Dr. Zoher Kapasi is the Dean of the College of Health Professions at the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) in Charleston, South Carolina. Before becoming the dean, Dr. Kapasi served as the Director and Professor in the Division of Physical Therapy and Vice-Chair of Education of the Department of Rehabilitation Medicine at Emory University School of Medicine in Atlanta, Georgia. He received his Bachelor’s and Master’s Degrees in Physical Therapy from the University of Bombay, India, a Ph.D. in Anatomy/Immunobiology from Medical College of Virginia, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia, and an Executive MBA from the Goizueta Business School, Emory University, Atlanta. He did post-doctoral work in Immunology at the Basel Institute for Immunology, Switzerland, and the Medical College of Virginia. After graduation, his research focused on age-related changes in immune function and the effects of exercise and nutrition on the immune system. Dr. Kapasi serves on the editorial board of the Journal of Humanities in Rehabilitation. Dr. Kapasi has taught human anatomy, advanced human anatomy, and business management in the physical therapy program. In 2014, Emory University School of Medicine conferred the Dean’s Teaching Award to Dr. Kapasi. In 2017, Emory University conferred the Emory Williams Distinguished Teaching […]
Jill Gaby currently serves as Associate Vice President of Advancement for Operations Management at Miami University. Since June 2023, she has held the role of Chief of Staff to the Vice President for University Advancement. In this capacity, Jill is a key member of the senior management team, collaborating with senior staff across departments to ensure effective day-to-day operations—all in support of advancing Miami’s historic $1 billion campaign, For Love. For Honor. For Those Who Will., which concludes June 30, 2027. Jill brings expertise in strategic planning, project management, process improvement, executive advising, and board and meeting management. She is known for her ability to influence decisions and foster cross-functional collaboration through trusted relationships and strategic alignment. With a flexible, solutions-oriented approach, Jill excels at adapting quickly to shifting priorities and evolving organizational needs. Prior to her current role, Jill served as Assistant Vice President for Development, Regional Programs, where she led the university’s largest team of major gift fundraisers. Her earlier roles include Senior Director of Development for Regional Programs and Director of Development for the Central and Northeast Ohio regions. Jill has been with Miami University since 2005 and has dedicated her career to higher education fundraising and […]
Dr. Rebecca Culyba is a senior academic leader at Carnegie Mellon University, where she leads strategic initiatives, institutional planning, and academic operations from the Office of the Provost. She brings over two decades of experience bridging higher education, research administration, and public health. Prior to joining CMU, she held leadership roles at UPMC and Emory University, where her work focused on healthcare innovation, evaluation, and HIV/AIDS research and education. Rebecca holds a Ph.D. and M.A. in Sociology from Northwestern University, an M.A. in Communication, Culture, and Society from Goldsmiths, University of London, and a B.A. in Sociology from Smith College.
John M. Wallace, Jr., PhD, serves as Vice Provost for Faculty Advancement and Leadership Development, and Chair (interim) of the Department of Africana Studies, at the University of Pittsburgh. Dr. Wallace is a full professor and holds the David E. Epperson Endowed Chair, with appointments in the School of Social Work, Katz Graduate School of Business, and Dietrich School of Arts and Sciences. Wallace is certified as a Gallup Strengths Coach, a Kotter Change Leader, a Courageous Conversations Facilitator, and a LUMA Institute Human Centered Design Practitioner. Dr. Wallace brings decades of experience in advancing diversity, developing faculty, supporting systemic change, and mentoring, coaching, and consulting in higher education, and for-profit, not-for-profit, and faith-based organizations. He earned is AB from the University Chicago, and his MA and PhD from the University of Michigan, all in sociology.
Dr. Hornsby is the Associate Vice Provost for Faculty Success at James Madison University. As an educational developer and leadership coach, he supports leaders across higher education as they clarify their purpose, strengthen their capacity to serve others, and navigate the complex work of institutional change. He helps individuals and teams envision desired outcomes and then backward-design thoughtful, actionable pathways to achieve them. Dr. Hornsby brings extensive experience supporting faculty and academic leaders within dynamic change environments. In addition to his role as Associate Vice Provost for Faculty Success, he has served as executive director of a center for teaching and learning and as an academic program director. As a faculty affairs professional, he advances the central role of faculty in the life of the university and equips leaders with the skills, frameworks, and practices needed to cultivate conditions in which faculty feel supported, connected, and able to flourish—so that students, in turn, can thrive. Dr. Hornsby holds a PhD in Human Sciences and a master’s degree in Hospitality Administration. His early research focused on supporting students from marginalized communities in higher education, while his more recent work centers on developing the next generation of higher education leaders. Across his […]
Kris Plunkett, Ed.D. is the Senior Director of Advancement at the University of Florida, where he leads efforts to drive philanthropic growth and strengthen donor engagement of the Levin College of Law. With nine years of experience in higher education fundraising, he previously served as Director of Principal Gifts at the University of Texas McCombs School of Business and held multiple roles at the University of Florida Warrington College of Business. Dr. Plunkett completed his undergraduate and master’s degrees from Texas Tech University before earning an EdD in Higher Education Administration from the University of Florida. His research focuses on leadership and organizational behavior in higher education advancement, exploring the impact of servant leadership on fundraiser retention and performance. His dissertation, Servant Leadership in Higher Education Advancement: Relationship Between Turnover Intentions and Challenge-Hindrance Stress, examined how leadership approaches influence organizational culture and development team success. With extensive frontline fundraising experience and a background in teaching leadership and organizational behavior, Dr. Plunkett blends research-driven insights with practical application to help advancement teams build sustainable, high-performing cultures.
Casey Landry serves as Executive Director for Transformational Gifts at The University of Texas at Austin. In this role, Casey partners closely with impact driven philanthropists to create opportunities that change lives and institutions. By aligning philanthropic passions with UT’s bold initiatives, Casey helps advance solutions that empower students, support faculty, and tackle global challenges. Casey works with families to shape legacies that reflect their values and aspirations, ensuring their impact endures for generations. Through deep collaboration and thoughtful planning, Casey helps donors craft meaningful gifts that transform lives and strengthen the University’s future. Previously, Casey led Principal and Major Gift teams and shaped organizational structures to strengthen culture and performance, driving results across complex fundraising operations. With a background in leadership and performance, Casey is committed to making philanthropy deeply personal and impactful. Casey resides in Austin, Texas with his wife and two children. He can be found at the Little League fields or in airports around the world.
With over 25 years of professional experience in large healthcare and higher education organizations, Erin has a unique combination of quality service-delivery, operational know-how and strategic instinct. She serves as the Chief Operating Officer at NYU Steinhardt, overseeing a number of cross-functional teams. Erin’s central skillset revolves around improving the fundamental building blocks for success, from conceptualization to implementation to evaluation. She has adapted, expanded and refined those skills to include organizational leadership, online/digital transformation services, learning management systems, partnership development and enrollment management within higher education. With advanced degrees in Leadership and Innovation, Health Policy and Management and Communication Sciences and Disorders, her approach to teaching, project management and leadership promotes interprofessional education and collaboration at all levels of academic, clinical and professional training.
Rebecca Brandriff is an accomplished leader in finance and administration at NYU Steinhardt. She has played a pivotal role in the school’s success. As the Vice Dean of Administration and Finance since 2015, she oversees HR, Finance, Facilities, Strategic Initiatives, and IT and ensures operational excellence. With over 25 years of experience in higher education finance and administration, including 19 years at Yale University, Rebecca has a strong background in budgeting, financial planning, and strategic management. Her leadership has driven Steinhardt’s growth, fostered innovation, and enhanced the school’s financial and operational efficiency. Rebecca holds a Bachelor of Science in Accounting and an MBA and is a doctoral candidate at NYU. She will graduate in May 2025. Rebecca is dedicated to advancing institutional success through strategic leadership, operational excellence, and continuous improvement.
Meredith Goldsmith is a professor of English at Ursinus College, where she specializes in late nineteenth and early twentieth-century US literature. She has published numerous articles on late nineteenth and early twentieth-century American literature in scholarly journals, including Legacy: A Journal of US Women’s Writing, American Literary Realism, American Literary History, Mosaic: An Interdisciplinary Journal of Literature, and modern fiction studies. She is the editor of three scholarly collections, American Literary History and the Turn toward Modernity (University Press of Florida), Edith Wharton and Cosmopolitanism (University Press of Florida), and Middlebrow Moderns: Popular Women’s Writing of the 1920s (Northeastern University Press). She is the former editor of the Edith Wharton Review and past president of the Edith Wharton Society. Beyond her scholarship, Goldsmith’s expertise lies in faculty development, teaching and learning, strategic planning, and the digital humanities. She has successfully sought support from the National Endowment for the Humanities, the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, the Duke University Humanities Writ Large Fellowship program, and the Pennsylvania Consortium for the Liberal Arts/Arthur Vining Davis Foundation. At Ursinus, Goldsmith has served as the founding director of Ursinus’s Teaching and Learning Institute, assistant and associate dean of academic affairs, special assistant to the president, and chief strategy and innovation officer.
