A Half Dozen Women Taking on New Administrative Roles at Colleges and Universities

Dianne Nagy is the new research integrity and compliance officer at South Dakota State University. For the past four years, she has been a grants proposal specialist for the Office of Research Assurance and Sponsored Programs at the university.

Dr. Nagy is a graduate of Kent State University in Ohio. She holds a master’s degree in education from South Dakota State University and an educational doctorate from the University of South Dakota.

Deb Fiddelke was appointed chief communication and marketing officer at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. She was senior director of global government relations for S.C. Johnson Company, a leading manufacturer of home cleaning supplies. She is the former communications director for Nebraska Senator Chuck Hagel and was a special assistant to the president for legislative affairs in the second administration of George W. Bush.

Fiddlke is a graduate of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln where she majored in journalism and political science. She holds a master’s degree from George Washington University.

Jennifer DeHaemers was named associate chancellor for enrollment management at Southern Illinois University-Carbondale. She has been serving as associate vice president for student affairs and enrollment management at the University of Missouri-Kansas City.

DeHaemers is a graduate of the University of Central Missouri, where she majored in psychology. She holds a master’s degree in higher education administration from the University of Missouri-Kansas City.

Donica Thomas Varner was appointed vice president, general counsel and secretary at Oberlin College in Ohio. Since June 2017, she has served as interim general counsel and secretary. Previously, Varner was associate general counsel at the University of Michigan.

Varner is a graduate of North Carolina State University, where she majored in political science. She earned her law degree at the University of Michigan.

Andrea Whitsett was appointed director of the Morrison Institute for Public Policy at Arizona State University. She has served as interim director since August 2017. She also serves as a faculty associate in the School of Community Resources and Development at the university.

Whitsett is a graduate of Yale University, where she majored in American studies. She holds a master’s degree in nonprofit studies from Arizona State University.

Genyne Royal was named assistant dean for student success and director of the Neighborhood Student Success Collaborative at Michigan State University. She has been the interim director of the Neighborhood Student Success Collaborative since December.

Dr. Royal is a graduate of Shaw University in Raleigh, North Carolina, where she majored in vocal music. She holds a master’s degree in counseling from North Carolina A&T State University in Greensboro, and a Ph.D. in higher education administration from Texas A&M University.