Dr. Kristin Landis-Piwowar has been appointed as the new Dean, College of Education, Nursing and Health Professions at the University of Hartford effective July 1, 2026. Dr. Landis-Piwowar is a seasoned academic leader and scholar whose career spans cancer biology research, clinical laboratory science, and higher education administration. She comes to the University of Hartford from Oakland University where she serves as Vice Provost of Academic Affairs, Acting Dean of the College of Arts and Science and Professor in Oakland’s School of Health Sciences. She holds a Ph.D. in Cancer Biology from Wayne State University School of Medicine, an M.S. in Clinical Laboratory Science from Michigan State University and a B.S. in Medical Technology from Ferris State University. Read more.
Dr. Juliet Spencer has been appointed as the new Dean of the School of Natural and Environmental Sciences at the College of Charleston. She will start as dean on August 1, 2026. Dr. Spencer currently serves as interim dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at Texas Woman’s University in Denton, where she has also held roles as director of the School of the Sciences and chair of the Department of Biology. A nationally recognized leader in student success, Spencer was recently honored with the 2025 Outstanding Support of Student Success by an Administrator Award from the National Organization for Student Success. Her academic background includes a Ph.D. in microbiology from the University of Virginia, an MBA with an emphasis in women in leadership from Texas Woman’s University and a B.S. in biotechnology from Worcester Polytechnic Institute. Read more.
Dr. Denise Jones Gregory has been appointed as the new President at Jackson State University, following an eight-month national search. Dr. Gregory will officially begin her new role on May 1, 2026. Dr. Gregory most recently served as Interim President of Jackson State University, a role she has held since May 2025. In this capacity, she served as the Institutional Executive Officer, providing executive leadership to ensure operational effectiveness, strategic alignment, and advancement of the university's mission and long-term priorities. Prior to serving as Interim President, Dr. Gregory served as Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs at Jackson State, where she provided strategic oversight for all academic units — including six colleges, graduate studies, institutional research, and the university library — and managed a $56.5 million budget comprising 46% of the university's total operating budget. Dr. Gregory earned her Bachelor of Science in Chemistry, Magna Cum Laude, from Jackson State University and her Doctor of Philosophy in Chemistry from the Georgia Institute of Technology. Read more.
Dr. Leamor Kahanov has been appointed as the new President at Notre Dame de Namur University. She will assume the presidency on July 1. A nationally recognized higher education leader with more than two decades of executive academic experience, Dr. Kahanov joins NDNU at a defining moment, one marked by institutional revitalization, strategic transformation, and a renewed commitment to preparing students for the workforce of the future. Dr. Kahanov currently serves as Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs at Alvernia University, where she oversees academic strategy, enrollment integration, and institutional planning. Throughout her career, she has led initiatives that strengthen academic quality, expand access, and drive sustainable growth. Her leadership is distinguished by a focus on innovation and workforce alignment, including the development of new academic programs, expansion of online and hybrid learning, and the creation of partnerships with corporate, government, and nonprofit organizations. These efforts have generated significant support for student success initiatives and expanded pathways for learners seeking career advancement. Dr. Kahanov holds an Ed.D. in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of San Francisco, an M.S. in Exercise and Sports Sciences from the University of Arizona, and a B.S. in Exercise Science and Athletic Training from Indiana University. Read more.
Dr. Nancy LaGreca has been appointed as the new Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs at the University of Hartford effective July 1, 2026. Dr. LaGreca is a distinguished scholar and senior academic administrator with more than 16 years of progressive leadership in higher education. She is currently Professor of Spanish Latin American Literature and Culture at St. Mary’s University in San Antonio and a research fellow at the University of Texas at Austin. She recently served as Dean of the College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences for three years ending in 5/2025. Prior to her time at St. Mary’s, Dr. LaGreca spent 18 years at the University of Oklahoma, where her roles included faculty fellow in the Office of the Senior Vice President and Provost; Associate Dean of the Graduate College; and Chair of the Department of Modern Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics. She holds a Ph.D. and M.A in Spanish from the University of Texas at Austin, and a BA in Spanish from the State University of New York at Geneseo. Read more.
Dr. Jeremiah Shinn has been appointed as the new President at the University of Montana. He will assume the presidency on July 1. Dr. Shinn currently serves as Interim President of Boise State University, where he has led initiatives to enhance student engagement, strengthen campus partnerships, and expand access to educational opportunities. Prior to serving as Interim President, he was Vice President for Student Affairs and Enrollment Management at Boise State. He also previously served as Vice President for Student Affairs at Louisiana State University. Dr. Shinn earned a Ph.D. in Educational Leadership from Eastern Michigan University, a Master of Arts in Higher Education from the University of Michigan, and a B.S. in Natural Science from Arkansas Tech University. Read more.
Dr. Todd A. Shawver has been appointed as the new Dean of the College of Business at Misericordia University effective July 1, 2026. Dr. Shawver joins Misericordia with more than two decades of experience in higher education and industry. He most recently served as Dean of the Zeigler College of Business at Commonwealth University of Pennsylvania, where he led the college through the successful integration of multiple institutions while strengthening academic offerings and operations. Under his leadership, the college achieved sustained enrollment growth, improved student retention, and increased operational performance. Dr. Shawver, a Certified Management Accountant, holds a DBA from Nova Southeastern University, an MBA from Plymouth State University, and a BA in Business Administration from New England College. Read more.
Dr. Bishane Whitmore has been appointed as the new president at Community College of Denver. In his current role as Deputy Commander, Dr. Whitmore serves as Chief Operating Executive for a large, geographically distributed organization, providing strategic leadership for a 6,000-acre installation with $3.8 billion in program value, a $151 million annual operating budget, and $1.7 billion in physical infrastructure assets. He leads and integrates operations for more than 4,100 personnel across six global locations, aligning mission execution, personnel strategy, infrastructure planning, and fiscal oversight. Dr. Whitmore also collaborates with federal and state legislators, industry leaders, government agencies, and higher education to strengthen workforce pipelines, advance applied research, and support innovation initiatives. In addition, he spearheads enterprise-wide efforts to strengthen organizational culture, fostering an environment of trust, belonging, and mission effectiveness across a highly diverse workforce. Dr. Whitmore holds a Doctor of Philosophy and a Master of Philosophy in Military Strategy, along with master’s degrees in Military Art and Science, Organizational Leadership, and Business Management. Read more.
Dr. Regina Lawrence has been appointed as the new Edwin L. Artzt Dean of the School of Journalism and Communication at the University of Oregon. Dr. Lawrence has been serving as interim dean since August 2025, and most recently held the roles of Associate Dean of SOJC Portland and Director of the Agora Journalism Center. Since joining the SOJC in 2015, she has been a member of the SOJC executive leadership team, served as co-chair of the SOJC Graduate Affairs Committee, and has been an active leader on the UO Portland campus, including chairing the campus-wide Academic Collaborative. Dr. Lawrence is a nationally recognized expert on political communication, gender and politics, local news ecosystems, community-centered journalism, and the role of media in democracy. She currently serves as Editor in Chief of the journal Political Communication and as Co-editor of the Communication, Society & Politics book series at Cambridge University Press. Her scholarship includes numerous books, peer-reviewed studies, and public-facing reports. In 2024, Dr. Lawrence received the Public Engagement Award from the Journalism Studies Division of the International Communication Association, which recognizes a scholar who has successfully engaged with publics and organizations outside of academia in ways that meaningfully impact both scholarship and journalistic practice. In 2025, she received the Murray Edelman Lifetime Distinguished Career Award from the American Political Science Association, recognizing a lifetime contribution to the study of political communication. Dr. Lawrence received her Bachelor of Arts in History and Political Science from Metropolitan State College in Denver, her Master of Arts in Political Science from the University of Colorado at Denver, and her Ph.D. in Political Science from the University of Washington. Read more.