Nancy Marchand-Martella was named the next provost and executive vice president at the University of Northern Colorado. With more than 35 years of experience in academia, Dr. Marchand-Martella most recently served as special advisor to the chancellor on faculty initiatives at the University of Colorado-Colorado Springs, where she earlier served as provost and executive vice chancellor for academic affairs. Previously, she was the Suzi and Dale Gallagher Dean of the College of Education at Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana. Dr. Marchand-Martella has also held faculty and administrative roles at the University of Oklahoma.
“I am thrilled to be joining UNC as provost,” said Dr. Marchand-Martella. “Given my family’s connection to Colorado, I have followed the excellence of UNC for several decades. As a first-generation college graduate, I am humbled to serve a campus dedicated to promoting student success and enhanced social mobility.”
Dr. Marchand-Martella is a graduate of Purdue University in Indiana, where she majored in psychology. She holds a master’s degree in behavior analysis and therapy from Southern Illinois University and a Ph.D. in special education from Utah State University.
Lise Youngblade was promoted from interim provost to permanent provost and executive vice president for academic affairs at Colorado State University. Dr. Youngblade has been a CSU faculty member since 2006. Prior to her interim appointment, she was dean of the university’s College of Health and Human Sciences. An applied developmental scientist, Dr. Youngblade specializes in child and adolescent emotional development, access to healthcare for vulnerable youth, program evaluation, and analysis of developmental processes in educational and community contexts.
“As CSU emerges as the national model for a modern land-grant university, we require effective leadership at every level. Lise knows CSU and understands what it will take to achieve our collective vision for the future,” wrote President Amy Parsons in a letter to the CSU community. “She has spent 20 years here, building programs, growing research, forming relationships and earning the trust of this campus. I can think of no better person to step into this role at this moment in our history, and I look forward to what we’ll accomplish together.”
Dr. Youngblade is an honors graduate of the University of Oregon, where she majored in psychology. After earning her master’s degree and Ph.D. in human development and family studies from Pennsylvania State University, she completed a postdoctoral fellowship with the Albany Challenging Behavior Project at the University at Albany in New York.
Randi Storch was selected to serve as interim provost and vice president for academic affairs at Western Oregon University. Dr. Storch has served as dean of the university’s College of Liberal Arts and Sciences for the past year. She previously spent 26 years on the faculty of the State University of New York at Cortland, where she served as the history department chair for nearly a decade. Her research focuses on the history of working people, democratic movements, and Americanism.
“I have been impressed with [Dr. Storch’s] work as Dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences since her arrival,” said WOU President Jesse Peters. “She brings the right balance of experience, new ideas, and vision while also demonstrating a passion for this institution, its students, and its employees.”
Dr. Storch earned her bachelor’s degree in history from the University of Florida. She holds master’s and doctoral degrees in history from the University of Illinois.