Anne A. Skleder has been named president of Brenau University in Gainesville, Georgia. The university enrolls nearly 3,000 students. More than 90 percent of the undergraduate students are women. When Dr. Skleder begins her new role on July 1, 2019, she will the first woman to lead the university.
Currently, Dr. Skleder serves as senior vice president, provost, and professor of psychology at Wilkes University in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. During her tenure, she added more than 20 high quality and in-demand academic programs especially in health care, education, and business and leadership, launched the university’s first Ph.D. program, increased diversity among both students and faculty, made investments in instructional space, established a major international initiative including a collaboration with the country of Panama, and led the effort to significantly increase external funding to support faculty and student scholarship and research.
Earlier in her career, Dr. Skleder served as provost and vice president for academic affairs at Cabrini University in Radnor, Pennsylvania, dean of what was then called the Chatham College for Women in Pittsburgh, and various leadership positions at Alvernia University in Reading, Pennsylvania. As an academic, she focuses on the field of social psychology. She has extensive experience in strategic planning, accreditation, assessment of student learning, academic program development at all levels, retention, developing educational partnerships to serve students and community-based learning.
in accepting the appointment, Dr. Skleder said. “I was initially drawn to the compelling mission and strong heritage, and then through this search process I have learned so much more about the Brenau of today — the forward-looking faculty, staff and the accomplished alumni and wonderful students. The university’s commitment to maintain a women’s college in the context and expanding evolution of a university with local, regional and international reach is especially impressive. The pride, energy and positive spirit of this community is palpable, and I look forward to calling Brenau University and Gainesville my home.”
Dr. Skleder is a graduate of the University of Pittsburgh where she majored in psychology. She holds a master’s degree and Ph.D. in social and organizational psychology from Temple University in Philadelphia.