Five Women Taking on New Administrative Roles in Higher Education

Mary Alexander will become the vice provost for administration and operations at Baylor University in Waco, Texas, effective January 3.  She has been serving as vice provost for administration at the University of South Carolina in Columbia.

Dr. Alexander earned her bachelor’s degree in both finance and operations management, a master’s degree in public administration, and a doctorate in higher education policy and leadership all from the University of South Carolina.

Karen Niemi was appointed executive director of the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence. Niemi is internationally recognized for her transformative tenure as president and CEO of the Collaborative for Academic, Social and Emotional Learning (CASEL). Through her leadership, CASEL attained global stature, positioning it as a critical educational initiative.  Before assuming her position at CASEL, Niemi held diverse roles in the education and SEL sector, notably serving as a distinguished CEO and president for SEL and education publishing enterprises.

Niemi is a graduate of Augustana University in Illinois, where she majored in speech/language pathology. She holds a master’s degree in the same field from Rush University in Chicago.

Salena Gray Jegede was appointed senior vice president for institutional advancement at Spelman College in Atlanta. Jegede previously served as the chief of donor advising for the political organization Way to Win. Prior to joining Way to Win, Jegede served as the chief advancement officer for the Sierra Club in Oakland.

Jegede earned a bachelor’s degree in political science with a minor in economics from Spelman College. She holds a master’s degree in political science from Georgia State University.

Glynda Becker-Fenter has been promoted to vice president of external affairs and government relations at Washington State University. She joined the staff at the university in 2012 as director of federal relations. Earlier in her career she worked at the White House and the U.S. Department of Commerce.

Becker-Fenter is a graduate of Santa Clara University, where she majored in political science.

Johannah Williams is the new vice president of academic affairs and workforce development at Nashville State Community College. She has served the past two years as dean of Nashville State’s School of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math. Before coming to Nashville State, Dr. Williams held the position of associate vice president of STEM and Workforce Programs for Phi Theta Kappa, the nation’s largest honor society for community college students.

Dr. Williams received a bachelor’s degree in computer science with a minor in Spanish from the University of Mississippi. She also holds a master’s degree in management and leadership from Western Governors University and a master’s degree in computer and information science from Alcorn State University in Mississippi. She earned a Ph.D. in higher education dministration from the University of Southern Mississippi.