New Administrative Duties for Eight Women in Higher Education

Diane Quinn was appointed executive director of the American Repertory Theater at Harvard University. The professional theater based at Harvard was founded in 1980. Members of the theater company teach both undergraduate and graduate courses at Harvard.

Quinn has been serving as senior vice president of creative and artistic operations for Cirque de Soleil. She is a graduate of the University of Toronto.

Pamela A. Anthony was selected as the next vice president for student affairs at Southern Methodist University in Dallas. She will begin her new role on February 1. Since 2012, Dr. Anthony has been serving as dean of students at Iowa State University.

Dr. Anthony is a graduate of James Madison University in Harrisonburg, Virginia, where she majored in speech pathology. She holds a master’s degree from the University of Georgia and a Ph.D. in educational policy studies from Georgia State University.

G. Rumay Alexander was named special assistant to the chancellor of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. In this role, Dr. Alexander will oversee programs aimed at accelerating diversity, inclusion, and family and work-life balance. She will continue to serve as director of the Office of Multicultural Affairs in the School of Nursing at the university.

Dr. Alexander was the first African American to hold the rank of full professor at the University of North Carolina School of Nursing.

Holly Ayers was promoted to vice chancellor for academic affairs at Arkansas State University-Newport. She was director of institutional effectiveness at the Newport campus. Before joining the staff at the university in 2014, Dr. Ayers was vice president of learning at South Arkansas Community College.

Dr. Ayers holds a bachelor’s degree in physical education, a master’s degree in exercise science, and a doctorate in educational leadership, all from Arkansas State University.

Monique Robinson-Nichols was promoted to associate dean for students and equity, diversity, and inclusion in the Peabody College of education and human development at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee. Since 2001, she has been assistant dean of students.

Dr. Robinson-Nichols holds a master’s degree in student personnel services and a doctorate in higher education administration from Vanderbilt University.

Sonia King Gass is the new vice president for institutional advancement and chief development officer at Voorhees College in Denmark, South Carolina. She is the former director of planned giving at Claflin University in Orangeburg, South Carolina, and the former vice president of institutional advancement at Saint Augustine’s University in Raleigh, North Carolina.

Gass is a native of Barbados. She received a full track and field scholarship to South Carolina State University, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in marketing and a master’s degree in agribusiness.

Kimberly Blair was appointed principal gifts officer at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University in Blacksburg. She was vice president for institutional advancement at Ferrum College in Virginia. Earlier, she served on the staff at Roanoke College in Salem, Virginia, for 15 years.

Blair is a graduate of Roanoke College, where she majored in political science.

Marche Fleming-Randle was named assistant to the president for diversity at Wichita State University in Kansas. She has been serving as the assistant dean of the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences at the university. She joined the staff at Wichita State in 2007.

Dr. Flemming-Randle holds a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree in education from Kansas State University. She earned a doctorate in adult education from Nova Southeastern University.