Over the course of her twenty-year tenure in career services, Catherine has served as director at a variety of institutions including a highly selective women’s college, a ranked MBA program, and an access college serving majority first-generation students. In 2006, she was one of only six US career services professionals selected for a Fulbright scholarship to study the emerging field college career counseling in Berlin, Germany. She was only the eighth recipient in 40 years of the Georgia Association of Colleges and Employers (GACE) Founders Award for significant contributions to the profession. She served on the Board of Directors of the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) and as president of the Georgia Association of Colleges and Employers (GACE). Her work on a number of committees on the state and national level have included chairing the NACE Leadership Advancement Program, NACE Principles for Professional Practice (Ethics), and a mentor. She has been an invited keynoter and presenter at conferences and has published articles and a book chapter. She has given her TedX talk “Bossy Bitchy Brazen” to a variety of audiences. She has a thriving executive coaching practice. Her research revolves around women’s progression through mid-career. Catherine has a […]
Naomi plays a major role in the development of diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives on campus. She serves as the Co-Chair of the Student Life Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee, founding member of the APIDA Task Force, and serves on several university committees including the Diversity Leadership Council, the President’s Advisory Council on Minorities, and Alianza Latina/Latino Alliance, the Latinx employee resource group. Naomi is a certified Green Dot Facilitator, Sustained Dialogue Moderator, and recently completed a Certificate in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in the Workplace. During her tenure at CWRU, Naomi, along with her team, developed the three-hour Diversity 360 educational module for undergraduate and graduate students which serves as a common experience, setting a foundation for key identity, diversity, equity, and inclusion concepts. The program is facilitated by over 150 trained faculty, staff, and students. To date, over 10,000 students have been through the program. As a strong advocate for underrepresented and marginalized communities, Naomi collaborated with students in the creation of several new organizations including, the Undergraduate Diversity Collaborative, the Black Student Union, Voices: A Women of Color Collaborative and the Indigenous Alliance for Native American and Indigenous communities on campus. She often presents her work at […]
As director, Edwin is responsible for the leadership and vision of programs for first year and transfer students and parents and families. He works closely with the student success initiative, enrollment management, residence life, and other internal and external partners to support students’ successful transition from high school through their first year at the university. Prior to his position at CWRU, Edwin served as director of First-Year Experience at Wright State University in Dayton, Ohio. He also has held higher education administrative positions in student services and community relations at Earlham College in Richmond, Indiana; Wittenberg University in Springfield, Ohio; the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor; and at the University of Colorado in Boulder, Colorado. Edwin was instrumental in bringing Dialogue to CWRU and is also co-chair of the university’s award-winning Sustained Dialogue Program and a member of the Diversity Leadership Council. He is a facilitator for both student and faculty & staff diversity training programs and is a strong support of diversity and inclusion efforts on campus.
Denise is a licensed psychologist who possesses nearly thirty years of experience in university mental health. During her tenure in higher education, this Indiana native served as the director of student health and counseling services and Associate Dean of Students for DePauw University and director of student health and counseling at The Claremont Colleges. Promoted to Vice President for Student Affairs for The Claremont Colleges, she provided oversight for the Chaplains, Chicano Latino/Student Affairs, Black Student Affairs, Health Education Outreach, and Student Health and Counseling Services. Returning to Indiana in June 2018, to reconnect to her mental health roots, Denise currently is the Director for Counseling and Psychological Services at Indiana University Bloomington. An Indiana University alumna, Dr. Hayes received her master’s degree in Organizational Communications and her doctoral degree in Counseling Psychology. In addition to numerous presentations, Denise has recently published on topics related to women’s leadership and collaboration within higher education. Her research interests include leadership development, cultural competency in student health and mental health providers, organizational consultation, and wellness.
David’s work focuses on providing culturally sensitive, trauma informed clinical care to students as well as maintaining a Training Program for psychology, social work, and psychiatry interns and residents. Under his direction since 1994, CAPS is known for its commitment to provide counseling & psychotherapy at levels that support all students, including those with historically marginalized identities and/or from underrepresented communities. This commitment to treatment has been recognized on campus as invaluable to student success & safety, and by graduate students as creating a highly desirable training site. David earned his doctorate in Counseling Psychology from the University of Texas, Austin. He is a longstanding member of the Pendle Hill Group, a consortium of regional institutions including the University of Pennsylvania, Haverford and Bryn Mawr Colleges, and Villanova, St. Joseph’s, Princeton, Rutgers and Temple Universities.
Nicholas has served as president of Butler County Community College since 2007. His presidency at a single institution exceeds that of any current chief executive officer among Pennsylvania’s 14 community colleges, 14 State System of Higher Education universities, and four state-related institutions. Prior to being appointed as president, Nicholas served as BC3’s vice president for academic affairs and as dean of humanities and social science. He was also an assistant professor and chair of the Communication Department at Marist College. Nicholas has served as board chair of the Pennsylvania Commission for Community Colleges, as chair of two Butler County Heart Association walks and of the Butler County Chamber of Commerce. He and his wife, Tamatha, have also volunteered as co-chairs of the Butler County March of Dimes walk. He is a member of the executive committee and a board member of the Community Development Corp. of Butler County. Nicholas has received a Jean B. Purvis Community Cornerstone Award, presented to an individual who has contributed significantly to the health and well-being of the community; and a Shirley B. Gordon Award of Distinction, the most prestigious award presented by Phi Theta Kappa. His expertise in communication has been recognized with the […]
Dr. Yves Salomon-Fernández is the President of Urban College of Boston (UCB), an affiliate institution of Southern New Hampshire University (SNHU). Prior to joining UCB, Dr. Salomon-Fernández served as Senior Vice President for Operations Planning at SNHU. Before SNHU, Yves led several community colleges as president in Massachusetts and New Jersey. She periodically serves as adjunct faculty of higher education leadership. In addition to leading UCB, Dr. Salomon-Fernández currently serves on the Steering Committee of the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston’s Inclusive Economies initiative that creates private-public partnerships to ensure full economic participation in urban and rural communities. She is also a former member of the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston’s Community Development Advisory Council and a former Corporator of Greenfield Cooperative Bank. Dr. Salomon-Fernández periodically serves as a reviewer for the National Science Foundation and Johns Hopkins University Press. Yves Salomon-Fernández is a current member of the Board of Directors at the American Association of Colleges and Universities (AAC&U). She also serves as a member of the Board of Double Edge Theater, located in rural western Massachusetts. Yves is the former Chair of the American Council of Education’s Learner Success Lab Advisory Council and member of Job for the […]
Dr. Bruce C. Kusch became the 13th president of Ensign College on April 17, 2017. He previously served as the Chief Academic Officer from March 2016 until assuming his current role. Dr. Kusch’s academic career began in August 2002, when he joined the Business Management Faculty at Brigham Young University-Idaho. While there, he also served as the Associate Academic Vice President for Curriculum and as Associate Dean for Online Programs. Before joining the BYU-Idaho faculty, Dr. Kusch worked in the high technology industry in Silicon Valley, CA. He earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Phoenix, an MBA from the Keller Graduate School of Management, and a PhD in instructional design from Idaho State University. Dr. Kusch’s tenure as the president of Ensign College includes leading a complete institutional transformation that includes changes in methods of learning and teaching, general education reform, refocusing the institution on its core mission, the introduction of Bachelor of Applied Science degrees, and entering into a strategic partnership resulting in significant enrollment increases.
Originally, Amy thought she was going to be a Music Librarian, having received her MLS from the University at Buffalo, SUNY; however, she discovered she liked managing and changed her professional trajectory to focus on leadership in libraries. Prior to WCU, Amy was Director of Technical Services at Gettysburg College where she partnered her Technical Services staff with all aspects of the library services and programs offered at a small liberal arts college library. Now at WCU, Amy oversees strategic planning, personnel development, public services, and facilities management. When she’s not in the library, Amy supports an ultra-runner, is learning to identify bird calls, and enjoys an ice-cold micro-brew from the neighborhood brewpubs.
Deirdre’s career path in Access Services began as a student worker at Temple University. She learned and developed as staff before moving into leadership roles. She received her M.S. in Library Science from Drexel University and is currently the Access Services Manager at West Chester University Libraries.
