Eight Women Who Will Be Taking on New Administrative Duties in Higher Education

Catherine Emmanuelle is the inaugural director of the Center for Racial and Restorative Justice at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire. For the past five years, she worked as an area extension director for the University of Wisconsin-Madison Division of Extension.

Emmanuelle completed her bachelor’s degree in women’s studies at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire. She earned a master’s degree in advocacy and political leadership from the University of Minnesota-Duluth.

Sarah Wice-Courtney was appointed associate vice president for marketing and communications at the University of Northern Kentucky. For the past six years, she has been the director of communications and public relations for St. Elizabeth Healthcare.

Wice-Courtney holds a bachelor’s degree in telecommunications with a concentration in political communications and social effects of mass media from the University of Kentucky. She earned an MBA from Thomas More University in Crestview Hills, Kentucky.

Takama Statton-Brooks is now serving as interim assistant vice chancellor for university housing at the University of Arkansas. Dr. Statton-Brooks began her tenure at the university as the assistant director for residence education and was promoted to director for residence education in 2011.

Dr. Stratton-Brooks is a graduate of Emporia State University in Kansas, where she majored in vocational rehabilitation counseling. She holds a master of social work degree from Washburn University in Topeka, Kansas, and a doctorate in educational leadership and administration from Saint Louis University.

Abby Kasowitz-Scheer was recently appointed head of Syracuse University Libraries’ department of learning and academic engagement. She has been with the Syracuse Libraries for 21 years, serving as head of Instructional Services and later was the Learning Commons librarian.

Kasowitz-Sheer is a graduate of Brandeis University in Waltham, Massachusetts, where she majored in English and American literature. She holds a master of library sciences degree and a master’s degree in instructional design, development, and evaluation from Syracuse University.

Ava L. Ayers is the new student services program coordinator for the Dr. Emily England Clyburn Honors College at South Carolina State University.

A native of Newport News, Virginia, Ayers received her bachelor’s degree in music education from Norfolk State University and a master’s degree in education with a focus in higher education administration from Liberty University. Ayers is pursuing her doctorate in educational leadership from Liberty University.

Stephanie Oberhausen has been promoted to associate vice chancellor and chief development officer for Vanderbilt University. Oberhausen joined the staff at the university in October 2021 as executive director of development for leadership philanthropy and engagement and was soon promoted to assistant vice chancellor for leadership philanthropy and engagement. Earlier, she was vice president for advancement at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago

Oberhausen holds a bachelor’s degree in music from Vanderbilt University and an MBA and a master’s degree in arts administration from the University of Cincinnati.

Sharon P. Pitt has been appointed Brown University’s vice president for information technology and chief information officer, effective December 1. She has been serving as vice president for information technologies and chief information officer at the University of Delaware.

Pitt earned a bachelor’s degree in economics and a master of architecture degree from Virginia Tech.

Jamese Sims was named deputy director of the Northern Gulf Institute and strategic advisor for federal partnerships at Mississippi State University. She began working as a meteorologist and scientist for the federal government in 2004, working to improve weather prediction through high-performance computing-based models.

Dr. Sims is a graduate of Jackson State University in Mississippi, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in meteorology. She holds a Ph.D. in atmospheric sciences from Howard University in Washington, D.C.