Dr. Paul Burkhardt has been appointed as the new President of Naropa University. His first day will be August 1, 2025. Dr. Burkhardt most recently served as the Provost and Chief Academic Officer at The University of Olivet. Prior to that, he was the Executive Vice President & Provost, Chief Academic Officer, and Chief Operating Officer at Prescott College. Dr. Burkhardt has dedicated himself to servant leadership at intentional and mission-driven universities.Dr. Burkhardt holds a PhD with honors in Comparative Cultural & Literary Studies from the University of Arizona. He also earned an MA in Comparative Literature and Literary Theory and a BA from the same institution. Read more.
Ms. Jennifer Mariacher has been appointed as the new Chief Financial Officer at Lycoming College effective July 1, 2025. A seasoned financial executive, Ms. Mariacher brings more than 20 years of experience to Lycoming College in financial management and analysis, strategic planning, budget preparation, purchasing, accounts payable, payroll, student accounts and financial aid, facilities contracts and services, technology, system implementation, and training, along with staff supervision and development. Currently serving as the Vice President for Administration and Finance and Chief Financial Officer at Central Penn College, she oversees critical departments including Facilities and Information Technology, ensuring compliance and operational excellence. Her previous roles include Chief Financial Officer and Assistant Vice President for Finance, where she successfully led financial audits, developed multi-year financial strategies, and implemented innovative accounting systems that enhanced operational efficiency. Ms. Mariacher holds an MBA from Elizabethtown College and a B.S. in Business Administration, Accounting from Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania. Read more.
Dr. Kris Winter has been appointed as the new Senior Vice President for Undergraduate Affairs at Utah State University. She will begin her new role on August 11, 2025. Dr. Winter has worked in higher education for over 20 years. She currently serves as Associate Vice President for Student Life at the University of Oregon (UO). She joined the University of Oregon in 2016 and has served in several roles at UO including Interim Vice President for Student Life and Dean of Students. During her time at the UO, Kris has led countless efforts and programs to support the success, health, safety, and well-being of students. Kris has been engaged in supporting students at every juncture of their UO experience, from first enrollment through graduation. She has also shown commitment to improving employee experience by creating a transparent and affirming work culture. After receiving an undergraduate degree with honors in Educational Studies from the UO in 1998, Kris earned a M.Ed. in College Student Services Administration from Oregon State University in 2001, and her Ed.D. at Portland State University in Educational Leadership in 2022. Her dissertation analyzed the impacts of non-traditional admissions criteria on the admittance and retention of academically at-risk student populations. Kris has a passion for working with underrepresented student communities, crisis response, advocating for college student basic needs support, and removing systemic barriers that impede student success. Dr. Winter has also served as the co-chair of the university threat assessment team, as well as being an active member of the Incident Management Team and Demonstration & Protest Response Team. Kris is a member of the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators (NASPA), the National Orientation Directors Association (NODA), and the Association of Threat Assessment Professionals (ATAP). Her previous professional experience includes student affairs work at Oregon State University for 13 years and Western Washington University for 2 years. Read more.
Mr. Evens Wagnac has been appointed as the new Vice President for Finance and Chief Financial Officer at Metropolitan College of New York. He will officially assume his new role on June 9, 2025. Mr. Wagnac is a seasoned financial executive with extensive experience in fiscal management, strategic leadership, and operational efficiency across a broad range of sectors, including higher education, for-profit enterprises, and non-profit organizations. He currently serves as Associate Dean for Finance and Administration at Rutgers University, where he has successfully aligned financial strategies with institutional goals. He manages operating budgets exceeding $75 million and capital budgets totaling $152 million. Mr. Wagnac has also held leadership positions at Xerox, JPMorgan Chase, TD Bank, and Citizens Bank. His leadership has consistently driven financial performance, ensured regulatory compliance, and fostered a culture of growth and innovation. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from the University of Massachusetts and a Master of Science in Accounting from the University of Phoenix. He also holds an Executive CFO Certification from Columbia Business School, reflecting his continued commitment to excellence in financial leadership. Read more.
Dr. Carmen Bustos-Works has been appointed as the new Dean of the College of Science at California State University, East Bay. She will assume her new position on August 4, 2025. Dr. Bustos-Works currently serves as Associate Vice President of Academic Programs and Dean of Undergraduate and Graduate Studies at Cal Poly Humboldt, where she played a pivotal role in the institution's transition to a Polytechnic University, working with faculty and administration on the implementation and assessment of new programs, experiential learning opportunities, and place-based education models. She previously served as Associate Dean for the School of Science and Technology and Chair of the Chemistry Department at Sonoma State University. Dr. Bustos-Works earned a B.A. in Chemistry and a B.A. in Psychology from San Francisco State University. She earned her M.S. in Chemistry and her Ph.D. in Chemistry from the University of California, Santa Barbara.
Dr. Keri O'Neal has been appointed as the new Dean of the College of Letters, Arts, and Social Sciences (CLASS) at California State University, East Bay. Dr. O'Neal has served as the Interim Dean of CLASS at Cal State East Bay since July of 2024. She previously served Cal State East Bay as Director of Faculty Development, where she designed and led faculty development programs and expanded department offerings through strategic partnerships across campus. Prior to that position, she served the university as Chair of the Department of Human Development and Women's Studies from 2014 through 2021, during which time she helped to increase departmental enrollment from 417 to 633. Dr. O'Neal earned her B.S. in Psychology from Northern Arizona University, her M.S. in Family Resources and Human Development from Arizona State University, and her Ph.D. in Human Development from Texas Tech University.
Mr. Val Martinez Garcia has been appointed as the new superintendent/president at College of the Desert. Mr. Martinez Garcia has served as the acting superintendent/president of College of the Desert (COD) since December of 2024. Since February of 2023, Mr. Martinez Garcia has served in two other roles at COD including vice president of student services and vice president of instruction. Prior to his time at COD, Mr. Martinez Garcia was the vice president of student services at West Hills College Lemoore in Lemoore, California. Mr. Martinez Garcia holds a bachelor's degree in sociology and a master's in school counseling from University of La Verne where he is also pursuing his doctorate degree in organizational leadership. Read more.
Dr. Michael H. Mittelman has been appointed as the new president at Pacific Northwest University of Health Sciences, effective August 1, 2025. A nationally respected leader in health care and higher education, Dr. Mittelman brings a distinguished career in military medicine, academic leadership, and health system innovation to PNWU. After earning his Doctor of Optometry from the Pennsylvania College of Optometry in 1980, Mittelman was commissioned into the U.S. Navy Medical Service Corps. He retired as a Rear Admiral following a 33-year military career, culminating in his service as Deputy Surgeon General of the Navy. His leadership roles spanned the globe, including Command Surgeon for U.S. Joint Forces Command, Commanding Officer at U.S. Naval Hospital Okinawa, Japan, and U.S. Pacific Command Surgeon, where he directed the Department of Defense’s medical response to the 2011 Fukushima disaster. In 2013, Dr. Mittelman became the sixth president of Salus University, leading the institution through a decade of academic growth and interdisciplinary collaboration. Most recently, he guided the successful merger of Salus University with Drexel University in Philadelphia. A Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives and the American Academy of Optometry, Dr. Mittelman holds a Master of Public Health from the University of Alabama at Birmingham and an MBA from Temple University’s Fox Business School. His honors include the Legion of Merit, the Defense Superior Service Medal, the Distinguished Service Medal, and induction into the National Optometric Hall of Fame. Read more.
Mr. Moe Rahman has been appointed as the new Associate Vice President, Information Technology/Chief Information Officer at the Community College of Philadelphia. Mr. Rahman will officially assume his new role on May 19, 2025. Currently serving as Chief Information Officer at Rider University, Mr. Rahman has consistently delivered transformative results by modernizing IT operations, strengthening cybersecurity and driving enterprise-wide initiatives. He has overseen institutional IT budgets, rebuilt IT teams to enhance agility and efficiency and led cost-saving measures that have saved institutions over $1 million. His leadership in IT governance, cloud migration (Azure/O365) and ERP modernization has helped institutions align technology strategy with academic and operational goals. Over the past decade, Mr. Rahman has held multiple leadership roles with Ellucian, partnering with colleges and universities to implement high-impact digital transformation strategies. His career includes key roles at Yeshiva University and Brookdale Community College, where he led the IT division through major system overhauls, consolidated infrastructure and implemented integrated SaaS and ERP solutions to streamline operations and reduce costs. Mr. Rahman holds a master's degree in Computer Science from NJIT and is PMP and ITIL certified.