Public Institution

Columbus State University has appointed Dr. Wanda Ebright as the new Dean of the College of the Arts. Dr. Ebright is currently serving as Associate Dean, Director of Graduate Studies, and Art Education Coordinator for the College of Visual & Performing Arts at Winthrop University, South Carolina.  Previously, she held academic appointments at Johnson C. Smith University (North Carolina), Coker College (South Carolina) and Kansas State University. Dr. Ebright has choreographed and taught master classes across the southeast and is the former president of the South Carolina Dance Association. She holds a BA from Memphis State University (University of Memphis), a MFA in dance performance and choreography from Florida State University and Ph.D. in dance from Texas Woman’s University. Read more here.

Rutgers University Douglass Residential College has appointed Ms. Elia Desruisseaux, J.D. as Associate Dean for Advancement. Ms. Desruisseaux is a senior philanthropy leader with over 25 years’ of advancement experience. She most recently served as Vice President for Development for the Visiting Nurse Association Health Group Foundation. Her prior experience includes leadership advancement positions at Project Hope, Cancer Institute of New Jersey Foundation, Lenox Hill Hospital (NYC), and Columbia University Medical Center. She began her career as an attorney in private practice with Proskauer Rose LLP and Bond, Schoeneck & King. Ms. Desruisseaux holds a J.D. from Syracuse University College of Law and a BA in English from Indiana University, Bloomington.

The University of Central Florida has appointed Ms. Youndy C. Cook, J.D. as its new Vice President and General Counsel. She will assume her new role on December 10, 2021 Ms. Cook has served as interim Vice President and General counsel at UCF since December 2020 and joined UCF’s Office of the General Counsel in April 2002. Prior to joining UCF, Ms. Cook practiced labor and employment litigation at law firms in Tampa, Florida. She is active in the National Association of College and University Attorneys and is certified by the Florida Bar as an education law specialist. Ms. Cook received her B.A., summa cum laude, from Vanderbilt University, and her J.D., summa cum laude, from the University of Miami School of Law. Read more here.

Eastern Kentucky University has appointed Dr. Derek J. Paulsen as the Dean of the College of Justice, Safety & Military Science.  Dr Paulsen is also Professor of Criminal Justice and has over twenty publications including three books. He has served as the Commissioner of Planning, Preservation and Development for the City of Lexington, Kentucky for seven years. He begins his new position immediately, having served as the Interim Dean. Read more here.

The Rutgers University Business School has appointed Ms. Kristin DiFoglio as its new Associate Dean for Advancement.  Ms. DiFoglio previusly served as Senior Director of Development for the Tepper School of Business at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Prior to this, she served as Executive Director of JDRF International (Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation), Assistant Vice President for National Strategic Fundraising Partnerships for the American Lung Association, and Interim Development Director of the Jersey Coast Chapter for the American Red Cross. Ms. DiFolgio has also held various sales leadership roles at major investment banks including ING Barings, Merrill Lynch, Bankers Trust, and Parallax Group. Ms. DiFoglio holds an M.P.A. in nonprofit management from New York University and a B.S. in industrial management from Carnegie Mellon University.

Howard Community College has appointed Dr. Daria Willis as the fifth president of the college. Dr. Willis currently serves as president of Everett Community College in Washington. She will become the first African American to lead Howard Community College. Dr. Willis's presidency begins on January 10, 2022, succeeding Dr. Kate Hetherington, who retired after 14 years as president. Prior to her presidency, Dr. Willis was the provost and senior vice president of academic affairs at Onondaga Community College of the State University of New York. Other leadership positions include dean of academic studies at Lee College in Baytown, Texas; executive dean of centers/dean of instruction at Lone Star College-North Harris Greenspoint Center and Victory Center, Texas; and department chair of social and behavioral sciences and kinesiology at Lone Star College-University Park Campus and the Faculty Senate president. Dr. Willis earned her Ph.D. in history from Florida State University; her master’s degree in history and bachelor’s degree in history education from Florida A&M University, a historically Black college in Florida. Read more here.

The University of Alaska Anchorage has appointed Mr. Justin Atteberry as Executive Director of Shared Services. Mr. Atteberry comes to UAA from the Southcentral Foundation in Anchorage where his tenure spans nearly 20 years and currently serves as Senior Director of Operations. At UAA, Mr. Atteberry will oversee the University’s financial, travel, procurement, human resources, and research administration activities. Reporting directly to the Vice Chancellor for Administrative Services, Mr. Atteberry will be responsible for overall leadership of a complex and mission-critical organization, including planning and goal setting, operational planning, personnel and financial management, establishment of the unit’s norms and culture, and inter-departmental relationships. Mr. Atteberry holds an M.B.A. in Operational and Personal Management and a B.A. in Economics from Pacific Lutheran University. 

The University of North Carolina at Charlotte has appointed Dr. Brandon L. Wolfe as Associate Vice Chancellor for Diversity and Inclusion/Chief Diversity Officer. Dr. Wolfe joins UNC Charlotte’s staff with a breadth of experience in diversity in higher education, most recently serving as the Assistant Vice President of Campus and Community Engagement in the University of Alabama at Birmingham’s (UAB) Office of the Vice President for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion since 2016. At Charlotte, Dr. Wolfe will coordinate with staff, faculty and students to build on the University’s diversity and inclusion efforts to create an accessible, inclusive and equitable climate, as well as identify and address potential barriers and institutional systems that may foster systemic inequalities. Dr. Wolfe holds a Ph.D. in Administration of Higher Education, M.Ed in Adult Education and BA in Psychology from Auburn University. Read more here.

North Dakota State College of Science has announced the appointment of Dr. Lisa Karch as the new Vice President for Instruction. Dr. Karch currently serves as Interim Dean of Graduate and Extended Learning at Minnesota State University Moorhead. She earned her B.A. in Secondary Health Education from Concordia College and her M.Ed. in Counseling and Ph.D. in Human Development and Education from North Dakota State University. She will assume the VPI position at NDSCS on October 4, 2021. Read more here. 

Kennesaw State University has appointed Dr. Roslyn Satchel as the inaugural Lead Researcher of the newly formed Radow Institute for Social Equity (RISE) effective January 1, 2022. Dr. Satchel is currently the Blanche E. Seaver Professor of Communication at Pepperdine University. Dr. Satchel holds a J.D. from Emory Law School as well as a Ph.D. from LSU. A nationally renowned scholar and a Berkman Klein Center Fellow at Harvard Law School, Dr. Satchel's research focuses on social movements, gendered violence and racialized gender issues in media, religion and law. Dr. Satchel earned her Juris Doctor and Master of Divinity degrees from Emory University, a Ph.D. in Media and Public Affairs from Louisiana State University and a Bachelor of Arts in Communication from Howard University. Read more here.