Eight Women Appointed to Administrative Positions in the Academic World

Alanka Hayes Brown was appointed vice president for academic and student affairs at Wilbur Wright College in Chicago, Illinois. She was the associate vice president for academic affairs and dean of career programs at Frederick Community College in Maryland.

Dr. Brown is a graduate of Florida A&M University, where she majored in political science. She holds a master’s degree in international affairs from Florida State University. She also earned a master of public administration degree and a doctorate in higher education administration from Nova Southeastern University.

Lynn Holloran was promoted to deputy director of athletics for administration at Pennsylvania State University. In 2015, she was named senior associate athletic director for administration. Earlier, she was director of the McNamara Academic Center for Student-Athletes at the University of Minnesota.

Holleran earned a bachelor’s degree in economics and business management at Beloit College in Wisconsin. She holds a master’s degree in management/organizational behavior and marketing from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University.

Lori Ressor is the new vice chancellor for student affairs at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She is the former vice president for student affairs at the University of North Dakota. Earlier in her career, Dr. Ressor was associate vice provost for student success at the University of Kansas.

Dr. Ressor is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, where she majored in business management. She holds a master’s degree in higher education from Iowa State University and a doctorate in educational policy from the University of Kansas.

Dawn Turton was promoted to associate provost for academic initiatives at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee. Since 2016, she had been serving as senior assistant provost for faculty and strategic affairs.

Dr. Turton is a graduate of the University of Birmingham in England, where she majored in French and communications. She holds a master’s degree in linguistics from Ohio University and a Ph.D. in education from the University of Southern California.

Jennifer J. Davis was appointed executive vice president and chief administrative, business, and operating officer at the University of Virginia. She was senior vice president for finance and administration at George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia. Earlier, she was vice president for finance and administration at the University of Delaware.

Davis holds a bachelor’s degree in political science and a master’s degree in policy analysis from Pennsylvania State University.

Beverly Downing was promoted to associate provost  at Huston-Tillotson University in Austin, Texas. She has been serving as interim director of sponsored programs, Title III, and institutional planning, research, and assessment.

Dr. Downing is a graduate of Livingstone College in Salisbury, North Carolina, where she majored in health and physical education. She holds a master’s degree in secondary education from Hampton University in Virginia and a doctorate in pedagogy from Middle Tennessee State University.

Paula Harper Bethea was named director of the Division of Advancement at the University of South Carolina. She served for seven years at the executive director of the South Carolina Lottery Commission.

A graduate of the University of South Carolina, Bethea is the former chair of the board of trustees of Columbia College.

Darcie Van Ede is the new executive assistant to the vice president for development at South Dakota State University Foundation. She was a senior account manager for Discovery Benefits and earlier worked for Daktronics for 10 years.

Van Ede is a graduate of the University of Sioux Falls, where she majored in business management.