Sixty-eight emerging higher education leaders graduate from HERS Leadership Institute
Sixty-eight emerging higher education leaders from across the United States completed the 2022-2023 Weekend HERS Leadership Institute last week, hosted this year in Boston, Massachusetts. HERS (Higher Education Resources Services) hosts the Weekend HERS Leadership Institute, comprising four immersion weekends, each academic year.
Transformational leadership development
The HERS Leadership Institute (HLI) is a transformational leadership development program for women and people who are gender diverse in higher education, founded to fill leadership pipelines across the United States with dynamic leaders capable of ushering their respective institutions into a more inclusive and equitable future. The institute is hosted in a variety of modalities, including a nine-day summer intensive version and a weekend version comprising four weekends throughout the academic year, in order to best serve participants’ needs. Whatever the mode of delivery, the rigorous curriculum, learning outcomes, pricing, and transformative quality of the experience remain the same.
During the institute, participants share their vision of leadership and what they hope to contribute to their respective institutions and are then challenged to develop the skills to actualize their professional vision. Alums of the HERS Leadership Institute emerge better skilled and more confident in leading with their unique voice, providing a much-needed infusion of bold new leadership to their respective institutions.
Diverse participants, diverse perspectives
The HERS Leadership Institute is an inclusive program, with a focus on women and people who are gender diverse. It is designed for faculty and staff who generally hold mid-to-senior level positions in higher education and have a desire to emerge as more dynamic leaders for themselves and their institutions. This setting replicates what could happen on campus if faculty, staff, and administrators were all working together, allowing everyone to gain insight into the unique perspectives of each role and learn from one another. While challenging, HERS Leadership Institutes offer a non-competitive space, and participants build community with and champion the growth of other participants both during and beyond the program.
Participants represent a range of racial and ethnic groups, gender identities, nationalities, veteran and disability statuses, religious affiliations, ages, and years of experience in higher education, thereby broadening the range of perspectives and insights brought to each session.
This year’s participants represent both public (about 62%) and private (about 38%) institutions, and a wide range of geographies and institutional mission. Participants represent 28 states across the United States and come from 55 unique institutions. The institutions are large and small; co-ed and single-gender; and include liberal arts, research, land-grant institutions, and faith-based institutions. The cohort comprises faculty, staff, and administrators, from a rich array of disciplinary backgrounds.
Bold Leadership, Inclusive Transformation
This year’s HERS Leadership Institute theme, Bold Leadership: Inclusive Transformation, mirrors the theme of the HERS 50th Anniversary. In 2022-2023, HERS celebrates 50 years of executing its mission of creating and sustaining a diverse community of higher education leaders through leadership development programs and other strategies, with a commitment to achieving equity, inclusivity, and excellence in higher education. This anniversary presents an opportunity to share milestones, celebrate those within the HERS Network, and invite others to learn about the impact of HERS on both individuals and institutions. Bold Leadership: Inclusive Transformation embodies the vision of the HERS Leadership Institute to inspire boldness, foster inclusion and equity, and spark change through transformative leadership.
About HERS
Higher Education Resource Services (HERS) is dedicated to creating and sustaining a diverse community of women leaders through leadership and career development programs that support various career stages. Since its founding in 1972, HERS has been a force for change, transforming leadership and strengthening institutions of higher education. Over the past 50 years, HERS has supported the career advancement of more than 7,000 women from over 1,200 institutions across the United States and around the world, helping to shape and support bold leaders for an equal voice in the future of higher education.
Learn more about HERS at HERSnetwork.org.
Weekend HLI 2022-2023 Cohort
Elizabeth Adams
Clinical Professor, Communication Sciences & Disorders
University of Vermont
Manju Ahuja
Frazier Family Professor of Computer Information Systems, Information Systems, Analytics & Operations, School of Business
University of Louisville
Renee Beard
Professor of Sociology
College of the Holy Cross
Carrie Berger
Executive Director of Academic Affairs, Purdue Online, Clinical Professor of Technology
Purdue University
Lauren Berger
Assistant Dean for (Law) Students
University of New Hampshire
Warren Binford
W.H. Lea Endowed Chair for Justice in Pediatric Law, Policy, & Ethics University of Colorado School of Medicine
University of Colorado Denver – Anschutz Medical Campus
Melanie Blood
Associate Provost, SUNY Geneseo
State University of New York College at Geneseo
Kathryn “Kayte” Branch
Assistant Dean, College of Social Sciences, Mathematics & Education Professor, Department of Criminology & Criminal Justice
University of Tampa
Orly Buchbinder
Associate Professor of Mathematics Education
University of New Hampshire
Mary Ellen Burke
Interim Associate Dean of Academic Affairs, Graduate Program Director, Clin Assoc Prof Nursing
University of Massachusetts, Amherst
Michelle Butina
Chair, Laboratory Sciences & Associate Professor
West Virginia University
Sharon Bzostek
Senior Associate Dean of Undergraduate Education, School of Arts & Sciences, Associate Professor of Sociology
Rutgers the State University of New Jersey New Brunswick
Elise Cappella
Vice Dean for Research, Professor of Applied Psychology
New York University
Stephenie Chaudoir
Associate Professor Psychology and Speaker of the Faculty
College of the Holy Cross
Jaime Clark
Director of Student Health Services
Southern Illinois University Carbondale
Teresa Cook
Assistant Dean, Educational Administration Keck School of Medicine
University of Southern California
Elizabeth Cracco
Assistant Vice Chancellor Campus Life and Wellbeing
University of Massachusetts, Amherst
Maria del Guadalupe Davidson
Associate Dean for Faculty & Prof Women’s and Gender Studies
West Virginia University
Jessica Graybill
Professor, Russian and Eurasian Studies; Director, Russian and Eurasian Studies Program; Co-Director, Ciccone Commons
Colgate University
Jennifer Greaves
Director of Business Operations
University of Vermont
Jeralyn Haraldsen
Director, Research Development
University of Vermont
Monica Holiday-Goodman
Associate Dean of Student Affairs and Diversity and Inclusion
University of Toledo
Holly Hutchins
Vice Provost Faculty Success
University of North Texas
Julia Kara-Soteriou
Department Chair and Professor, Early Literacy Studies/Education
Central Connecticut State University
Bridgett King
Assoc Prof and Director of MPA Program
Auburn University
Rita Kumar
Executive Director, Faculty Enrichment Center
University of Cincinnati
Jennifer Kwon Dobbs
Professor of English
St. Olaf College
Margaret Longacre
Associate Professor and Chair of Public Health; Associate Dean, College of Health Sciences
Arcadia University
Jamie MaKinster
Senior Associate Provost for Curricular Initiatives and Assessment and Professor of Educational Studies
Hobart and William Smith Colleges
Nydia Martinez
Dean of the College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences
Eastern Washington University
Veronica Martinez Acosta
Professor of Biology
University of the Incarnate Word
Sharon McCrone
Associate Dean of Academics, College of Engineering and Physical Sciences
University of New Hampshire
Jeanna McCullers
Senior Associate Dean of Students and Director
Duke University
Laurie McMillan
Associate Dean – College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
Kutztown University of Pennsylvania
Sarah Jane Moschenross
VPSA
Grinnell College
Cara Mulcahy
Professor, Dept of Literacy, Elementary and Early Childhood Education Director, Central Teacher Education Network
Central Connecticut State University
Kimberly Mulligan
Assistant Dean of Inclusion, Equity, and Diversity
Auburn University
Elizabeth Mullin
Associate Professor and Department Chair, Exercise Science and Athletic Training
Springfield College
Debra Mumford
Dean of the Seminary
Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary
Sheryl Oring
Dean, School of Art
University of the Arts
Ana Oskoz
Assoc Dean School of Arts, Humanities, Social Sciences
University of Maryland Baltimore
Maureen Outlaw
Associate Dean of Arts & Sciences
Providence College
Kristie Patten
Vice Dean of Academic Affairs
NYU Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development Professor, Department of Occupational Therapy
New York University
Shelly Peyton
Armstrong Professional Development Professor, Department of Chemical Engineering
University of Massachusetts, Amherst
Karyn Plumm
Vice Provost for Undergraduate Education and Student Success
University of North Dakota
Cindy Prins
Assistant Dean for Educational Affairs and Clinical Associate Professor of Epidemiology
University of Florida
Elizabeth Raleigh
Associate Professor of Sociology
Carleton College
Tracey Rizzo
Dean of Humanities
University of North Carolina at Asheville
Beth Rochefort
Director, Digital Transformation, Experiential Digital Globe Education (EDGE)
Northeastern University
Jenn Rossman
Professor of Mechanical Engineering
Lafayette College
Suparna Roychoudhury
Associate Dean of Faculty and Associate Professor of English
Mount Holyoke College
Debra Ruben
Associate Professor and Associate Dean for Academic and Faculty Affairs
Drexel University
Hannah Sevian
Professor of Chemistry
University of Massachusetts Boston
Sheri Shaw
Assistant Dean Student Success
University of North Carolina at Wilmington
Elizabeth Shlala
Assistant Dean and Associate Prof of the Practice – Core Curriculum
Boston College
Meredith Siegel
Associate Dean – School of Business
Boston University Questrom School of Business
Laurel Smith- Doerr
Professor of Sociology and PI UMass ADVANCE
University of Massachusetts, Amherst
Susie Swithers
Associate Dean for Faculty Affairs; Professor of Psychological Sciences
Purdue University
Natalie The
Associate Professor and Chair – Department of Health Sciences
Furman University
Melissa Thomasson
Associate Dean for Faculty Excellence
Miami University
Patrice Torcivia Prusko
Director, Learning Design, Technology and Media, Teaching and Learning Lab – Graduate School of Ed
Harvard University
Sufia Uddin
Chair of Faculty Steering and Conference Committee, Professor of Anthropology and Religion
Connecticut College
Jennifer Wallach
Professor and Department Chair – History
University of North Texas
Susan Weldon
Senior Director for Employee Engagement
University of Massachusetts, Amherst
Melissa Wells
Professor – Social Work
University of New Hampshire
Karen Wheel Carter
Associate Dean
Georgia State University
Jamie White-Farnham
Director – Library & CLIC: Center for Learning, Innovation, and Collaboration
University of Wisconsin-Superior
Grace Yoo
Professor & Director – College of Ethnic Studies
San Francisco State University
