Seven Women in New Administrative Posts in Higher Education

Carolyn Egan was appointed interim general counsel at Florida State University, effective January 1. She has been serving for the past four years as associate general counsel. Previously, she was a partner at a Fort Lauderdale-based law firm.

Egan holds bachelor’s and law degrees from Florida State.

Mary Ann McCrackin was named university veterinarian and director of the Office of Animal Resources at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. She was a member of the biomedical and pharmaceutical sciences faculty at the University of Montana.

Dr. McCrackin is a graduate of Wofford College in Spartanburg, South Carolina. She earned her doctorate in veterinary medicine at the University of Georgia and holds a Ph.D. in biochemistry and microbiology from the University of Montana.

Darinda Sharp is the new director of communications for the J. William Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences at the University of Arkansas. She previously held communications positions for state government and local political organizations.

Sharp holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism and a master’s degree in political science from the University of Arkansas.

Halima Leak was named director of alumni relations and development at the School of Professional Studies of the City University of New York. She has previously held fundraising positions at Barnard College and New York University.

Leak is a graduate of Hampton University in Virginia. She holds a master’s degree in sociology from New York University and is currently a doctoral candidate in the higher education program at NYU.

Leigh A. LaClair was appointed deputy chief facilities officer at Virginia Tech. Since 2010 she was the interim associate vice chancellor for facilities management services for the Virginia Community College System. Previously, she was director of facilities operations at John Tyler Community College in Richmond.

LaClair is a graduate of Virginia Tech and holds a master’s degree from Virginia Commonwealth University.

Donna Elam was named director of the Tampa Bay Educational Partnership, a cooperative effort between the Hillsborough County Public Schools and the University of South Florida. Dr. Elam is the associate director for program development and external affairs for the David C. Anchin Center at the University of South Florida’s College of Education.

Dr. Elam is a graduate of York College in New York. She holds master’s and doctoral degrees from New York University. She is the author of the children’s book Why They Marched: The Struggle for the Right to Vote.

Victoria F. Roche was elected to a six-year term on the board of directors of the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education. Dr. Roche is a professor of pharmacy sciences and senior associate dean in the School of Pharmacy and Health Professions at Creighton University in Omaha, Nebraska.

Dr. Roche received a bachelor’s degree in both chemistry and Spanish from Nebraska Wesleyan University. She holds a master’s degree and a Ph.D. in biomedicinal chemistry from the University of Nebraska College of Pharmacy. She has served on the Creighton faculty since 1982.