University of Wisconsin-Parkside has successfully appointed Dr. Lynn Akey as Chancellor. Dr. Akey currently serves as the Vice President for Student Success, Analytics and Integrated Planning at Minnesota State University, Mankato. Akey will assume her new leadership role at UW-Parkside on January 2, 2024. In her current role as Vice President, Akey provided vision and direction for a comprehensive integrated program of student success services and activities to drive improvement of student success outcomes. She was responsible for departments of Student Success, Registration and Academic Records, University Advising, and Institutional Analytics and Strategic Effectiveness with 67 employees across four collective bargaining units and a $5.5M operating budget. Dr. Akey has led strategic planning at the University for the past ten years and generated extensive engagement and participation with over 150 campus faculty, staff, and students, shared governance bodies, advisory boards, foundation board, and community leaders. Dr. Akey holds a Bachelor of Science in Psychology from Northeast Missouri State University/Truman State University and a Master of Arts in College Student Personnel from Bowling Green State University. Akey also earned her Ph.D. in Organizational Leadership, Policy, and Development from the University of Minnesota. Read more.
Pitzer College has successfully appointed Mr. Michael Tocydlowski as the new Director of Financial Aid. Mr. Tocydlowski brings an extensive background in Enrollment Management and Financial Aid to Pitzer, having most recently served as the Director of Financial Aid at Charles R. Drew University, with previous experience at the Cleveland Institute of Art and the American Musical and Dramatic Academy in New York. Mr. Tocydlowski began his work in higher education as an Admissions Representative following his graduation from Goldey-Beacom College where he received his undergraduate degree in Business Administration.
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign has successfully appointed Ms. Brianna (Bria) Marcelo as the Assistant Chancellor for Culture, Learning, and Engagement. Ms. Marcelo was the Diversity Resources Coordinator and most recently the Inclusive Education and Strategic Initiatives Director at the University of Iowa. She will oversee Faculty/Staff Assistance & Well-Being Services (FSAWS), Employee Learning & Organizational Effectiveness (ELOE), and design the new Employee Experience functional area. Ms. Marcelo earned a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology, Social and Economic Justice from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and a Master of Arts in Student Affairs Administration from Michigan State University. Ms. Marcelo started her new role on September 25, 2023. Read more.
Benedict College has appointed Dr. Sharron Taylor Burnett a the new Vice President of Finance and Operations. Dr. Burnett comes to Benedict College from Edward Waters University, where she served as the Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer. As noted in the press release, Benedict College President and CEO, Dr. Roslyn Clark Artis said, “I welcome Dr. Burnett who has an impressive record in higher education. She has served in the role of an Executive Vice President at both Lane College and Tuskegee University where she also dually served as the university’s Chief Financial Officer. I am confident that her passion for education and her ability to provide leadership, vision and direction will enhance the transformative vision we have for the College.” Dr. Burnett is a native of Tennessee and earned a Bachelor of Science in business administration with a concentration in accounting from Lane College. She also holds a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from the University of Tennessee at Martin and a doctorate in Higher Education Administration from the University of Memphis. She is scheduled to begin her duties on campus on September 25, 2023. Read more.
The University of Wisconsin-Madison has appointed Ms. Liz Stanislawski as Executive Director of Communications. Ms. Stanislawski most recently served as Public Information Officer, Planning, Community & Economic Development for the City of Madison, Wisconsin. She began her new role on 9/20/23. Ms. Stanislawski is a seasoned communications and public relations professional with over 15 years of experience as a TV news journalist with television news stations located in Nashville, Tennessee, Greenville, South Carolina, Champaign, Illinois and Green Bay, Wisconsin. Ms. Stanislawski holds a Bachelor of Arts in Radio/TV/Film from the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh. Read more.
Pacific Northwest University of Health Sciences has appointed James Langstraat, MBA, CPA, as Chief Financial Officer. Mr. Langstraat brings over 40 years of financial, operational, and administrative experience including over ten years of leadership experience in higher education. Prior to PNWU he served as Vice President for Finance and Administration at Pacific University, where he provided leadership and direction for Finance, Budget, Human Resources, Financial Aid, Capital Projects, Campus Public Safety, Facilities, Technology, HIPPA Compliance, Legal Services, and Emergency Management and Business Continuity. In addition to that experience, Mr. Langstraat brings 15 years of financial leadership experience from his time at the North Clackamas School District, the Waterloo Community School District and the Norwalk Community School District. He was very successful in navigating the often confusing and complex issues of generating substantial bonding funds for the district, included recommending changes to the bond structure resulting in premium funds. Mr. Langstraat also serves as an accreditation reviewer for the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities.
The Association of Governing Boards of Universities and Colleges (AGB) has appointed Mary Papazian, PhD, as executive vice president. Dr. Papazian, a two-time former university president with extensive board experience, will orchestrate AGB’s strategic planning processes to strengthen members’ satisfaction with AGB, engage with media and external stakeholders to advance the association’s thought leadership, and oversee partnerships with grantmakers and subject matter experts to expand reach and impact. Most recently, Dr. Papazian was interim CEO of the Business-Higher Education Forum, a nonprofit membership organization that connects higher education institutions to business talent. Previously, Papazian was the third woman to lead San José State University (SJSU), serving as president from 2016 to 2021. Dr. Papazian earned her PhD, master’s, and bachelor’s degrees from UCLA, focusing on English literature. Read more.
Texas A&M Foundation has appointed John Morris as Senior Vice President for Development effective August 15, 2023. Mr. Morris previously served as Senior Vice President, Advancement for Auburn University and President of the Auburn University Foundation & AU Real Estate Foundation. Prior to joining Auburn, Mr. Morris served as the Senior Vice President for Development for the Kansas State University Foundation. Earlier, Mr. Morris served as Senior Director of Development for the University of Minnesota Foundation and as Associate Vice President for Advancement and, previously, Assistant Director of Athletics at Benedictine University. Mr. Morris received his bachelor’s degree from Winona State University and master’s degree from Illinois State University. Read more.
The California State University has appointed Eric Anderson as the new Executive Director of Real Estate Services. Mr. Anderson comes to California State with an extensive background in advising universities on public-private partnerships and other complex real estate transactions. Since 2016, he has served as the Vice President for U3 Advisors, an organization that works within the higher education sphere implementing transformative real estate and economic strategies and interventions to create vibrant and sustainable campuses and communities that promote economic impact and inclusion. Mr. Anderson will begin his role with CSU on September 11, 2023.