Public Institution

Dr. Don Capener has been appointed as the new Dean of the Lewis College of Business at Marshall University. Dr. Capener has served at the highest levels of university administration for twenty years. After seven years as the dean of business at Jacksonville University, Dr. Capener became associate provost and graduate director of business at Utah Valley University. Dr. Capener is an active volunteer leader for AACSB having led peer review teams in China, Taiwan, Malaysia, Japan and nine US based business schools. In industry, Dr. Capener distinguished himself at international companies such as Leo Burnett. He founded several companies including his San Diego based marketing agency and Above the Rim Hoopwear, and served in executive positions with Netcentives and Chang Industrial. Dr. Capener earned his Ph.D. in International Business at the International School of Management, MBA in marketing at Thunderbird School of Global Management, and a B.A. in Political Science and Economics at Brigham Young University.
 

Dr. Annette Ferguson has been appointed as the new Director of the School of Nursing at Marshall University. Dr. Ferguson has been an Associate Professor of Nursing at Marshall University since 2017. In the Fall of 2019, Dr. Ferguson served as the Director of the Pre-licensure BSN program until she was appointed the Interim Chair for the School of Nursing in 2022. She earned her Master of Science Degree in Nursing with a focus in Nursing Education from Regis University in Denver Colorado, and a Doctor of Nursing Practice in leadership from Eastern Kentucky University. She has been a registered nurse for over 25 years with a focus in critical care and has worked in higher education as a nurse educator for over 18 years. Read more here.

Marshall University has appointed Dr. Eric Blough as the new Dean of the School of Pharmacy. Dr. Blough joined the faculty at Marshall University as Assistant Professor in the Department of Biological Sciences in 2003. In 2014, he became a full Professor in the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Research. From 2015-2018 , he was the Assistant Dean of Curriculum before being appointed as the Associate Dean of Academic Affairs in 2018. He has been serving as the Interim Dean of the School since January of 2022 and has doubled the enrollment of MS program in Pharmaceutical Sciences. Dr. Blough earned a B.S. in Biology at Michigan Technological University, an M.S. in Exercise Physiology at Southern Illinois University, and a Ph.D. in Exercise Physiology at Ohio State University. Read more here.

Marshall University has appointed Dr. Wesley Stites as the new Dean of the College of Science. Dr. Stites will begin on July 3rd, 2023. Dr. Stites comes to Marshall after more than 30 years at the University of Arkansas.  He began as a faculty member in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, later serving for 5 years as the chair of that department.  Since 2019, Dr. Stites has been the Associate Vice Chancellor for Research and Innovation, managing more than 60 research centers, institutes, and core facilities.  He received a BA/MA in Chemistry from Johns Hopkins University and a Ph.D. in Biochemistry from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Read more here.

Dr. Erin Rothwell has been appointed as the new Vice President for Research at the University of Utah (the U). She will begin her role on April 17, 2023. Dr. Rothwell has been with the University since 2000 and has been a tenured professor in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology since 2019. She has held multiple roles related to the oversight of research, including Associate Vice President for Research Integrity and Compliance, Interim President for University of Utah Research Foundation, and, most recently, Interim Vice President for Research. Prior to postdoctoral training in Public Health and Clinical Trials, Dr. Rothwell received a B.S. in Recreation Therapy and an M.S. in Parks and Recreation Management from University of South Alabama and Ph.D. in Parks, Recreation, and Tourism from the University of Utah. Read more here.

Dr. Tamera Schneider has been appointed as the next Chair of the Department of Psychology at Arizona State University. Dr. Schneider will be starting as Chair on July 1, 2023. Dr. Schneider will be coming to ASU with extensive experience in leading university-wide research, community engagement, and diversity initiatives. She previously served as associate vice chancellor and university vice provost for research at CUNY and professor of psychology at Baruch College, CUNY. Before joining CUNY, Tamera was appointed as deputy director of the Division of Behavioral and Cognitive Sciences in the Social, Behavioral, and Economic Sciences Directorate at the U.S. National Science Foundation. Dr. Schneider was also Professor of Psychology in the College of Science and Mathematics at Wright State University. Dr. Schneider earned her Ph.D. in Social/Health Psychology at SUNY-Stony Brook and was a postdoctoral fellow at Yale University. 

Marshall University has appointed Dr. Maria Gindhart as the new Dean of the College of Arts & Media. She will begin on July 1st, 2023. Dr. Gindhart comes to Marshall after 11 years at Georgia State University, where she served for 4 years as the Associate Director for the Ernest G. Welch School of Art & Design and for the last 7 years as the Associate Dean for the College of Arts.  She received an A.B. in Art History and French from Bowdoin College and an A.M. and Ph.D. in History of Art from the University of Pennsylvania. Read more here.

Marshall University has appointed Dr. Rob Quicke as the new Director of the School of Journalism and Mass Communications. He will begin on July 1st, 2023. Dr. Quicke comes to Marshall after 15 years at William Paterson University of New Jersey, where he held a number of roles, including General Manager of WPSC Brave New Radio, Professor of Communication, and, most recently, Chair of Communication. He received a B.A. and M.A. in English Language & Literature from Oxford University, and a Ph.D. in Communication Studies from Regent University. Read more here.

Ms. Dafna Kapshud has been appointed as the new Director of Development for the College of Health and Social Sciences at San Francisco State University. She will begin her role on April 17, 2023. Ms. Kapshud has a long history in marketing and communications. She served as the Marketing & Communications Manager at the San Mateo Community Colleges Foundation from 2017-2022, raising significant funds to benefit students even throughout the pandemic, and transitioned to Development Manager in 2022. Ms. Kapshud received a bachelor's degree in international studies from Johns Hopkins University, an MFA in arts administration from Florida State University, and a Juris Doctor from University of Florida.

Northern Illinois University has appointed Dr. Kelly Fiala as its new Dean of the College of Health and Human Sciences. She will begin on June 16th, 2023. Dr. Fiala comes to NIU after 12 years at Salisbury University, where she held a number of roles, including her most recent role as Founding Dean of the College of Health and Human Services. She received a B.S. in Biomedical Sciences (Western Michigan University), an M.S. in Sports Studies (Bemidji State University), and a Ph.D. in Educational Psychology (University of Connecticut). Read more here.