Public Institution

Purdue University Northwest has successfully appointed Dr. Chris Holford as Chancellor. Dr. Holford currently serves as Provost and Vice Chancellor of Academic Affairs at Purdue University Northwest. Holford is also a Professor of Biology at Purdue University North Central. Prior to serving as Provost, Holford served as the Founding Dean of the College of Engineering and Sciences at PNW as well. Dr. Holford holds a Bachelor of Arts in Biology from Augustana College and a Master of Science in Zoology from Southern Illinois University. Holford also earned his PhD. In Biology from Illinois State University. Read more. 

SUNY Erie Community College has successfully appointed Dr. Adiam Tsegai as President effective December 5, 2023. Prior to her appointment, she has served as the college’s Officer-in-Charge since 2022.  An alumna of SUNY Erie, she joined SUNY Erie as the Dean of Engineering and Technologies in 2018 and was appointed in mid-2021 as the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs, after serving as the college’s Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs of Health Sciences, Engineering and Technologies. Read more.

The Tennessee Higher Education Commission has appointed Dr. Steven Gentile as the agency's new Executive Director. Dr. Gentile has held numerous roles at THEC, ranging from Assistant Director of Fiscal Policy to the Chief Policy and Strategy Officer. He was most recently appointed Interim Executive Director in September 2023. Before joining THEC, Dr. Gentile served as the Assistant Dean of Admission and Financial Aid at his alma mater, Davidson College, in North Carolina. He received his Ed.D. in Higher Education Leadership and Policy and M.Ed. in Higher Education Administration from Vanderbilt University, and his B.A. in Economics from Davidson College. He is an alumnus of Leadership Tennessee NEXT, Nashville Emerging Leaders, and the Tennessee Higher Education Innovation and Leadership Fellows program. Read more here.

University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign has successfully appointed Ms. Luanne Mayorga as the Assistant Chancellor for Strategic Programs and Partnerships. Ms. Mayorga is currently the Director of Employee Development at McHenry County College and has previous experience as Chief Engagement Officer at Anderson Humane, and Executive Director in the Division of Outreach, Engagement, and Regional Development at Northern Illinois University. She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree at Dominican University, an M.B.A. in Marketing at Benedictine University, and an Ed.D. in Adult and Higher Education at Northern Illinois University. 

University of Wisconsin-Madison has successfully appointed Ms. Angela M. Miller as Assistant Vice Provost for Strategic Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging Administration. She started her new role on October 9, 2023. Ms. Miller currently serves as the Assistant Chancellor for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion & Chief Diversity Officer at the University of Wisconsin-Platteville, a role she has held since 2018. She also serves as the Chief of Staff in a dual appointment with the Chancellor. Previously, she was the Director of the Office of Multicultural Student Affairs at the University of Wisconsin-Platteville, the College Scholar Advisor for the PEOPLE Program at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and a Research Assistant and Office Coordinator for the Minority Student Achievement Network at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Ms. Miller is a Juris Doctor Candidate at Mitchell Hamline School of Law with a Certificate in Native American Law and Sovereignty. She holds a Master of Science in Educational Leadership & Policy Analysis from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and a Bachelor of Arts in Fine Arts from the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater. Read more.

The California State University System has successfully appointed Dr. Mandara Savage as Assistant Vice Chancellor for Professional and Continuing Education (PaCE) effective Monday, October 2, 2023. Dr. Savage will work with the CSU’s 23 universities to advance a shared vision and strategic plan for PaCE to deliver creative, diverse and high-quality, fully online and hybrid programs. He will serve as a key leadership partner with the CSU’s Commission on Continuing and Professional Education (CPaCE) and external workforce development groups, and ensure greater integration of PaCE programs in advancing the CSU’s student success and equity goals. Dr. Savage holds a bachelor’s degree in Industrial Technology, Electronics, from the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff; a master’s degree in Technical Education, Manufacturing Engineering Technology from Memphis State University; and a Ph.D. in Industrial Education and Technology from Iowa State University. Named a Provost Faculty Fellow among other honors, he is a prolific author and presenter, has served on numerous university committees and has mentored several graduate students.

The Kentucky Community & Technical College System Board of Regents has selected Dr. Ryan Quarles as the System's fourth President. A native son and former community college student, Dr. Quarles currently serves as Kentucky Commissioner of Agriculture. First elected in 2016 to the statewide office, he leads the commonwealth's second largest constitutional executive branch agency. From 2011 to 2016, Quarles served as a member of the Kentucky House of Representatives. As a college student, he was appointed by then Governor Fletcher as the student representative to the Kentucky Council on Postsecondary Education, the state's higher education coordinating agency. In that role, he was immersed in the key issues of campuses and the state-level operations of higher education. Earlier work experience includes serving as associate general counsel at Georgetown College and in private practice. Quarles holds seven college degrees, including a doctorate in higher education administration from Vanderbilt University, a master's degree in higher education from Harvard University, and a juris doctorate from the University of Kentucky College of Law. Read more.

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.

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.

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.