Nine Women Who Have Been Appointed to Administrative Positions in Higher Education

Stephanie Mahnke has been named director of the K.C. Potter Center and LGBTQI Life at Vanderbilt University in Nashville. Dr. Mahnke joins Vanderbilt from Utah Valley University, where she has been an assistant professor of English and literature since 2019.

Dr. Mahnke is a graduate of the University of California, Los Angeles, where she majored in English. She holds a master’s degree in English from the University of Nevada Las Vegas and a Ph.D. in rhetorical and writing from Michigan State University.

Diane Dunn has been appointed senior advisor to the president of the University of Maine for special initiatives. Dunn served as the assistant adjutant general of the Maine Army National Guard. She most recently served a six-month national appointment as deputy commanding general for the U.S. Army North at Fort Sam Houston, Texas. Brigadier General Dunn retired from the Maine Army National Guard in December after 33 years of military service.

Dunn holds a master of public administration degree from the University of Maine and a master’s degree in strategic studies from the United States Army War College.

Toya Corbett has been appointed associate vice president for strategic initiatives for student affairs at the University of Virginia. Dr. Corbett previously served as the assistant vice president for student affairs for the University of North Carolina System. Earlier, she was the assistant vice chancellor and dean of students at North Carolina Central University and executive director for student engagement and leadership.

After completing a bachelor’s degree in psychology from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Dr. Corbett earned a master’s degree in African American studies and a Ph.D. in history, both from Morgan State University in Baltimore.

Liza Alonzo was named assistant vice president for presidential affairs and constituent relations at the University of Houston Downtown. In her previous position at the university, she was in charge of special events and alumni relations.

Dr. Alonzo is a graduate of the University of Houston Downtown, where she majored in English. She holds a master’s degree in higher education administration from the University of Houston and a doctorate in education from Texas Tech University.

Manicia J. Finch has been named vice president for enrollment management at South Carolina State University. She was dean of enrollment management at Harris Stowe State University in St. Louis, Missouri. Earlier, Dr. Finch served as associate vice chancellor of enrollment management at Southern University and A&M College in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

Dr. Finch earned a bachelor’s degree in communications and marketing from Alabama A&M University. She holds a master’s degree in higher education and a doctorate in educational leadership and management from Capella University.

Charlotte Potter Kasic has been promoted to executive director of the Barry Art Museum on the campus of Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia. She joined the Barry Art Museum in January 2020 as the manager of museum education and engagement. Previously, Kasic served as the founding programming director of the  Perry Glass Studio at the Chrysler Museum of Art in Norfolk.

Kasic is a graduate of Alfred University in New York. She earned a master of fine arts degree from the Rhode Island School of Design.

Akirah J. Bradley-Armstrong will serve as the next vice chancellor for the division of student affairs and success at the University of California, Santa Cruz. Her first day will be May 16. She currently serves as vice chancellor for student affairs at the University of Colorado Boulder. She joined the staff there in 2016 as dean of students and associate vice chancellor.

Dr. Akirah holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Mansfield University in Pennsylvania. She earned a master’s degree in higher education and student affairs administration from the University of Vermont and a doctorate in educational leadership from the University of California, Davis.

Nina Grant is the vice president of student affairs and institutional diversity at Hawkeye Community College in Waterloo, Iowa. Grant came to Hawkeye in June 2021 and has led the student affairs division on an interim basis. She is the former vice president for student services at Western Nebraska Community College.

Grant holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. She has completed doctoral courses at Iowa State University.

Norma Allen is the new controller for the University of New Mexico. She has served at the university for the past 21 years and held various positions in financial services and the Office of Planning, Budget, and Analysis.

Allen holds a bachelor’s degree in accounting control systems from the University of North Texas. She is a certified public accountant.