Fifteen Women Taking on New Administrative Roles in Higher Education

Elizabeth White has been appointed chief of staff at the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute. She has 10 years of experience with the Institute, serving in roles such as research associate, operations manager, and programs and business manager. She previously held several industrial engineering positions with PepsiCo.

White is a graduate of Virginia Tech, where she majored in industrial and systems engineering. She received her MBA from Radford University in Virginia.

Cateatra Mallard has been named student activities director at Florida A&M University. She has held several student affairs and campus activities positions with Virginia State University, Radford University, Syracuse University in New York, and Jackson State University in Mississippi.

Mallard holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology and master’s degree in counseling with a focus on student affairs administration from Hampton University in Virginia.

Autumn Spicher has been named director of development and strategy for Fulbright College at the University of Arkansas. She has served in multiple leadership roles with the university, most recently as director of development for the Honors College.

Spicher holds bachelor’s degrees in political science and economics and a master’s degree in public administration from the University of Arkansas.

Sara Segerlin has been appointed director of the Gregg Museum of Art & Design at North Carolina State University. For the past six years, she has served as director of community engagement at the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art in Bentonville, Arkansas.

Segerlin holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Lock Haven University in Pennsylvania and a master of fine arts degree in interdisciplinary arts practices from the State University of New York at Brockport.

Jamie Wire has been named director of the Gender and Sexuality Center at Brandeis University in Massachusetts. She comes to her new role from Roger Williams University in Rhode Island, where she served as assistant director of the Queer and Trans Resource Advocacy Center. Earlier in her career, she worked with the Gender and LGBTQ+ Center at Elon University in North Carolina.

Wire received her bachelor’s degree in criminology and master’s degree in liberal studies from North Carolina State University. She holds a second master’s degree in higher education administration from Elon University.

Santiba Campbell has been selected to serve as interim vice president of academic affairs at Bennett College in North Carolina. She is an associate professor of psychology, holding numerous academic and administrative roles with the college over the past 12 years.

Dr. Campbell is a graduate of Winston-Salem State University in North Carolina, where she majored in psychology. She holds a master’s degree and Ph.D. in social psychology from the University of Delaware.

Tarice L.S. Gray has been appointed executive communications director at Manhattan College in Riverdale, New York. She most recently served as corporate communications leader at Momentive, a multinational additives manufacturing corporation. Earlier in her career, she served as chief storyteller at Kyndryl, an information technology infrastructure services provider.

Gray holds a bachelor’s degree in communications from John Carroll University in University Heights, Ohio and a master of fine arts degree from Fairleigh Dickinson University in Teaneck, New Jersey.

Hannah Jones has been named director of the K.C. Potter Center for LGBTQI Life at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee. She has an extensive background in youth development, sexuality, and social justice education, most recently working with Corning Community College in New York.

Dr. Jones is a graduate of St. John’s University in Queens, New York, where she received her bachelor’s degree in hospitality management and business administration and her master’s degree in social justice and global development. She holds a Ph.D. in social justice education from Lancaster University in England.

Claudia Neuhauser has been named vice president for research at the University of Houston and vice chancellor of the University of Houston System. She has been with the university for the past six years. Prior to her new appointment, she served in roles such as associate vice president for research and technology transfer and director of the Hewlett Packard Enterprise Data Science Institute.

Dr. Neuhauser is a graduate of Universität Heidelberg in Germany, where she majored in mathematics. She holds a Ph.D. in mathematics from Cornell University

Kristi Clemens has been named executive director of the Dialogue Project at Baylor University, an initiative aiming to foster conversations that bridge political and personal divides. She has been with Baylor University in Waco, Texas, for the past 15 years, most recently serving as assistant vice president and Title IX coordinator, as well as director of student and staff initiatives for the Dialogue Project.

Clemens completed her undergraduate degree at New York University. She holds a master of education degree from the University of Vermont.

Jessica Grant has been appointed interim director of the Odum Institute for Research in Social Science at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, making her the first woman to ever lead the institute. She has been serving as the institute’s associate director of research and director of the certificate in survey science program.

Grant is a graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where she double-majored in sociology and women’s studies. She holds a master’s degree in sociology from Fayetteville State University in North Carolina.

Melissa Choi has been promoted to director of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Lincoln Laboratory. She first joined the laboratory in 1999 as a technical staff member. For the past five years, she has served as the laboratory’s assistant director.

Dr. Choi is a graduate of Ithaca College in New York, where she majored in mathematics. She holds a Ph.D. in applied mathematics from North Carolina State University.

Lisa Elliott has been appointed vice president of student access and success at Paris Junior College in Texas. She has extensive experience in community college administration, previously serving as director of continuing education at National Park Community College in Arkansas and director of marketing and communications at McLennan Community College in Texas.

Elliott holds a bachelor’s degree in theatre arts from Texas A&M University and a master of fine arts degree in theatre arts from the University of Mississippi.

Melissa Swann has been appointed director of the study-abroad Heidelberg Program at Pepperdine University in Malibu, California. She most recently served as assistant director of global education for the College of William & Mary in Virginia. Earlier in her career, she served as assistant director of European programs at Lipscomb University in Tennessee.

Swann holds a bachelor’s degree in German and a master’s degree in sustainability from Lipscomb University.

Jennifer King has been promoted to assistant athletic director for academic services and senior woman administrator at Eastern Illinois University. She has spent the past four years as assistant director of academic services with the university’s athletic department. She also has extensive experience coaching collegiate volleyball.

King received her bachelor’s degree from Siena College in New York.

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