Public Institution

Dr. Sonja Lenz-Rashid has been appointed as the founding Dean of the College of Health at California State University, East Bay. She will assume her new position on August 4, 2025. Dr. Lenz-Rashid currently serves as Director of the School of Social Work at San Francisco State University. With more than 20 years of experience in higher education, she brings a strong track record of leadership in both academic and student affairs, as well as a deep commitment to equity, student success, and community partnerships. At San Francisco State, Dr. Lenz-Rashid has led two large academic programs, supporting over 200 students and 40 faculty and staff. They have been the driving force behind launching new programs, advancing accreditation efforts, and securing significant external funding as a sole principal investigator for student success and research initiatives. Known for being a collaborative, strengths-based leader, Dr. Lenz-Rashid has worked closely across campus divisions and with public and nonprofit partners to expand access and improve student outcomes. Her background also includes extensive experience with faculty recruitment and mentoring, strategic planning, and managing complex budgets in a public university setting. She earned a B.S. in Business/Marketing and a Masters of Social Work, both from San Jose State University, and her Ph.D. in Social Welfare from the University of California, Berkeley.

Dr. Sean Lane has been appointed as the new Senior Vice President and Provost at Farmingdale State College. Dr. Lane will begin his new role June 16th, 2025. Dr. Lane joins FSC from the University of Alabama in Huntsville where he served as dean of the College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences since 2018. As dean, he revamped the college's recruitment, retention, and graduation efforts, led strategic planning, helped develop numerous new degree programs at both undergraduate and graduate levels, created new research support programs, engaged deeply with industry, and led significant fundraising activities. He also served concurrently as interim dean of the Honors College and acting associate provost for International Services, Academic Integrity, and dean of the Graduate School. Dr. Lane previously served as associate dean of The Graduate School at Louisiana State University, where he was also on the faculty and served as director of research in the Department of Psychology. Read more.

Mr. Qadim Ghani has been appointed as the new Vice President and Chief Financial Officer at The College of New Jersey. Mr. Ghani will begin his new role on June 16, 2025. Mr. Ghani currently serves as Vice President of Finance at Montgomery County Community College (PA). He is the principal advisor to the President and Board of Trustees on the fiscal health of the organization. His experience in higher education has included comprehensive oversight of financial operations, including managing a ~$300M balance sheet. He has extensive experience in managing critical areas such as human resources, enterprise risk management, facilities and grant administration. Prior to his time at Montgomery County Community College, Mr. Ghani served as the Chief Financial Officer and Senior Associate Dean at Rutgers Law School, and the Director of Finance at Villanova School of Engineering, and in several positions at Drexel.  In these various roles he has managed teams in budget planning and analysis, HR, grant development and administration, procurement/disbursements, payroll, accounting, facilities and events, contract management and compliance, administrative support, and general business services. Mr. Ghani holds a Bachelor of Arts with a major in Criminal Justice and a double minor in English and Political Science. He also holds a Master of Science in Human Resource Development with a concentration in Business Administration. He is currently completing an Executive MBA with a specialization in Applied Investment Management. Read more.

Ms. Sukhie Bal has been appointed as the new Senior Director of Development, Lam Family College of Business at San Francisco State University. She began her duties on April 28. Ms. Bal comes to SFSU from the Sequoia Hospital Foundation, where she served as the Director of Development for two years. Prior to Sequoia, Ms. Bal served for 3 years as the Senior Director of Development at the Sol Price School of Public Policy at the University of Southern California. Ms. Bal holds a B.A. in Sociology from the University of California-Santa Cruz, an M.A. in Education Administration from California State University Northridge, and an M.S. in Supply Chain Management from the University of Southern California.

Dr. Joyce C. Ester has been appointed as the new President at Governors State University effective July 1, 2025. Dr. Ester is an accomplished educational leader with extensive experience in higher education administration, currently serving as President of Normandale Community College in Minnesota since 2014. Under her leadership, the college has successfully reaffirmed its accreditation with the Higher Learning Commission and has seen significant growth in enrollment, particularly among students of color. Dr. Ester has spearheaded strategic initiatives that enhance student success, equity, and employee development, while also establishing a robust Advancement Division that has increased grant revenue and secured substantial philanthropic support. Her previous roles include President of Kennedy King College, one of seven schools that comprise City Colleges of Chicago, and Associate Vice President for Student Services at Bakersfield College, where she implemented innovative programs and improved student services. Dr. Ester holds a Ph.D. and M.A. in Education from the University of California, Santa Barbara, and a B.S. in Sociology from Northern Illinois University. Read more.

Ms. Melissa Wilf has been appointed as the new Executive Director of Budget at Bowie State University.  She will begin on May 28, 2025. Ms. Wilf is an experienced professional with a history of working in budgeting, finance, management in the public, private, and non-profit sectors. As Budget Director for the US Department of Energy since 2022, she is highly skilled in financial management, federal budgeting, government resource management, legislative and policy analysis and recommendations, and cross-sector leadership development.  Prior experience includes administration and budget roles within the Department of Justice; the US Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction and US Immigration and Customs Enforcement. She holds a Masters degree in Public Policy and Management (MSPPM) from Carnegie Mellon University and a Bachelor's degree in Communications (BA) from the University of Maryland.

Dr. Brian Brown has been appointed as the new Dean, School of Business at Virginia Commonwealth University. His appointment is effective April 25, 2025. Dr. Brown, a professor in the school’s Department of Marketing, has served as interim dean since January 2024. He joined VCU as an assistant professor in 2011, rising to the ranks of associate professor in 2013 and professor in 2019. Earlier, he served as an assistant professor for five years at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, where he earned an award for outstanding teaching. Before joining the academy, Dr. Brown spent more than 15 years in the private sector in marketing, management, and consulting. Specifically, his background includes several years at The Coca-Cola Company, including a role as brand manager of Coca-Cola Classic. Dr. Brown earned his Ph.D. from Georgia State University, his MBA from Duke University, and his BA from the University of Virginia. Read more.

Dr. Abby Parrill-Baker has been appointed as the new Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs at University of Michigan-Flint effective June 1, 2025. Dr. Parrill-Baker currently serves as the Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at the University of Memphis, a position she has held since 2019, with a brief interlude as Interim Provost. In this role, she has supported the development of an expanded number of pathways for students into professional schools, secured more than $5 million in funding to support experiential learning fellowships, and led college-based initiatives that contributed to the university earning classification as a Carnegie Very High Research (R1) institution. Her academic and administrative career spans over two decades, during which she has demonstrated exceptional leadership in strategic planning, budget management, and interdisciplinary collaboration. Her research expertise in computational and medicinal chemistry has resulted in numerous publications and patents, underscoring her commitment to advancing scientific knowledge and educational excellence. Dr. Parrill-Baker holds a Ph.D. and M.S. in Chemistry from the University of Arizona, and a B.S. in Chemistry from Central Michigan University. Read more.

Dr. Christopher Trombly has been appointed as the new Dean, College of Education at Southern Connecticut State University. Dr. Trombly most recently served as the Interim Dean, College of Education for Southern Connecticut State University and will continue on with his current duties. Prior to joining Southern's Department of Educational Leadership & Policy Studies (in August 2018), Christopher had served for five years on the faculty – and, for part of that time, as department chair – of Arkansas Tech University’s Center for Leadership and Learning. Before teaching at the university level, Christopher had served in PreK-12 for a total of sixteen years – three years as a school counselor, four years as assistant principal, and nine years as principal – all in Duxbury, Massachusetts. A proud alumnus of VISTA (Volunteers in Service to America), Christopher is a committed advocate for policies that promote the wellbeing of children and their families. He serves on the board of directors of Connecticut CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates), an organization that serves children in the state's foster system. Read more.

Dr. Richard Sévère has been appointed as the new Dean of the College of Humanities, Education and Social Sciences (CHESS) at Purdue University Northwest. He will begin his new role on July 1, 2025. Dr. Sévère is currently Associate Dean of the College Arts and Sciences at Valparaiso University, where he previously served as Chair of the Department of English and Acting Chair of the Department of Kinesiology. His accomplishments include oversight and leadership of the College of Arts and Sciences' 17 departments, management of the college's budget, and growth of research opportunities for faculty members in the college. He also previously held administrative roles at Centenary University, where he served as founding director of the Centenary Writing Collaboratory and founding director for the Centenary Scholars Program. Dr. Sévère earned a B.A. in English and an M.S. in English Literature Education, both from Florida A&M University, and his Ph.D. in Medieval Literature from Purdue University. Read more.