Speaker/Moderator Biographies

Jason Adwin
Senior Vice President and National Compensation and Career Strategies Practice Leader, Segal

Jason Adwin has more than 20 years of experience working with organizations on their human capital strategies with special expertise in compensation and performance management. He advises boards and compensation committees on matters related to executive compensation including; rewards strategy, competitive assessments, peer group development, incentive plan design, executive contract support and pay reasonableness opinions. He also advises organizations on matters relating to effective governance.  Prior to joining Segal, he worked for a global information technology firm as a human resources project lead. Adwin earned a bachelor's degree in industrial and labor relations from Cornell University (NY).

Nathan Ament
Vice President for Enrollment and Dean of Admission​, Knox College (TN)

Nathan Ament is an experienced enrollment manager having served in leadership roles at institutions in Wisconsin, Illinois, Minnesota, and Louisiana. Ament believes in managing an enrollment operation with an eye on logic, humility, and humor. His 22-year career has provided him with practical experience in all areas of strategic enrollment management and execution ‐ financial aid leveraging, staff management, cross‐campus relationship building, and visit experiences. He also co-hosts “The Admissions Directors Lunchcast” podcast with his friend and business partner, Teege Mettille.  He is a graduate of Augustana College (IL) and St. Mary's University of Minnesota.

Charlie Baker
President, National Collegiate Athletics Association (NCAA)

Charlie Baker assumed the duties as the NCAA's sixth president on March 1, 2023 after the conclusion of two terms as the 72nd governor of Massachusetts.

A former collegiate athlete at Harvard University (MA), Baker is credited with bringing bipartisan leadership to the state, successfully guiding Massachusetts through an exceptionally turbulent period for government officials. In addition to his two terms as governor, he has brought decades of experience spearheading transformations at high-profile institutions in the private and public sectors.

Baker has arrived at the NCAA at a moment of significant transformation. Legal shifts in the environment surrounding college sports have challenged the NCAA's ability to serve as an effective national regulator for college athletics, resulting in an untenable patchwork of individual state laws. Partnering with federal policymakers to develop a consistent, sustainable legal framework to address issues common to student-athletes and athletic departments across the country is a top and immediate priority.

A Republican governor serving a predominantly Democratic state, Baker was re-elected to a second term in 2018 with 67 percent of the vote. Baker earned widespread support by taking on issues with significant real-world impacts. Among his accomplishments, Baker unleashed unprecedented investment into Massachusetts' K-12 education system, eliminated the state's structural budget deficit while cutting taxes, and led the nation in securing renewable energy sources to respond to climate change. 

Prior to his tenure as governor, Baker had a distinguished career in business, nonprofit and government administration.  Immediately prior to being elected governor, he served as executive-in-residence at General Catalyst Partners, and CEO of Harvard Pilgrim Health Care, a nonprofit health benefits provider. Prior to this, Baker served in a variety of leadership roles in Massachusetts state government, including as secretary of administration and finance, and as secretary of health and human services. 

Baker is a graduate of Harvard, where he was a member of the men's varsity basketball team, and holds a master's of business administration from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University (IL). 

Marie Bernardo-Sousa, LP.D.
President, Providence Campus, Johnson & Wales University (RI)
 
Marie Bernardo-Sousa has spent 30+ years in higher education at Johnson & Wales University. Beginning as an undergraduate student at the Providence campus, Bernardo-Sousa held her first role in the registrar’s office, followed by a trajectory of positions that led to her appointment as as Providence campus president in March 2019. 

With a keen commitment to the student experience, Bernardo-Sousa has a long history of fostering collaboration among departments and across JWU’s two-campus system to ensure students receive optimum care, service and succeed in meeting their educational goals. 

Bernardo-Sousa holds a doctorate in law and policy from Northeastern University (MA), a master of science degree in human resources from Emmanuel College (MA), and a bachelor of science degree in marketing from Johnson & Wales University.

Connie Ledoux. Book
President, Elon University (NC) and
2023-24 Chair, NAICU Board of Directors

President of Elon University since 2018, Connie Book is a passionate advocate for higher education and its power to transform students’ lives. She spent 16 years as an Elon faculty member and administrative leader, helping to build the university’s reputation for excellence in engaged teaching and learning.
In 2015, she accepted a groundbreaking role as the first female provost and chief academic officer at The Citadel (SC). She returned to Elon as the university’s ninth president in 2018, bringing a deep appreciation for the university’s unique history and its rapid rise to national prominence.

Under President Book’s leadership, Elon launched the 10-year Boldly Elon strategic plan to advance the university’s national leadership in experiential education, mentoring and student success. In addition, Book also spearheaded the successful $250 million Elon LEADS comprehensive campaign, which surpassed its goal by $10M and has funded more than 200 new endowed scholarships and increased resources for students, faculty and programs.

Book earned a doctorate from the Grady College of Journalism at the University of Georgia, a master’s degree in education administration and supervision from Northwestern State University (LA) and a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Louisiana State University.

As an advocate for access to education at all levels, Book is the chair of the NAICU Board of Directors and board member of the North Carolina Independent College and Universities.

Naomi Brezi
Chief Revenue Officer, Ruffalo Noel Levitz (RNL) 

Naomi Brezi is a highly accomplished senior C-suite executive with a proven track record of building high-performing organizations, identifying optimal strategies for growth, and delivering exceptional results for the organizations and clients she serves. She oversees RNL’s partnerships with higher education and nonprofit organizations along with sales and marketing. Brezi previously held executive leadership positions in workforce development, higher education, and the adult learning organizations. She is passionate about creating financial and career mobility for people of all ages.  She earned a dual B.S. in finance and international business from the New York University Stern School of Business.

Jonathan Capehart
Pulitzer Prize-Winning Journalist, Associate Editor for The Washington Post, and Television Personality

Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Jonathan Capehart is known for his insightful, hard-hitting reporting, writing and witty commentary. He is associate editor of The Washington Post, where he writes a weekly column focusing on the intersection of social and cultural issues and politics, hosts the Post’s “Capehart” podcast and live roundtable show “First Look,” which is also streamed on “The Choice MSNBC” on Comcast’s Peacock streaming service.

He served as a member of The Washington Post’s editorial board until 2022. He is also an MSNBC contributor and anchor of The Saturday Show & The Sunday Show with Jonathan Capehart, and a regular PBS NewsHour contributor — delivering its Friday evening political commentary segment Brooks & Capehart.
 
His MSNBC special “A Promised Land: A Conversation with Barack Obama” was nominated in 2021 for an Emmy for “Outstanding News Discussion & Analysis.” His MSNBC special “Pride of the White House” won a GLAAD Media Award for “Outstanding TV Journalism — Long Form” in 2022.
 
Capehart was deputy editorial page editor of the New York Daily News from 2002 to 2004, and served on that paper's editorial board from 1993 to 2000. In 1999, his 16-month editorial campaign to save the famed Apollo Theatre in Harlem earned him and the board the Pulitzer Prize for Editorial Writing. After the Daily News, he became the national affairs columnist at Bloomberg News, and then served as a policy adviser to Michael Bloomberg in his first successful campaign for New York City mayor.

Miguel A. Cardona, Ph.D.
Secretary of Education, U.S. Department of Education

Miguel Cardona was sworn in as the 12th U.S. Secretary of Education in March 2021.

Secretary Cardona is one of three children, whose grandparents moved from Puerto Rico in the 1960s for better opportunities in the mainland United States. That experience, and his bicultural upbringing, have helped shape Secretary Cardona's passion to serve all students and improve their opportunities for success. Secretary Cardona's focus throughout his career on raising the bar for equity and excellence in education for all learners guides his leadership of the U.S. Department of Education in service of the nation's 65 million students, ranging from prekindergarten to adult learners, and their families.

Over the last two years, Secretary Cardona led the nation's efforts to safely and successfully reopen schools for in-person learning; distributing historic federal education funding for P-12 schools and colleges; working to increase higher education access, affordability, and student success; and leading unprecedented federal efforts to transform the country's student loan system.

In the year ahead, the Department will be focused on achieving academic excellence and accelerating learning for all students; delivering a comprehensive and rigorous education for every student; eliminating the educator shortage for every school; investing in every student's mental health and well-being; providing every student with a pathway to multilingualism; and ensuring every student has pathways to college and a career.

Secretary Cardona was appointed commissioner of education in Connecticut in 2019. In this role, Secretary Cardona faced the unprecedented challenge of responding to the Covid-19 pandemic and led safe school reopening efforts in the state. His approach to leadership in Connecticut focused on partnerships: within his Education Department, between state agencies, and with local boards, educator unions, school administrator associations, child advocates, and most importantly, students and families. He attributes his success in Connecticut, in part, to those strong partnerships.

Secretary Cardona has two decades of experience as a public-school educator in Meriden, CT. He began his career as an elementary school teacher and went on to serve as an elementary school principal, leading a school that included outstanding programming for 3- to 5-year-old students with developmental delays, students with autism and other sensory needs, and students enrolled in the district's bilingual education program. Following that role, he led performance and evaluation efforts for the Meriden Public Schools and became assistant superintendent for teaching and learning.

Secretary Cardona earned a bachelor's degree from Central Connecticut State University, a master's degree, two additional advanced leadership certifications, and a doctoral degree from the University of Connecticut.

John Cech, Ph.D.
President, Carroll College (MT)​

John Cech presidency at Carroll College started in June 2018. During his tenure, he has established the college’s “"Healthcare Professions Initiative" and is proud to have supported college-wide efforts to establish the college’s second graduate program, a master’s of social work, a healthcare leadership certificate, as well as an accelerated nursing program.

Previously, Cech served in the Montana University System as the leader of City College at MSU Billings and then eight years as deputy commissioner of higher education for the Montana University System. He also served Rocky Mountain College for 15 years, first as a faculty instructor, then as a director, and eventually as dean of community services, continuing education and summer sessions. 

Cech earned a doctorate in higher education leadership, a master’s degree in nonprofit management, and a baccalaureate in business administration and computer information systems.

Paul Cerkvenik, J.D.
President, Minnesota Private College Council and the Minnesota Private College Fund

Since 2009, Paul Cerkvenik has led the Minnesota Private College Council and the Minnesota Private College Fund. The Council and Fund serve the shared needs of the 18 four-year, nonprofit liberal arts member institutions. Cerkvenik works with leaders from MPCC institutions to advocate for state and federal policy that meets the needs of students, enhances private higher education, and strengthens Minnesota’s economic and civic fabric.

Previously, Cerkvenik was an attorney in private practice in Virginia, MN, for 13 years, where he was a shareholder in the Trenti Law Firm. Prior to practicing law, Cerkvenik worked for three Speakers of the Minnesota House of Representatives. He earned a B.S. degree from Saint John’s University (MN) and a J.D. degree from the University of Minnesota.

Sujith Cherukumilli
Education and Workforce Policy Advisor, Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions, U.S. Senate

Sujith Cherukumilli is currently an education and workforce policy advisor for Chair Bernie Sanders (I-VT) of the Senate HELP Committee. He previously served as the education and labor policy advisor for Rep. Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR), a senior member of the House Committee on Education and the Workforce. Cherukumilli began his career in education as a 7^th grade English teacher in Las Vegas, NV.  He is graduate of University of California at Los Angeles and the University of Nevada, Los Vegas.

Jeffrey R. Docking, Ph.D.
President, Adrian College (MI)

Jeffrey Docking began work as the seventeenth president of Adrian College (MI) in July 2005. Through the years, he was worked to transform the college from a struggling institution of less than 900 students to over 1,850 today. During this same period, the endowment tripled to over $70 million and the academic profile of incoming students was increased in nearly every important benchmark category.

Under his leadership, Adrian College experienced a five-fold increase in applications and invested significant revenue in the local community including over $110 million in new on-campus construction, nearly 100 new jobs, increasing faculty positions from 63 to 83, and the purchasing power of over 650 additional first-year students each year.

This renaissance of Adrian College is the result of a unique business plan President Docking implemented and then wrote about in his popular book, “Crisis in Higher Education: A Plan to Save Small Liberal Arts Colleges in America.”

Docking’s most recent book, “The College of the Future: Lowering Costs for Students by Fixing the Business Model of Higher Education,” lays out a bold plan to help America’s colleges flourish by working together to start dozens of new high-demand majors.

He is a veteran speaker and leader in higher education, having served as chair of the Division III Presidents Council of the NCAA, the NCAA Board of Governors, and a member of the five-person NCAA Executive Committee. He has chaired the American Council on Education Fellows Board, the Michigan Colleges Alliance, the Michigan Independent Colleges and Universities, and NAICU’s Committee on Tax.

Docking earned a Ph.D. in ethics from Boston University, a master’s degree from Garrett-Evangelical Seminary (IL) and a bachelor’s degree from Michigan State University.

Daniel P. Egan
President, Association of Independent Colleges and Universities of Rhode Island (AICU)

Daniel Egan is the fifth president in the 41-year history of AICU Rhode Island and leads the association’s outreach on the federal, state and local level. AICU Rhode Island represents the collective interests of Rhode Island’s independent colleges and universities before numerous external constituencies.

Egan has extensive experience in government relations, communications and higher education administration. Previously, he served as chief of staff in the Office of the Dean of Medicine and Biological Sciences at Brown University, where he handled a wide range of issues related to faculty, staff, students, hospital teaching partners, and public affairs, and served as a conduit with senior university administrators and local, government, and community officials. Prior to Brown, Egan served as vice president for government relations at the Hospital Association of Rhode Island (HARI) and vice president of government relations for Trion Communications.

Egan’s governmental experiences include serving on the staff to the Mayor of the City of Warwick for two administrations, from 1985 to 1991. Dan also served as campaign scheduler and media and print projects coordinator with two Rhode Island gubernatorial campaigns in 1990.

He is a graduate of Providence College (RI) and Boston College.

Jody Feder, J.D.
Director of Accountability and Regulatory Affairs, NAICU

Jody Feder represents NAICU on issues including: accreditation, state authorization, Title IX, and educational privacy with Congress and the Administration. She joined the NAICU staff in March 2017 after more than 14 years as a legislative attorney with the Congressional Research Service. At CRS, she provided nonpartisan advice and analysis to Members of Congress on civil rights and education law. Prior to attending law school, she wrote about federal education issues as an editor for Thompson Publishing Group. Feder earned a bachelor’s degree in political science and government from Brown University (RI) and a law degree from Yale University (CT).

Jacquelyn S. Fetrow, Ph.D.
President and Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Albright College (PA)

The first Albright College graduate to lead the college, Jacquelyn Fetrow, is the 15th president, concurrently holding a chemistry/biochemistry faculty position and serving on several national and local boards. In addition to a successful track record in college academics and administration, Fetrow co-founded a biotechnology software company and played a key role in developing strategy, raising more than $50 million. She earned a doctorate in biological chemistry from Pennsylvania State University and a bachelor of science in biochemistry from Albright College, Fetrow is a co-inventor on five U.S. patents and has published over 90 scientific papers.

Andrew Flagel, Ph.D.
President, Consortium of Universities of the Washington Metropolitan Area

Andrew Flagel leads the organization founded to foster collaboration for higher education across the National Capital Region. The consortium encompasses a broad portfolio of programs and initiatives, developing projects to enhance private/public partnerships while leveraging the reputation and talent of a diverse membership of colleges and universities.

Previously, Flagel was vice president at AAC&U, senior vice president for students and enrollment at Brandeis University (MA) and associated vise president/dean at George Mason University (VA), creating ground-breaking programs for veterans, international, and transfer students while establishing and chairing the bachelor of applied sciences.

Flagel is a visiting senior scholar at The George Washington University (DC), and serves as Secretary for the Board of Trustees of the D.C. College Access Program. 

He is a graduate of The George Washington University and the Michigan State University.

Sarah A. Flanagan
Vice President for Government Relations and Policy Development, NAICU

Sarah Flanagan leads the NAICU government relations team.  As vice president, she directs a comprehensive government relations effort, in coordination with related state associations, that focuses on issues of government regulation, student financial assistance, and tax policy. Before joining NAICU, she was the professional staff member for higher education on the U.S. Senate Subcommittee on Education, Arts and Humanities under Sen. Claiborne Pell (D-RI), and staff director for the Senate Subcommittee on Children, Families, Drugs and Alcoholism under Sen. Christopher Dodd (D-CT). Flanagan earned a B.A. degree from Providence College (RI) and a M.A.T. degree from Rhode Island College. She currently serves on the Board of Trustees of Beacon College (FL) and is a Trustee Emerita at Providence College (RI) and Mary Baldwin University (VA).

Patrick Fox
Education Policy Advisor, Committee for Health, Education, Labor and Pensions, U.S. House of Representatives

Patrick Fox handles higher education and special education issue for the HELP Committee. Before working in education policy, he worked as a college soccer coach at Centenary College (LA).

Fox earned a master’s degree in education policy from the  University of Washington and a bachelor's degree in teaching from Birmingham-Southern College.

Stephanie T. Giesecke
Senior Director for Budget and Appropriations, NAICU 

Stephanie Giesecke represents NAICU with Congress, the administration, and the higher education community on budget and appropriations issues. Previously, she was a legislative assistant for Rep. Bill Alexander (D-AR), and a legislative assistant for the Association of Community College Trustees (ACCT). She is an active member of the Committee for Education Funding and served as its president in 2006 and 2019. Giesecke is a graduate of Washington University in St. Louis (MO) and The George Washington University (DC). 

Jonathan D. Green, D.M.A.
President, Susquehanna University (PA)

Jonathan Green is the 15th president of Susquehanna University and an award winning composer of over 160 musical compositions, including songs, choral works, three piano concertos and seven symphonies. 

Previously he served as chief academic officer of Sweet Briar College (VA) and Illinois Wesleyan University. Green is a member of the Board of the Annapolis Group and chair of the Association of Independent College and Universities of Pennsylvania.  He also is a member of the NAICU Committee on Tax Policy.

Green earned a doctor of musical arts in conducting at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro,  a master’s degree from the University of Massachusetts, and  a bachelor of music from the Fredonia School of Music (NY).

Anne F. Harris
President, Grinnell College (IA)

Anne Harris, an energetic leader and gifted teacher, was appointed the 14th president of Grinnell College on July 14, 2020 after joining the campus community in 2019 as vice president for academic affairs and dean of the College. 

President Harris’s work has been marked by leadership in the areas of diversity and inclusion, academic and community development, and financial stewardship and fundraising. Working with the College’s Board of Trustees and campus stakeholders, she led Grinnell in enacting a “no loan” financial aid policy that makes it possible to graduate without student debt. 

Before coming to Grinnell, she served for more than two decades as a professor of art history and for three years as vice president for academic affairs at DePauw University. 

Harris earned a bachelor’s degree in art history and classical languages from Agnes Scott College (GA), and master’s and doctoral degrees in art history from the University of Chicago.

Marjorie Hass, Ph.D.
President, Council of Independent Colleges

Marjorie Hass is a philosopher, leader, award-winning teacher, mentor, author, and an influential thinker in independent higher education. She has led the Council of Independent Colleges since 2021. and guides the organization's programming to ensure it engages a diverse membership; supports member financial health and innovation; and strengthens CIC's role as a champion of independent higher education.

Before joining CIC, Hass served as president of Rhodes College (TN) and of Austin College (TX). She also served at Muhlenberg College (PA) as a member of the philosophy faculty and as provost.

A philosopher by training, Hass has published widely on the philosophy of language, logic, and feminist philosophy and speaks frequently on leadership, shared governance, and the independent sector in higher education. She is the author of A Leadership Guide for Women in Higher Education (Johns Hopkins Press, 2021). 

Hass earned bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees in philosophy from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.  She is a former NAICU board chair and currently is a trustee at Brandeis University (MA).

Mary Dana Hinton, Ph.D.,
President, Hollins University (VA)
.

Mary Dana Hinton became the thirteenth president of Hollins University in August 2020. An active and respected proponent of the liberal arts and inclusion, her leadership reflects a deep and abiding commitment to educational equity and the education of women. Previously, she served six years as president of the College of Saint Benedict (MN). During her tenure, the college completed a $100 million comprehensive fundraising campaign and implemented a $43 million campus facilities update, 

Hinton’s scholarship focuses on higher education leadership, strategic planning, the role of education in peace building, African American religious history, and inclusion in higher education. She is the author of The Commercial Church: Black Churches and the New Religious Marketplace in America and a frequent op-ed contributor across higher education publications. 

In 2021, Hinton was elected to the American Academy of Arts & Sciences, an organization established more than 240 years ago by the nation’s founders to honor exceptionally accomplished individuals and engage them in advancing the public good.

Hinton earned a Ph.D. in religion and religious education with high honors from Fordham University (NY), an M.A. in clinical child psychology from the University of Kansas, Lawrence, and a B.A. in psychology from Williams College (MA). She is the 2023-24 vice chair of the NAICU board of directors.

Tina S. Holland, Ph.D.
President, Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady University (LA)

Tina Holland has been president of Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady University (FranU) since 2014. Before coming to Baton Rouge, Holland served for more than 22 years at Holy Cross College (IN), where she served in various roles, including mathematics professor, program director for at-risk students, vice president for student affairs, and executive vice president.

Prior to her career in higher education, she served as an intelligence officer in the United States Marine Corps. Holland earned a doctorate in higher education administration and leadership at Indiana State University, a master of arts degree in international relations at the University of San Diego (CA) and a bachelor of science degree in general engineering and in political science from the United States Naval Academy.

Mark Huelsman, Ed.D.
Director of Policy and Advocacy, The Hope Center for College, Community and Justice, Temple University (PA)

Mark Huelsman leads federal strategies to address college affordability and basic needs insecurity at The Hope Center for College, Community and Justice. He also serves as a student loan justice fellow with the Student Borrower Protection Center. Huelsman has appeared on NPR, Fox News, Bloomberg TV, and C-SPAN, and his writing has been featured in CNN.com, The Washington Post, Slate, The Nation, The Guardian, The New Republic, Inside Higher Ed, The Hill, The American Prospect, and U.S. News and World Report. In 2016, he was named to the “Politico 50,” for his role in sparking a national policy conversation around debt-free college. Huelsman is a graduate of the University of Maryland and earned an Ed.M. in international education policy from the Harvard Graduate School of Education (MA).

Rachel Jay
Senior Consultant, Compensation and Career Strategies (CCS) Practice, Segal
 
With over 15 years of experience in strategic compensation management and consulting, Rachel Jay partners with clients on a variety of solutions, including: executive compensation, total rewards philosophy and strategy, market assessments and benchmarking, and pay scale redesign and implementation.  Prior to joining Segal, she worked in a similar capacity at Willis Towers Watson, Korn Ferry (Hay Group) and Buck Consultants. At these consulting companies, Jay managed relationships and provided compensation and rewards consulting for many colleges, universities, not-for-profit organizations, associations and foundations, as well as hospitals and healthcare centers. Jay earned bachelor’s degree mathematics and secondary education from The College of New Jersey.

Karin L. Johns
Director of Tax Policy, NAICU

As director of tax policy, Karin Johns is responsible for developing NAICU's legislative strategies and representing the association on tax policy issues and nonprofit governance. She also serves as liaison to the NAICU Secretariat, co-chairs the Section 127 Coalition, handles issues affecting international students, immigration, and several Department of Labor issues like the overtime rule. Previously, she was legislative director for Rep. Phil English (R-PA), and a legislative assistant for Rep. Fred Grandy (R-IA). Johns graduated from Westminster College (PA) and attended the Fund for American Studies Institute on Political Journalism at Georgetown University (DC). 

Paula A. Johnson, M.D., M.P.H.
President, Wellsley College (MA)

Paula Johnson is a pioneer with decades of experience in the fields of academic medicine, public health, and higher education. Since joining Wellesley in 2016, she has placed the college at the forefront of STEM education for women and has led the creation of the school’s new strategic plan, which places inclusive excellence at the heart of the Wellesley experience.

Johnson has held several leadership roles in her career as a physician-scientist. She most recently served as the Grayce A. Young Family Professor of Medicine in Women’s Health at Harvard Medical School (MA) and a professor of epidemiology at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Health. In addition, she founded the Connors Center for Women’s Health and Gender Biology at Brigham and Women’s Hospital (MA).

Johnson is a member of the National Academy of Medicine and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. She has received several honorary degrees and numerous awards for her contributions to science, medicine, and public health. 

Born and raised in Brooklyn, NY, she attended Harvard University, where she earned her bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees. She also trained in internal medicine and cardiovascular medicine at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, one of the leading Harvard teaching hospitals. Johnson has served on several national and international boards, and she currently serves on the board of directors for Rockefeller University, the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston, and Johnson & Johnson.

>The Rev. Margaret Grun Kibben, D.Min.
Chaplain, U.S. House Of Representatives, and
Rear Admiral, U.S. Navy (Retired)

The Rev, Margaret Grun Kibben was sworn in as the 62nd Chaplain of the U.S. House of Representatives on January 3, 2021., having served as a chaplain for over 30 years in the Navy and Marine Corps. Born and raised in Warrington, Pennsylvania, Chaplain Kibben graduated from Goucher College (MD) and earned both a master of divinity and a doctor of ministry from Princeton Theological Seminary. Chaplain Kibben has served as a fellow at the United States Institute of Peace and earned a master’s degree in national security and strategic studies from the Naval War College.  
 
In addition to Princeton Theological Seminary’s Board of Trustees, Chaplain Kibben serves on the boards for the Inamori International Center for Ethics and Excellence, the World War II Foundation, and the Marine Corps Scholarship Foundation. Chaplain Kibben is a faculty associate for Arizona State University’s School of Politics and Global Studies.

Matt Lindsey
President, Kansas Independent College Association (KICA)
 

As president of KICA since 2012, Matt Lindsey represents the interests of the state’s 21 not-for-profit colleges and universities. Prior to KICA, he was the executive director of Kansas Campus Compact, and has also worked as a speechwriter, policy analyst, and consultant in Washington, DC. Lindsey earned a B.A. in economics and political philosophy from the University of Tulsa and a Master of Public Policy from Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government.

Beth Macy
Journalist, Author and Television Producer

Beth Macy is a Virginia-based journalist who writes about outsiders and underdogs. She is a New York Times best-selling author of four books, including Factory Man and Dopesick, which won the Los Angeles Times Book Prize for Science and Technology, and was described as a “masterwork of narrative nonfiction” by The New York Times.
 
Dopesick was made into a Peabody- and Emmy Award-winning Hulu series; Macy was an executive producer and cowriter on the show. Her 2022 book, Raising Lazarus: Hope, Justice, and the Future of America’s Overdose Crisis, was a follow-up to Dopesick and explored on-the-ground solutions to the nation’s drug epidemic.
 
A 2023 Guggenheim Fellow and a 2010 Nieman Fellow for Journalism at Harvard University (MA), Macy has also written for The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Atlantic, and The Washington Post. Her next book, “Paper Girl,” is a combination memoir and reported examination of the rural-urban divide told through the lenses of declining upward mobility, political polarization, and the decimation of local and regional news. 

Macy earned a bachelor's degree in journalism from Bowling Green State University (OH) and earned a master's degree in creative writing from Hollins University (VA).

J. Patrick McAvoy
Executive Vice President, Dynamic Campus
 

Patrick McAvoy is responsible for ensuring Dynamic Campus remains the premier technical, functional and strategic partner for higher education institutions in the current, fast-changing environment. He has spent the last eight years focused on the rapidly changing needs of higher education, ensuring Dynamic Campus' strategic, consulting and tactical support capabilities are continually aligned with the needs of today’s leaders. Previously, he spent more than 20 years in the high tech industry. McAvoy is a graduate of the University of Arizona.

Charles T. McCormick, Ph.D.
President, Schreiner University (TX)

Charles McCormick became president of Schreiner University in January 2017.

He joined the Schreiner community in 2009 and served as provost and vice president for academic affairs until being named president. Previously, he served as a faculty member, director of the honors program, and the dean for academic affairs at Cabrini University (PA).

McCormick earned a bachelor’s degree in English from Abilene Christian University, a master’s degree anthropology from Texas A&M University, and a Ph.D. in folklore and folk life from the University of Pennsylvania.

Carrie Kroll McMullan, J.D.
Associate General Counsel, Deputy Chief Compliance Officer, International Affairs, Johns Hopkins University (MD)

Carrie Kroll McMullan, who joined Johns Hopkins University in 2019, advises clients on complex U.S. laws and regulations, such as import and export controls, economic sanctions, anti-corruption matters, and federal funding compliance related to non-U.S. activity, as well as compliance with Section 117 of the Higher Education Act (“HEA”). McMullan works with stakeholders regarding foreign activities, registrations, travel, research, tax and employment matters, including non-U.S. entities and university partnerships. Prior to joining Hopkins, she was counsel at the Venable LLP law firm in Washington, D.C.  She is a graduate of the University of Virginia and the American University Washington College of Law (DC).

Elizabeth M. Meade, Ph.D.
President, Cedar Crest College (PA)

Elizabeth Meade has served as the fourteenth president of Cedar Crest College since 2017, leading the development and implementation of the college’s current strategic plan, featuring signature initiatives such as a Laptops for Learners program, a Degree in Three accelerated path to a bachelor’s degree, and full funding for the college’s immersive international experience, the Sophomore Expedition. 

Meade earned an A.B. in German language and literature from Bryn Mawr College (PA), followed by an M.A. and Ph.D. in philosophy from Boston College.

Brad Middleton
Senior Advisor,  Office of the Under Secretary, U.S. Department of Education

Brad Middleton joined the Education Department in 2022 as Senior Advisor for Strategy in the Federal Student Aid Office of Enforcement. He moved to his current post in 2023.

Previously, Middleton served 14 years on the staff of U.S. Senator Richard J. Durbin (D-IL).  During that time, he held a variety of policy roles including spending 10 years as Education Policy Director. He is a graduate of Knox College (IL).

Ben Miller
Deputy Under Secretary, U.S. Department of Education

Ben Miller focuses on regulatory and accountability policy in his role at the Education Department.  

Previously, he served as vice president for postsecondary education at the Center for American Progress and senior policy advisor in the Office of Planning, Evaluation, and Policy Development at the U.S. Department of Education.
Miller also served as a policy analyst at Education Sector, a nonpartisan think tank, where he wrote on issues such as gainful employment, the use of technology to improve student learning and reduce costs, and graduation rates. Miller’s work has appeared in or been cited by the Washington Monthly, The Chronicle of Higher Education, Inside Higher Ed, The Washington Post, Congressional Quarterly, and Houston Chronicle, among other outlets.

He holds a bachelor’s degree in history and economics from Brown University.

Barbara K. Mistick, D.B.A.
President, NAICU

Barbara Mistick has led NAICU since September 2019. Coming out of the pandemic, she helped organize the higher education community and spearheaded efforts to double the Pell Grant maximum award to $13,000. The effort secured a down payment increase of $400 in the FY2022 federal budget and $500 in the FY2023 federal budget, the largest increases in the Pell Grant maximum award since 2009. NAICU advocacy efforts also helped secure substantial increases in each of the core student and institutional aid programs in the 2023 omnibus spending package.

Mistick expanded NAICU’s mission to secure institutional aid, along with student aid, to ensure private, nonprofit colleges and universities were equitably treated when Congress distributed $77 billion in Higher Education Emergency Relief Funds in each of the three stimulus rounds. She has enhanced NAICU’s communication efforts and virtual tools to keep members informed of federal efforts and opportunities for assistance. These efforts were critical to ensuring the health and safety for our nation’s campuses and the communities they serve.

During the course of her 30-year career in the public, private, and nonprofit sectors, Mistick has been an entrepreneur, educator and leader at institutions such as Wilson College (PA), the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh, the H.J. Heinz School of Public Policy and Management at Carnegie Mellon University (PA), the National Education Center for Women in Business at Seton Hill University (PA), and at various businesses she managed and/or founded.  She is a graduate of Carlow University (PA) and the University of Pittsburgh (PA), and earned a doctor of management from Case Western Reserve University (OH).

Justin Monk
Director of Student and Institutional Aid Policy, NAICU

Monk is NAICU’s lead policy expert on Title IV federal student assistance programs and the institutional aid programs found in Titles III and V of the Higher Education Act (HEA). He also is responsible for developing association policy positions on student and institutional aid, in conjunction with the association’s member college, university, and association presidents. Previously, Monk was the director of government affairs for the KIPP Foundation, where he was the key advocate advancing the foundation’s policy, legislative and regulatory priorities. Prior to KIPP, he served as Student Veterans of America’s director of policy, during which time he led efforts to increase protections for and improve outcomes of student veterans in higher education. Monk earned a bachelor of arts in psychology from Wake Forest University (NC) and a bachelor of science in business administration in economics from Appalachian State University (NC). 

Sarah Myksin
Senior Vice President, Ruffalo Noel Levitz (RNL) 

Sarah Myksin is focused on providing strategic consultation and critical insights to help your program innovate and succeed. She is responsible for providing guidance for overall program strategy and delivery and is dedicated to listening to and interpreting your goals into successful donor outreach.

Myksin most recently served as director of annual giving at DePaul University (IL), where she integrated new digital technology, expanded giving day efforts, and launched successful leadership annual giving and crowdfunding programs. Over her 15 years in advancement, she’s also held roles at great institutions like American University (DC), Point Park University (PA), Georgetown University (DC) and Wesleyan University (CT). Myksin earned a bachelor’s degree in American studies from Wesleyan University.

Krista L. Newkirk, J.D.
President, University of Redlands (CA)

In her third academic year at the University of Redlands, Krista Newkirk is a visionary leader who is transforming the Redlands experience by developing a new student-focused strategic plan, introducing a varsity Esports program, completing a historic capital campaign, renovating the largest residence hall, and securing the first Title V grant to support Redlands’ Hispanic Serving Institution designation. 
Previously, she held multiple positions at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, before assuming the presidency of Converse College (NC) in 2016.  Newkirk is a graduate of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and earned a juris doctor degree from the Marshall Wythe School of Law at the College of William & Mary (VA). She is a member of the NAICU Committee on Tax Policy.

Zack Perkins
CEO and Founder, CollegeVine

Zack Perkins founded CollegeVine out of his dorm room at Harvard University (MA) in order to reinvent the byzantine college recruiting process. Ten years later, CollegeVine has become the largest recruiting network for high school students, where students create professional profiles to get recruited by colleges. Today, over 2 million students have created profiles and are actively connecting with 400+ colleges. The platform is also used by 3,500 high schools across the country. Zack and his team have become the largest recruiting channel for many of the colleges on the platform, replacing outdated student search with a modern approach that places the student at the center.

Paul C. Pribbenow, Ph.D.
President, Augsburg University (MN)

Since August 2006, Paul Pribbenow has served as the 10th president of Augsburg University. He has enhanced the college’s role as an active community partner in its urban setting and championed the university’s signature commitments to equity, inclusion, and community engagement.

Before coming to Augsburg, Pribbenow served as president of Rockford College (now Rockford University) in Illinois. 
Pribbenow earned a bachelor's degree from Luther College (IA) and a master's degree and doctorate in social ethics from the University of Chicago. 

Chance Russell
Economist and Policy Advisor, U.S. House of Representatives

Chance Russell manages the higher education portfolio for House Committee on Education and the Workforce Chair Virginia Foxx (R-NC).  Russell has worked for the Education Committee since 2019, and previously served as a legislative assistant under the policy team. Prior to joining the committee, he served in the office of former Rep. Phil Roe (R-TN) and for the House Committee on Veterans Affairs when Rep. Roe served as chairman. He earned a B.A. in economics and public policy from the University of Mississippi, and master’s degree in economics from American University (DC).

Emily Smith 
Vice President of Partner Success, Collegevine

Emily Smith is a lifer in the higher ed tech and consulting space, and has worked with the enrollment, recruitment, admissions, and student affairs organizations of over 500 institutions in 20 years. Smith has worked with institutions to rehab systems and processes, implement large and small scale software and student search efforts, and set vision and strategy for success.

Joining CollegeVine just over two years ago, she leads the partner success initiative and is host of the Weekly VineDown, the leading weekly show that candidly explores all aspects of admissions and enrollment. She earned a bachelor's degree from Connecticut College.

Colby Spencer Cesaro
Vice President, Michigan Independent Colleges and Universities Association (MICU)

Colby Spencer Cesaro she focuses her time analyzing data on higher education institutions, students, graduates and the economy, enhancing awareness of the importance of higher education to policymakers. Spencer Cesaro has extensive knowledge of federal data systems, data reporting, economic impact modeling, and policy analysis.

She serves on the National Postsecondary Education Data Cooperative (NPEC), representing the independent higher education sector.

Spencer Cesaro earned a bachelor of science degree from New York University and a master of public administration from Columbia University (NY).

Melanie Storey
Director, Policy Implementation and Oversight (PIO)
Federal Student Aid (FSA), U.S. Department of Education
 

Melanie Storey joined Federal Student Aid (FSA) in March 2020 and is currently Director of Policy Implementation and Oversight (PIO).  The PIO office serves as the principal advisor to FSA on higher education policy to ensure that operations are considered in policy development and once enacted, that policy is implemented to meet intended goals. Prior to FSA, Storey led a wide range of policy-focused activities related to higher education and student financial aid at the College Board.  She also served as the director of national initiatives at the American Council on Education (ACE) and began her career in higher education as the policy and research analyst at NAICU. 

Suzanne Stokes Vieth
Director of State Relations and Outreach, NAICU
 
Suzanne Stokes Vieth is responsible for cultivating and managing the association’s network of state executives, tracking emerging higher education issues at the state level, and serving as primary liaison with the Congressional Independent Colleges Caucus. She joined NAICU from the Population Association of America/ Association of Population Centers where she served as deputy director for government affairs. Previously, she served as the manager of congressional relations for the Association of Public Television Stations and began her career as a legislative assistant in the office of former U.S. Senator Christopher Dodd (D-CT). Vieth is a graduate of the University of Michigan.

Burton J. Webb, Ph.D.
President, University of Pikeville (KY)

Burton Webb has served as the twenty-first president of the University of Pikeville since 2016. As the child of teachers, he knew early on education would play a significant role in his life.

Previously, he served as vice president for academic affairs at Northwest Nazarene University (ID), as a professor at the Indiana University School of Medicine, and a professor and administrator at Indiana Wesleyan University.

Webb earned bachelor’s degrees in zoology and chemistry, a master’s degree in biology, and a Ph.D. in microbiology and immunology, investing many years teaching undergraduate and medical students before entering collegiate administration. He is a member of NAICU Board of Directors.

Leslie Ford Weber
Associate Director, Maryland Government Affairs, Johns Hopkins University & Medicine (MD)

Leslie Ford Weber coordinates the regional legislative agenda at the state and federal levels and manages multiple relationships with the local executive and legislative branches and community organizations for both the Johns Hopkins University and Johns Hopkins Health System in two key jurisdictions in Maryland. She has also worked with the Johns Hopkins federal strategy team for over 10 years.  In addition, she is one of three government affairs representatives on the NAICU Board of Directors. Weber earned a master’s in public policy from Georgetown University (DC) and a bachelor's degree from the University of Michigan.

Carrie Welton
Senior Director of Policy and Advocacy: Anti-Poverty and Basic Needs, The Institute for College Access and Success (TICAS)

Carrie Welton leads TICAS’ efforts to align antipoverty and higher education programs to close equity gaps and improve success for systemically marginalized students. She advises on and advocates for policy and system changes that prioritize educational attainment over low-wage work to improve the economic security of individuals, maximize federal and state investments and strengthen our nation’s future workforce. Welton's approach is informed by her experiences as a low-income, first-generation student-parent who struggled to complete college. She has channeled the challenges she faced into a commitment to reducing barriers with an explicit focus on students of color, parenting, first-generation, and immigrant students. Welton served as an expert on public benefits programs and student basic needs to the Biden-Harris administration’s transition team, developing federal and state legislation and state efforts to align higher education and public benefits programs. She is also a prominent voice on the harm perpetuated by “work first” narratives and policies in public programs. 

Welton earned a bachelor’s degree in public law from Western Michigan University and a master of public administration degree from the Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy at the University of Michigan.

David R. Wilson, CFA
Head of Global Fixed Income Client Portfolio Management, Nuveen

David oversees global fixed income client portfolio management at Nuveen. He is responsible for delivering the firm’s broad fixed income capabilities to institutions and individuals globally. Prior to joining the firm in 2013, he served as managing director and head of customized strategies at Cutwater Asset Management, where he executed over $100 billion of customized fixed income mandates. His background also includes structuring and managing customized liability-driven investment strategies, derivative overlays, hedging programs and outcome-oriented multi-asset strategies. An accomplished speaker and writer, he regularly communicates his views on important investment topics for investors. Wilson began working in the investment industry in 1998, after graduating with a B.A. in Economics from the University of Albany (SUNY) and an M.B.A. in Finance from Fordham University (NY). 

Jamel Wright, Ph.D.
President, Eureka College (IL)

Jamel Wright is in her seventh year as president of Eureka College (IL) and is the first woman and African-American to lead the institution. Under her leadership, Eureka College has become more financially viable, significantly increased its endowment, and become less tuition-dependent by diversifying its revenue and increasing its visibility and strategic partnerships. A student-centered and people-focused leader who has demonstrated an enduring passion for education and servant leadership, she has over 20 years of experience in higher education.

Previously, she served as chief diversity officer, academic advisor, and faculty member at well-known institutions like Boston College, Saint Louis University (MA) and the University of Kansas. She also was a coordinator of the America Reads Program, president of the St. Joseph Area Literacy Coalition and as a teacher and trainer with the Children’s Defense Fund’s Freedom School Initiative.

As a first-generation undergraduate student, Wright earned a doctorate and a master’s degree from the University of Kansas, Lawrence, and a bachelor’s degree from Missouri Western State University.

Alexander Yaffee
Managing Director, Baltimore Office, Pearl Meyer

Alexander Yaffee, a managing director at Pearl Meyer, is the former president and CEO of Yaffe & Company.  He is a second-generation expert in executive compensation and has two decades' experience in the field. As the leader of Yaffe & Company, he oversaw its geographic expansion from 10 to 37 states, development of complimentary service lines, and worked with clients whose net revenues ranged from $10M to greater than $1B, allowing for a varied perspective in similarities and differences based on geography, size, and organizational design.
 

Yaffee has assisted hundreds of tax-exempt boards and their leadership teams with assessing executive compensation programs, executive performance evaluation methods, retirement plan designs, leadership transition, succession, and retention planning. Additionally, he works with hospitals and integrated health systems to develop comprehensive physician compensation governance practices, assess current-state compensation and productivity relative to the market, and the development of next-generation plan designs.  Yaffee graduated from Full Sail University (FL) with a degree in film/television production. In 2012, he enrolled at Columbia University pursuing a degree in economics and philosophy.