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.
In his current role at Gray Associates, Andy provides financial management to the company and contributes to projects in program economics for its clients. Prior to working at Gray, Andy was Director, Strategic Financial Planning and Analysis, with Concordia University Wisconsin and Ann Arbor. He oversaw Concordia’s budget process and developed an integrated approach to academic program portfolio optimization, with a focus on institutional mission, markets, and margins. He has over 20 years of experience in the financial services, health care, and higher-education industries.
Dr. Botham’s passion for writing proposals was ignited as a graduate student while writing an AHA fellowship. She now directs the Stanford Biosciences Grant Writing Academy, which was based on her successful Tackling Your K course (70% success rate for career development awards!). In 2016, the Grant Writing Academy was honored with an Innovations in Research Education Award from the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC). Dr. Botham also leads the Stanford Office of Pediatric Research Development and provides strategic advice to faculty and others to enable competitive funding applications and productive research programs. She is a 2021 Department of Pediatrics Collaboration Awardee.
Ava is a faculty and leadership coach with more than 25 years of experience in higher education. Drawing upon nearly a decade of experience as an on-air television news reporter, she brings a keen awareness of communication and presentation skills. She helps clients work through major transitions in their professional and personal lives by focusing on the little things that lead to big successes. Ava believes it’s important to minimize distractions to maximize YOUR agenda. She earned her coaching certification through Coach Training EDU. Ava leads a faculty mentorship program at Northwestern University. She is particularly adept at addressing the unique challenges and opportunities facing women and faculty of color. Ava is author of Ladies Leading: The Black Women Who Control Television News; and director of “Mandela in Chicago,” a documentary film about the city’s anti-apartheid movement. She is also the executive producer of “Hearing Silences (2025),” a film about the history and experiences of Black women faculty at Northwestern University. In addition to teaching, she has held several administrative posts including associate dean for curriculum, department chair, co-curator for the nationally recognized Ida B. Wells award and co-director of the South Africa Journalism Residency Program. Ava holds both a […]
As a Senior Leadership Development Manager at Academic Impressions, Jess leads AI’s strategy and content development for our inclusive leadership and women’s leadership programs, creating engaging learning experiences for faculty and staff to expand their self-awareness, work effectively and mindfully with others, build high-performing teams, and collaboratively lead strategic initiatives. Prior to joining Academic Impressions full-time, Jess served as a subject matter expert and educator for Academic Impressions while serving in her role as the Assistant Dean of Students and Title IX Deputy Coordinator at Loyola University Chicago. She has worked in a variety of capacities within higher education, including student success, conflict resolution, student conduct, Title IX, and gender equity. Jess holds a BA from John Carroll University and an MA from the University of Cincinnati. She holds a certificate in Women in Leadership from Case Western Reserve University’s Weatherhead Executive Education Program and has completed Chicago’s Center for Conflict Resolution 40-hour Mediation Skills Training.
Tiara joined the AI team as a Membership Eligibility Specialist. She has spent 10+ years in the Healthcare industry as an administrator and eligibility specialist here in the beautiful state of Colorado. Originally from the Heartland of the Mid-West, the wonderful state of Iowa, she attended the University of Iowa (GO HAWKS!). Upon coming to Colorado, she obtained her Associate of Business Administration from Colorado Technical University. She’s very excited to bring her knowledge and skills to Academic Impressions as well as to learn and grow within the organization.
Rod is currently Associate Dean for Academic Programs and Innovation in the Benerd School of Education at University of the Pacific in California. His work is focused on helping leaders of all types nurture human and organizational potential. Rod’s professional practice focuses on organizational learning, organization development, strategic planning, and evaluation. In his current role at Pacific, Rod leads school-wide academic program development, innovation facilitation, and enrollment services. Rod facilitated the development and implementation of the school’s strategic plan, Benerd Reimagined, which is resulting in a major academic and organizational transformation. He’s currently a key leader in the school as it merges with the university’s continuing and professional education unit in 2019-2020. In his previous role at Pacific, he led the startup of the Benerd School in Sacramento, designed to be a hub of innovation and creativity for learning, leadership, and change. Prior to his work at Pacific, Rod worked at Drexel University’s startup campus in Sacramento and led the transformation of a program group at University of Louisville, which tripled in enrollment to 550 students during his time there. Before becoming a faculty member, Rod managed a group of online programs at the University of Illinois. In his previous […]
Rabia (she/hers) is a Senior Learning & Development Manager who partners with higher education leaders to design and facilitate both open-enrollment and custom programs for individuals and teams, with a particular focus on academic affairs and department chairs/heads. She earned her bachelor’s degree in psychology from Elmhurst College (now University) and is a proud double alumna of Loyola University Chicago, holding master’s degrees in Higher Education and Human Resources. Before joining Academic Impressions in May 2018, Rabia spent 17 years in Student Affairs, primarily in leadership roles within residence life and Title IX. She served as the Director of Equity Issues and Title IX Coordinator at Columbia College Chicago, as well as the Assistant Dean of Students/Deputy Title IX Coordinator at Loyola University Chicago. In addition, she has taught undergraduate courses and served as a guest speaker in Loyola’s Higher Education graduate program. Rabia has been a subject matter expert and presenter for Academic Impressions since 2013 and is also a Five Paths to Leadership certified instructor. In 2022, she earned her Leadership Principles Certificate from Harvard’s Online Business School, and in 2016, she was honored with Loyola University Chicago’s Higher Education Distinguished Alumna Award. A full-time remote employee, Rabia […]
