New Administrative Positions for Eight Women at Colleges and Universities

Deborah Cullinan has been appointed vice president for the arts at Stanford University, effective February 28. She has been serving as the chief executive officer of the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts in San Francisco. Earlier, she was the executive director of San Francisco’s Intersection for the Arts.

Cullinan earned her bachelor’s degree in history and anthropology from Lawrence University in Appleton, Wisconsin.

Pamela Dutta was appointed assistant director of administration in the Student Legal Services Office at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. She was serving as co-chair of the Employee Resource Group for International Faculty and Staff at the university.

Dutta earned a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree in public policy and administration from the University of Massachusetts Amherst.

Claire Klieger was named assistant vice president and executive director of career services at Swarthmore College in suburban Philadelphia. She has been serving as the senior associate director of the Career Services Office at the University of Pennsylvania.

Dr. Klieger holds a bachelor’s degree in English and anthropology from the University of Virginia. She earned a master’s degree in education and an educational doctorate at the University of Pennsylvania.

Maria Harris Tildon has been appointed as the new vice president for state and local affairs for Johns Hopkins University and Johns Hopkins Medicine, effective April 1. Since 2006, she has held progressively senior leadership roles with CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield, the largest health insurer in the Mid-Atlantic region. Most recently, she was executive vice president for public policy and government affairs.

Tildon holds a bachelor’s degree in international relations from Boston University. She earned a juris doctorate at American University in Washington, D.C.

Emily Seems has been hired as associate vice president for community affairs and engagement in the Division of University Marketing and Communications at Colorado State University. She was serving as chief of staff for the university’s provost and executive vice president. Earlier she was assistant vice president for university relations at Northern Arizona University.

Seems earned a bachelor’s degree in business and economics from Lehigh University in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. She holds a master’s degree in student affairs in higher education from Colorado State University.

Ashley Irvin was promoted to assistant vice president of marketing and communications at Xavier University in Louisiana. She joined the staff at the university in 2018 and most recently served as director of the marketing and communication department.

Irvin holds a bachelor’s degree in mass communication from Loyola University in New Orleans and an MBA from the University of New Orleans.

Holly Roepke has been named director of athletics at California Lutheran University. She was named senior associate director of athletics in July 2021. Before joining Cal Lutheran’s staff, Roepke served as the senior associate athletic director at Pomona-Pitzer colleges in Claremont, California, and assistant athletic director
for diversity, equity, and inclusion at Grinnell College in Iowa.

Roepke earned a degree in organizational leadership from California Luthern University. She went on to earn a master’s degree in kinesiology and sport management from the University of South Dakota.

Gena S. Wilson is the new chief human resource officer at Fort Valley State University in Georgia. She was the director of human resources at Georgia Southwestern State University.

Wilson holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration and an MBA from Georgia Southwestern State University.