected Dr. Karen A. Talentino as their next Vice President for Academic Affairs, effective in July 2008. Dr. Talentino comes to Saint Michael's with over 30 years of experience as a faculty member and academic administrator. Since 2002, she has served as Dean of Faculty and Professor of Biology at Stonehill College. Previously, she came up through the ranks at Simmons College as a faculty member, department chair, faculty leader, and academic administrator. With a passion for active learning and undergraduate research, Dr. Talentino continued teaching environmental science while Dean at Stonehill, including an interdisciplinary seminar in the field. She has presented widely on the topic of academic technology and received many significant multiyear grants from such sources as the National Science Foundation and Davis Educational Foundation to enhance technology and pedagogy.

Dr. Talentino has a BA in biology from the University of California-Santa Barbara and an MS and PhD in zoology from the University of Nevada, Reno, where her research ranged from the study of daily activity patterns of ground squirrels to cytodifferentiation in developing tapeworms.

Secretary

Dr. G. Wayne Clough, President of the Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech), has been selected as the 12th Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution. He will officially assume the office July 1.

Dr. Clough has been President of Georgia Tech since 1994. During his tenure, he has helped transform the Atlanta-based university into one of the top public universities in the country. Georgia Tech's academic reach has stretched throughout the world, with campuses in France, Ireland, Singapore and Shanghai. Annual research expenditures have increased from $212 million to $425 million; enrollment has increased from 13,000 to more than 18,000; and the university has consistently ranked among the nation's top 10 public research universities. While improving Georgia Tech's reputation for science, Dr. Clough has emphasized the importance of humanities education. He established two endowed chairs in poetry. He also has strengthened the university's commitment to public policy and public service. Dr. Clough leaves a fundraising legacy at Georgia Tech that is unmatched in the history of the university, leading two capital campaigns that have raised nearly $1.5 billion in private gifts.

Program Director for the Environment

The Surdna Foundation has selected Sharon Alpert as Program Director for the Environment, effective February 4, 2008. Ms. Alpert has been serving as the Interim Director of the Environment Program since June 2007, developing and executing strategies focused on climate change, land use and transportation, and oceans for the Foundation's largest grant-making portfolio. Ms. Alpert joined the Surdna Foundation in 2004 as an Associate Program Officer and then as Program Officer for the Environment. She came to Surdna from the Ford Foundation, where she was an Associate for Community and Resource Development, shaping grant-making strategies in the areas of sustainable development, transportation, smart growth, metropolitan policy, and environmental justice. Prior to that, Ms. Alpert was a Community Development Housing Specialist and Community Organizer with Northern Manhattan Improvement Corporation. Ms. Alpert holds an MPA and a BS in agriculture, resource, and managerial economics, both from Cornell University. She currently serves on the steering committee of the Climate and Energy Funders Group and on various working groups of the Funders' Network for Smart Growth and Livable Communities and the Environmental Grantmakers Association. This search was led by Sheryl Ash with Maggie Gilmore.

Associate University Librarian for Technical Services

The University of California, Davis has selected Mary Page as their new Associate University Librarian for Technical Services.

Mary brings over twenty-five years of experience in librarianship to the role. Most recently she has served as the Head of Acquisitions for the Rutgers University Libraries in New Brunswick, New Jersey, having held positions of progressive responsibility at Rutgers since 1989. Earlier in her career, Mary held roles with the New Jersey State Library, the New Jersey Institute of Technology, and Princeton University. Mary is also past President of NASIG, The North American Serials Interest Group, and a former member of the Board of Directors of the Association for Library Collections & Technical Service (ALCTS) of the American Library Association. She holds both MLS and BA degrees from Rutgers. This search was led by David Bellshaw with Beverly Brady.

Associate University Librarian for Public Services

Elizabeth Cowell has been named Associate University Librarian for Public Services at the University of California, Santa Cruz.

Elizabeth brings over thirteen years of experience in librarianship to the role. Most recently she has served as Coordinator for Public and Technical Services/U.S. Government Information Librarian for Stanford University. Earlier in her career, Elizabeth held roles with the University of California, San Diego, the State Historical Society of Wisconsin, and Eastern New Mexico University. Elizabeth has been active professionally and has published a number of articles on government documents librarianship. She has also made many presentations as well as being active in GODORT (the Government Documents Round Table of ALA) and Depository Library Council.

Executive Vice President and Dean, School of Medicine

Cato T. Laurencin, MD, PhD, has been named Executive Vice President of the University of Connecticut Health Center and Dean of the School of Medicine as of August 11, 2008. Dr. Laurencin joins the UConn Health Center from the University of Virginia where he is currently the Lillian T. Pratt Distinguished Professor, Chair of the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, and Orthopaedic Surgeon-in-Chief at the University of Virginia Health System. In addition, he holds professorships in biomedical engineering and chemical engineering. With over 200 publications and more than 20 patents, Dr. Laurencin is a Fellow of both the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons and the American Surgical Association and is a member of the Institute of Medicine of the National Academy of Sciences.

Dr. Laurencin earned his undergraduate degree in chemical engineering from Princeton University and his medical degree from Harvard Medical School, where he was a Magna Cum Laude graduate and the recipient of the Robinson Award for Excellence in Surgery. During medical school, he also earned his PhD in biochemical engineering/biotechnology from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology where he was a Hugh Hampton Young Scholar.

Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs

The University of Hawai`i - West O`ahu has selected Dr. Linda Randall as its new Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs. Dr. Randall has over fifteen years of teaching and administrative experience in higher education. Most recently she has served as the Associate Provost of the University of Baltimore where she was responsible for academic planning and program assessment for the institution. Dr. Randall played a key role in the University's transition from a two year to four year campus and brings deep experience in curricular redesign, academic policy development, infrastructure building and student/faculty affairs, and accreditation. Prior to this, Dr. Randall served as Chair of the Management Department at John Hopkins University and from 1993-2002, she was Associate/Assistant Director of the Institute of International Business at the University of Rhode Island.

Dr. Randall received a PhD from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst and an MBA from the Harvard Graduate School of Business Administration. She received her BA in economics and political science from Swarthmore College. David Bellshaw led this search with Regan Gough.

Dean, Hawai'inuiakea School of Hawaiian Knowledge

The Hawai'inuiâkea School of Hawaiian Knowledge at the University of Hawai`i at Mânoa has named Dr. Maenette Benham as its inaugural Dean.

Dr. Benham, a Kanaka Maoli scholar and teacher, is currently a Professor in the Department of Educational Administration at Michigan State University. As a scholar, mentor, and teacher, Dr. Benham's inquiry centers on the nature of engaged educational leadership; the wisdom of knowing and praxis of social justice envisioned and enacted by educational leaders; and the effects of educational policy on native/indigenous people. She is the author of numerous articles and books on these topics and has been an invited speaker and presenter at international and national conferences. She has worked with a range of indigenous communities including the American Indian Tribal Colleges and Universities, culture-based and immersion pre-K to 12 schools (Hawaiian, Alaskan Native, American Indian), the Wananga o Aoteraroa (New Zealand), and the World Indigenous Nations Higher Education Consortium. She is past Editor (2002-2006) of the American Educational Research Association's leading educational journal, The American Educational Research Journal: Section on Social and Institutional Analysis.

Vice President for Research

The University of Idaho (UI) has selected Dr. John (Jack) McIver as their new Vice President for Research effective June 1, 2008. Dr. McIver currently serves as interim Vice President for Research and Economic Development at the University of New Mexico (UNM).

Dr. McIver brings over ten years of exceptional academic and research administration experience. An accomplished physicist with an international reputation, he has served in senior leadership positions with the University of New Mexico since 2001. He first joined UNM as Deputy Vice President for Research, before taking on the role of Senior Associate Vice President for Research and Economic Development. At New Mexico, Dr. McIver has championed interdisciplinary research efforts that blend hard sciences and engineering, but also has worked to develop potential research projects that combine the fine arts with areas of science and technology. Prior to joining the Research and Economic Development Office at UNM Dr. McIver was Chairman of the Department of Physics and Astronomy.

Chancellor

At the recommendation of President Jack Wilson, the Board of Trustees of the University of Massachusetts has selected Dr. Robert Holub as the next Chancellor of the Amherst campus.

Dr. Holub currently serves as the Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs at the University of Tennessee at Knoxville. In this role, he oversees nine academic colleges, the instructional programs of the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, the University Library, the Student Success Center, Enrollment Services, and the Chancellor's Honors Program. He also has direct responsibility for the recruitment, retention, and renewal of the faculty, and the education of approximately 20,000 undergraduate students on the Knoxville campus and 6,000 graduate students.

Senior Executive Director for Executive Education

The University of Michigan's Stephen M. Ross School of Business has selected Melanie Barnett as their new Senior Executive Director for Executive Education, effective June 1, 2008.

Ms. Barnett brings considerable knowledge and experience in the field, having served as Executive Director, Executive Education of the University of Michigan, Stephen M. Ross School of Business for the last five years, where she headed the executive education custom programs department, and as Director for the previous four years, overseeing a portfolio of public and custom programs in the U.S. and abroad. She also has an extensive prior background in organizational development and training.

Vice President for Government and Community Affairs

The University of Pennsylvania has selected Jeffrey Cooper to become its next Vice President for Government and Community Affairs. Mr. Cooper will direct the University's relationship with state, local and federal governments as well as with non-governmental groups at the community and national levels.

Jeffrey Cooper is the chief counsel for the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education and executive deputy general counsel in Gov. Edward Rendell's administration. Through his experience at the 14-university state system of higher education, Cooper has developed a deep understanding of the varied and complex issues confronting higher education today and the important role that strong collaborative relationships with government and community play in the success of a university.

Vice President for Human Resources

Judy Schueler has been selected as the University of Pennsylvania Health System's new Vice President for Human Resources.

Ms. Schueler is currently the Vice President for Workforce Development and Chief Learning Officer for Vanguard Health System, working across the company's 17 business entities around the country to position the System as an "employer of choice." Prior to joining Vanguard, Ms. Schueler was the founding Executive Director of the University of Chicago Hospitals Academy, and served as Vice President and Chief Learning Officer for the University of Chicago Hospitals and Health System (UCHHS) for 12 years. There she directed workforce development planning, internal communications, organization development strategy, and provided leadership for the overall learning enterprise for staff across UCHHS. Just prior to her work in healthcare, Ms. Schueler was Vice President and Chief Student Development Officer at Triton College, where she worked for 11 years.

Executive Director

The van Beuren Charitable Foundation has named Elizabeth Lynn as their new Executive Director, effective July 8, 2008.

Ms. Lynn is currently the Assistant Director of the McCune Foundation in Pittsburgh, a family foundation with a $28 million grant portfolio in education, health and human services, arts and culture, and regional and community development. She works across all program areas at McCune, but her greatest contributions have been in the community development arena. Ms. Lynn has focused the community revitalization program on building market opportunities for blighted communities, initiated the creation of the Community Foundation of Fayette County, and implemented several Program Related Investment strategies to support grantee initiatives. She regularly represents the Foundation in public forums and venues, and is also responsible for much of the Foundation's internal work and continuous improvement processes, as well as special initiatives such as the Next Generation family internship program. Ms. Lynn joined the McCune Foundation in January 1995 as a Program Officer. Prior to her work at McCune, she held various positions in community development and economic policy research. She holds a BA from Bucknell University in international relations and a master's degree from UCLA in urban and regional planning. Sheryl Ash led this search with Rebecca Swartz.

Chancellor

Vanderbilt University has selected Nicholas S. Zeppos as its eighth Chancellor, effective March 1, 2008. Professor Zeppos won five teaching awards since being hired in 1987 as an Assistant Professor of Law at Vanderbilt. He subsequently served as an Associate Dean, Associate Provost, Provost, and then Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs beginning in 2002. He served as Interim Chancellor of the university from August 1, 2007, until March 1, 2008, when he was appointed Chancellor.

A distinguished legal scholar, teacher, and executive, Zeppos has served since 2002 as Vanderbilt's Provost and Vice Chancellor, overseeing the university's undergraduate, graduate, and professional education programs, and research in liberal arts and sciences, engineering, music, education, business, law, and divinity. As the university's chief academic officer, he chaired Vanderbilt's budgeting and capital planning council, fundraising and alumni relations efforts across the institution, as well as supervised the Dean of Students and Dean of Admissions.

Executive Director

The Vermont Energy Investment Corporation (VEIC) has selected D. Scott Johnstone as its new Executive Director, effective in June, 2008. Founded in 1986, VEIC is a pioneering $30+ million organization which promotes and implements cost-effective energy efficiency and renewable energy technologies. It operated Efficiency Vermont, the nation's first statewide "energy efficiency utility", and provides other residential and business energy services. VEIC also consults with other entities on energy efficiency and renewables program design and evaluation across the United States and in several other countries around the world.

Scott Johnstone comes to VEIC from the Chittenden County Metropolitan Planning Organization in South Burlington, Vermont, where he has served as Executive Director since 2005. A civil engineer by training, Scott’s career has bridged the public and private sectors. He was the Director of Public Works in both Conway, New Hampshire and Burlington, Vermont, and then served in the Vermont Agency of Natural Resources as Deputy Secretary (1998-2000) and Secretary (2000-2003). From there, Scott moved to Stone Environmental, Inc. in Montpelier, a private environmental consulting firm, where he built and led a highly successful practice focused on water resources. In all of his roles, Scott demonstrated his leadership talents at developing strategic direction, fostering innovation, building effective partnerships, and producing measurable results. He brings deep respect and passion for VEIC’s mission and values and looks forward to working closely with board and staff to continue the organization's remarkable growth and impact.

Assistant Dean and Director, Office for Diversity and Equal Opportunity

The Yale University Graduate School of Arts and Sciences has selected Dr. Michelle Nearon as Assistant Dean and Director, Office for Diversity and Equal Opportunity, effective July 1, 2008.

Dr. Nearon is Director of Recruitment and Diversification for Engineering at Stony Brook University's College of Engineering and Applied Sciences (CEAS). She is also an Assistant Professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering. In addition to her teaching responsibilities, Dr. Nearon is actively involved in outreach, recruitment and retention of underrepresented minorities and low-income students in science, math, and technology fields. Dr. Nearon directs the CEAS Summer Research Institute and has served as a faculty mentor for the WISE program (Women in Science and Engineering) and for CSTEP students (Collegiate Science and Technology Entry Program). She received the College's Outstanding Educator Award in 2001 for the partnership program she developed with Aviation High School. Prior to her appointment at Stony Brook in 2000, Dr. Nearon had eight years of experience in private industry as a research engineer.