Employment & Consulting

In my career I have been fortunate to have had leadership roles in a wide variety of institutions including private non-profits, large state-related and state research institutions, regional state comprehensives, a large multinational corporation and a small tech startup company. I have also worked and studied in higher education institutions in three countries, an Hispanic serving, open access, selective Land Grant, teaching focused, professional schools and Research One institutions.  My exposure to a variety of institutional missions and practices, and participation in governance at the state system level, have broadened my experience and perspective.  I have provided below a summary of each institution, my responsibilities and key achievements while working there.  Each icon is linked to the institution's web site where you can get additional information about it.

Nov. 2017 - Date.  President and COO

Responsibilities

Develop and manage the learning community.  Promote the organization, recruit members and moderate content.  Chair the Advisory Council and Editorial Board.

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4,600 students.  State regional comprehensive. Masters level institution.

Nov. 2017 - Date.  Executive Academic Consultant to the President

Responsibilities

Advise the President on organizational and shared governance structure, student recruitment and retention, and data analytics initiatives.  Collaborate with the President and the senior administrative leaders, faculty and staff to foster enrollment growth through online and international programs. Work with the faculty to facilitate the creation of a shared academic vision and strategic goals.

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9,500 students.  State regional comprehensive. Masters and professional doctoral institution.

July 2017 - Oct. 2017.  Provost & Vice President for Academic Affairs

Professor, Department of Biological Sciences

Responsibilities

The Provost serves in a critical leadership role as the institution is positioned to elevate its profile nationally and

internationally. Reporting to this position are the deans of seven colleges and the dean of the library, as

well as several assistant provosts and directors, including Academic Programs, Academic Assessment, Academic Operations, Academic Budget and Administration, and Career Services. The President, Provost, and the other vice presidents work closely and collaboratively on all major university-wide issues. The Provost oversees implementation of the academic components of the University’s strategic plan, plays a role in fundraising, and represents the University before various external organizations and state agencies. These responsibilities are carried out in the tradition of the University’s shared governance model.

Key achievements

• Implemented a data centric approach to allocation of faculty positions across colleges and departments which enabled deans to make the case for new positions, and for replacing positions within departments or moving them elsewhere.

• Developed a very positive relationship with the faculty and the faculty senate.  Was complimented by three site visit times (AACSB, ACS and ACOTE) on the enthusiasm expressed by the faculty for their Provost.

15,000 students (4,500 on-campus, 7,0000 online, 3,500 in China)

State regional comprehensive. Masters and professional doctoral institution.

2015 - 2017.  Provost & Vice President for Academic Affairs

Professor, Department of Biological Sciences

Responsibilities

Leadership of the Academic Affairs Division which includes five colleges (Science, Technology & Mathematics (STeM), Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences (AHSS), Health & Behavioral Sciences (HBS), Business & Entrepreneurship (BE), and Education), the Graduate School, Honors College, and Library, numerous offices including Internationalization & Global Partnerships, Academic Programs & Student Success, Institutional Effectiveness & Quality Improvement, Faculty Affairs & the Virtual College, Executive Dean for Asian Operations, and the State-wide Small Business Development Corporation.

Key achievements

• Organizational re-engineering including formation of a new

  • College of Science, Technology & Math (STeM).  College subsequently named with $5,000,000 gift.

  • Department of Social Work

  • Honors College with significant subsequent growth

  • Office of Institutional Effectiveness & Quality Improvement

  • Office of Internationalization and Global Partnerships

  • Director of Liberal Education

• 3.5% annual growth in overall enrollment driven by mainly by new and expanding online programs

• Implemented first doctoral program at the University (DNP).

• New partnership with the American University of Phnom Penh to deliver on-site 4 yr. degrees.

• Led the creation of the University and Academic Affairs strategic plans

• Strengthened shared governance

• Selected by American Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU) for participation in the Re-Imagining the First Year student success project

• Formed Center for Entrepreneurship with associated new residential facility

• Conducted successful national searches for two deans, an assistant vice president and numerous chair and faculty positions

• Achieved a U.S, News & World Report ranking of 16th out of 298 schools in online bachelor program

14,000 students. Multi-campus, Private non-profit doctoral level institution.

2011-2015.  Vice Provost & Dean of College Wide Programs  Professor, Health & Natural Sciences

Responsibilities

Teaching and learning initiatives, assessment and accreditation. faculty development, academic and administrative technology, global engagement, library, online learning, and schools strategic planning.

Key achievements

• Led the Middle States decennial self-study.

• Led the development of and implemented strategic plans for teaching & learning, educational assessment, the Honors and General Education programs, and for global engagement.

• Administrative representative on committee negotiating with the Faculty Association on major revisions to the faculty handbook (faculty contract and working conditions).

• Developed in-depth analytic model for faculty resource management which is used for hiring decisions, tracking workload, instructional needs and program capacity.

• Co-chairing Assessment of Student Learning workgroup for Middle States accreditation and member of the steering committee and faculty workgroup.

• Systematic needs analysis, selection and implementation of an accountability management system for accreditation and institutional effectiveness and an ePortfolio system for student learning assessment and showcasing their achievements

25,000 Students. Research One, multi-campus,

SUNY Flagship institution. AAU member.

 2006-2011.  Assistant Provost & Executive Director of Teaching, Learning + Technology. Adjunct Research Associate Professor 

Responsibilities

Faculty development, support for blended, online & distance education, classroom & computer lab design, maintenance & audio-visual support, technology infrastructure support for teaching & learning, and multimedia & television production.

Key achievements

• • Significantly raised faculty awareness of, and engagement with, excellence in teaching and academic assessment. 

  • Merged multiple support groups into a cohesive one-stop-shopping organization.

  • Created and staffed The Faculty Center (pedagogical and assessment support organization).

  • Implemented a new faculty orientation process.

  • Modernized and created classrooms to support a variety of pedagogical approaches.  Created more student centered learning environments.

  • Created the “Innovations in Education” television show to showcase the best teachers.  This project was the subject of a Chronicle of Higher Ed article in June 2010.

  • Implemented major IT systems to support teaching and learning.

  • Secured funding for, and raised staff levels from 20 to 39

84,000 students. Research One, 24 campus institution. AAU member.

2003-2006.  Director of the Royer Center for Learning & Academic Technologies / Science Faculty Member

Responsibilities

Faculty development, academic technologies and promoting and supporting inter-campus course sharing at 19 regional campuses of the Pennsylvania State University.

Key achievements

• Increased instructional development staffing at regional campuses.

• Significantly improved coordination and accessibility of central services to regional campuses.

• Participated in development of many new programs including a new business degree for 12 campuses.

• Key leadership role in the restructuring of The World Campus (Penn State Online)

• Instituted and supported intercampus course sharing.

7,000 students. Masters & Professional institution.

1997-2003.  Associate Professor / Director of the Office

of Information Technology & Learning Resources. 

Responsibilities

Faculty development, online course development and technology support. Teaching.

Key achievements

• • Led development of the World’s first fully accredited online School of Pharmacy.

  • Implemented the University’s first required laptop program for all students.

  • Developed the Office of Information Technology and Learning Resources.  Grew staff from 1 to 13 FTEs.

  • Significantly increased faculty competence with technology and online delivery of courses.

  • Developed an online learning management system (similar to Blackboard).

180,000 students, U.K.’s premier doctoral online university.

April–June 1999.  Visiting Professor

Responsibilities

Studied distance education techniques, student support and technology at one of the most successful distributed education universities in the World.

14,000 students. Doctoral, multi-campus institution.

 1993–1997.  Assistant Professor of Pharmacology

Responsibilities

Teaching, research, and service

Key achievements

• Implemented the university’s first instructional web server and multimedia classroom.

• Assisted with creation and management of the University’s first student computer lab.

• Developed advanced courses on neuro-pharmacology.

1990–1993.  Post-Doctoral Fellow in the Department of Neuro-Pharmacology

Key achievements

• • Researched animal models for screening anti-schizophrenic drugs. 

Entrepreneurial Activities

February 2002-2005

Learning Management Solutions LLC State College, PA

Founder and CEO of a small company producing learning and knowledge management software

• Led software team developing personal knowledge management and lifetime learning support applications.

• Managed overall strategic direction, financial and customer service functions of the company.

• Raised over $250,000 in private funding.

Consulting

2017 Executive Academic Consultant to the President of Fairmont State University

2009 Structuring support for teaching & learning. Binghamton University

1995 Served as an expert witness in trials involving medication effects during traffic accidents.