Donna obtained her doctorate in experimental social psychology from the University of Kansas in June 2006 and her Master’s in applied social psychology from the University of Guelph, Canada, in May 2001. Her field of interest is diversity science and her program of research concerns the effects that cultural legacies of oppression have on psychosocial processes, which in turn shape human functioning (e.g., achievement, motivation, responses to inequity, and self-regulation) in ways that advertently or inadvertently justify and maintain social inequality. She has worked on large-scale initiatives to improve intergroup relations, including fostering positive attitudes towards immigrants, counteract hate groups’ recruitment of youth, and decrease intergroup conflicts in ethnically diverse schools. Donna has received NSF funding for her research and applied work concerning women’s and ethnic minorities’ participation in STEM fields. In 2009, she was a co-PI on an NSF EHR Core Research Grant that supported her research on intersectionality and broadening women’s participation in STEM fields. In 2017, she was a co-PI on a funded $125,000 CSU Chancellor’s Office mini-grant that supported the “Prejudice Habit Breaking” intervention to advance faculty diversity at CSUSB. She is currently a co-PI on an NSF ADVANCE grant (funded 08/2018) and as the Director, […]
Eric Spicer is the Assistant Vice President of Unit Development for the ASU Foundation. In this role, Eric serves unit leaders within the ASU Foundation as they build and lead high performing teams. He is also privileged to help amazing people create transformative impact by investing in access to education, student success, groundbreaking research, and community focused programs. He began his career with the Celebrity Fight Night Foundation raising support for the Muhammad Ali Parkinson Center at the Barrow Neurological Institute. Before joining ASU as a Major Gift Officer in 2009, Eric was the Director of Development for Ronald McDonald House Charities of Phoenix. He is actively engaged in the community serving as a board member for Firm Foundation Youth Homes and member of the Father’s Council for the Girl Scouts-Arizona Cactus-Pine Council. Eric is also a graduate of Valley Leadership’s Class 29 Leadership Institute and a member of the Phoenix Business Journal’s 40 Under 40 class of 2019. Additionally, he holds a Master’s degree from ASU in Nonprofit Leadership and Management and is a Certified Fundraising Executive.
Dr. Leah Gallant is currently the Talent Development Consultant and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Officer at MIT’s Office of Resource Development and the Alumni Association. Dr. Gallant has over 25 years of progressive experience working in higher education, including building and facilitating teams and navigating complex organizations. As a leader and previous manager, she is actively committed to developing professionals who are agents of their own learning; Dr. Gallant is committed to empowering people to be socially and globally responsible citizens and empowering a staff to be equally as dedicated to constituent needs and concerns. She accomplishes this through a passion in working with leaders and employees to discover their inner strengths and is deeply motivated by people’s fresh outlook on life and their curiosity and drive in making this world a more just and equitable place. Leah lives in Dedham, MA with her husband, Jeff, and her seven-year-old, Caroline.
Terri Phoenix is the Director of the LGBTQ Center at UNC-Chapel Hill. Terri has served on the Executive Board of the National Consortium of Higher Education LGBT Resource Professionals, as Chair of the Board for Safe Schools North Carolina, and on the NC ACLU transgender advisory board. Terri’s work has been recognized with the UNC-Chapel Hill Staff Diversity Award (2016) and the University Award for the Advancement of Women (2015). T has given numerous invited and peer-reviewed presentations on inclusive practices at local, regional, and national conferences. Terri has been a field instructor/task supervisor with the UNC-CH School of Social Work. Dr. Phoenix has 25 years of experience working with youth in various settings including therapeutic group homes, detention centers, psychiatric hospitals, universities, and non-profit organizations. T is an alumnus of East Carolina University (BA), UNC-Greensboro (MS), and University of Georgia (Ph.D.). Outside of work, T loves to spend time with family and friends, walk in the woods, and ride T’s motorcycle.
Lindsy Manning serves as senior director of engagement at the ASU Foundation. In this role, she leads the ASU Women and Philanthropy and ASU President’s Club programs. Prior to this role, Manning served as director of Campaign ASU 2020, a comprehensive fundraising initiative that secured more than $2.2 billion in private support for Arizona State University. Manning came to the foundation in 2005 from JP Morgan Chase and has held roles in corporate and foundation relations and leadership giving since arriving at ASU. Manning graduated magna cum laude from ASU with a bachelor’s degree in liberal studies and has a graduate certificate in emergency management, also from ASU. She is also a graduate of the Protocol School of Washington.
As NMSU’s Provost Carol oversees several initiatives to advance the goals of the NMSU’s LEADS 2025 Strategic Plan. Parker has more than two decades of academic administrative experience gained in service at several other public research universities, and a year spent as a Fellow of the American Council on Education (2021-2013). She is also a Professor of Law Emerita at the University of New Mexico.
Supporting mid-level and senior leaders as they prepare for the future of higher education and the next steps in their careers. Jennifer is an executive coach and trusted advisor who helps higher education leaders and their teams cultivate the mindset and skill set needed to thrive in an ever-changing world. Drawing from nearly 20 years of progressive leadership experience in higher education, she brings deep institutional knowledge to her coaching practice, specializing in cultivating the critical competencies that enable leaders to break down institutional silos, forge powerful collaborations, and create flourishing organizational cultures. Jennifer has held a variety of leadership positions in academic and student affairs throughout her career, including program director, department chair, and assistant dean. She currently serves as a director of strategic initiatives where she works closely with the provost on developing and coordinating high-priority strategic planning initiatives. Her coaching practice focuses primarily on chairs, deans, provosts, and vice presidents who are leading institutional change while advancing their own career trajectories. Jennifer’s approach combines evidence-based frameworks with practical communication strategies, ensuring leaders can effectively navigate complex challenges while building sustainable success. Jennifer has coached hundreds of leaders across institutional types, from R1 universities to community colleges, including […]
Steve has worked with more than 100 higher-education institutions, bridging the perspectives of faculty, administrators, trustees, and other stakeholders. He leads engagements with colleges and universities to assess current academic programs and identify new ones, evaluate potential new geographic markets and campus locations, improve curricular efficiency, and address other strategic, enrollment, and financial challenges. He uses his distinctive skills in creating, interpreting, and helping decision-makers use data about student demand, employment outcomes, competition and trends at other institutions, and instructional economics in order to reach shared understandings of their situations and agreement on important decisions. Before joining Gray Associates, Steve consulted in the motor vehicle and transportation industries, and on supply chain management strategy in other industries. This work included engagements in Europe and Asia as well as North America, and it also included related work in management training and as an interim executive at client companies. Steve has a Masters in Management, with Distinction, from Northwestern University’s Kellogg Graduate School of Management, and a bachelor’s degree from M.I.T.
As vice president, Gerald is responsible for managing and leading Etown’s financial and planning operations. He oversees the university’s finance, human resources, public safety, and risk management. Gerald serves as ETown’s chief financial officer and as a member of the President’s Senior Leadership Team.
Tom has pursued a path of lifelong learning and combines a career as both an executive and a student. As the first Director of Human Resource Planning and Development for the Fortune 500 company, Dennison Manufacturing, Inc. and Founder of NuCedar Mills, Inc., Dr. Loper has had an impressive career in the areas of Human Resource Management, Marketing, General Management and Entrepreneurship. In addition, Dr. Loper has served as a Race Relations Education Specialist in the U.S. Navy and has taught as a visiting executive in graduate programs at Harvard, Babson, and Brandeis, among other schools. His more creative manufacturing ideas have been formally recognized by the U. S. Patent and Trademark Office six times. Dr. Loper is a member of the Bay Path College Innovators Roundtable.
