Courtney Albiker
Senior Project Manager, Security & Technology
Courtney Albiker is a Senior Project Manager in Campus Safety and Emergency Management Services at Syracuse University, where she has built a nine-year career across four progressive roles. In her current position, she leads the Video Access Security Technology Team's project portfolio, managing complex security technology projects and supporting the strategic priorities of the team.
Courtney holds a Master of Professional Studies in Project Management from Syracuse University, a Master of Science in Organizational Performance, Leadership and Technology from SUNY Potsdam, and dual Bachelor of Science degrees in Applied Mathematics & Statistics and Global Supply Chain Management from Clarkson University. She earned her Project Management Professional certification in 2025.
Her career has been defined by a commitment to people development, technology adoption, and creating environments where others can thrive. Earlier in her career she served in residential life and student affairs leadership at Syracuse University, Cornell University, and Clarkson University, where she directly supervised professional staff, designed training curricula, and built communities rooted in belonging and growth. She also brings corporate experience from IBM and Sunoco Logistics, where she supported large-scale organizational change and technology implementations.
Outside of her professional role, Courtney serves as Events Chairperson for Echelon Syracuse, a young professionals organization affiliated with The Salvation Army, where she is passionate about building community and creating meaningful experiences for emerging leaders. She is also a Disney travel consultant, helping families create magical memories one trip at a time.
Courtney is a mother of two daughters and lives in Central New York with her family. She is deeply committed to her own continued growth and is honored to join the Women in Leadership Initiative as a member of the Diane Lyden Murphy Cohort 5.
Sarah Cappella
Youth Programs Compliance Coordinator, Syracuse University
Sarah Ross Cappella serves as the Youth Programs Compliance Coordinator at Syracuse University. In this role, she manages compliance with the official University policy regarding minor guests on campus. She focuses on developing, implementing, and managing requirements and procedures designed to mitigate risk and elevate safety standards. A key milestone includes the creation and deployment of a new program registration and tracking software system, which streamlined management and enhanced coordination for all university programs involving youth. Adjacent to her position, she serves on the Higher Education Protection Network as the social media manager, and founded the New York State Higher Education Protection Consortium, a network of New York State Higher Education institutions who have youth protection policies in place. In 2025, she was awarded the inaugural “Recognition of Impact” award through the Office of the Chief Financial Officer, which is given to individuals who consistently go above and beyond in their work.
Prior to her current position, she served as the Associate Director of Student Activities at Syracuse University. There she created and managed advising and leadership programming for recognized student organizations. Cappella also coordinated multiple large-scale campus programming, overseeing events for upward of 10,000 students while managing budgets of almost $500,000.
An alumna of Syracuse University, she earned her Master of Science in Counselor Education and recently obtained a Certificate of Advanced Study in Instructional Design Foundations, both through the School of Education.
Jordan Clifford
Executive Director of Event Protocol and Ceremonies, University and Advancement Events, Syracuse University
Jordan Clifford serves as Executive Director of Event Protocol and Ceremonies at Syracuse University, where she leads a portfolio of the institution's most visible ceremonial, engagement, and milestone events. A trusted advisor to leaders across the Chancellor's Office, Provost's Office, and Division of Advancement and External Affairs, she guides institutional protocol and event strategy while fostering collaboration across campus to deliver experiences that advance strategic priorities, strengthen constituent relationships, and enhance the University's reputation.
Clifford joined Syracuse University in 2022 as a director on the Major Events team and was promoted to executive director in 2026. Prior to higher education, she built a decade-long career in New York City's magazine publishing industry. She spent most of her career with Dotdash Meredith (formerly Meredith Corporation), where she held cross-functional roles spanning editorial, sales, marketing, and events supporting iconic brands including Food & Wine, Parents, PEOPLE, SHAPE and Real Simple. This experience honed her ability to connect strategy, storytelling, and audience engagement to create impactful experiential programming.
A proud Syracuse native, Clifford earned a bachelor's degree in magazine journalism from Syracuse University's S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications and is currently pursuing an M.B.A. at the Martin J. Whitman School of Management. She is passionate about leading with authenticity, fostering collaboration, and creating opportunities for professional growth and mentorship. She lives in Syracuse with her dog, Lola, and enjoys spending time with family, boating on the St. Lawrence River, and practicing yoga.
Tracy Cromp
Director of Research Integrity and Protections, Syracuse University
Tracy Cromp is the Director of Research Integrity and Protections at Syracuse University, where she has spent over two decades building a career defined by steady advancement; from an accounting clerk role in the Comptroller's Office to leading the University's human research protections, animal research, and research integrity programs. She currently serves as the University's primary liaison to federal regulatory bodies that oversee human subjects research, translating complex policy into practice while mentoring her staff through change.
Early in her career at Syracuse, Tracy earned a Master of Social Work, and that training continues to shape how she leads today; grounding her compliance work in a deep commitment to human dignity, ethical care, and supporting the people navigating the systems she oversees. She also helped lead the University through its initial accreditation with the Association for Accreditation of Human Research Protection Programs (AAHRPP), work that laid the foundation for the integrity program she now directs.
Tracy is an active participant in Syracuse's Women in Leadership Initiative and supports Syracuse University's Native Faculty and Staff (SUNFAS) group. Outside of work, she's a longtime member of the triathlon community, having completed two full Ironman races and served for seven years on the Central New York Triathlon Club board.
Johanna K. P. Dennis, J.D., Ph.D.
Associate Teaching Professor, Syracuse University College of Law
Dr. Johanna K. P. Dennis is an Associate Teaching Professor at the College of Law, where she teaches Civil Procedure, Contracts, and Property.
Before joining Syracuse Law full-time in May 2026, Dr. Dennis was a Distinguished Lecturer in the JDi program, and she previously held faculty positions at Southern University Law Center, Golden Gate University School of Law, University of Arkansas at Little Rock – Bowen School of Law, Northeastern University School of Law, and a range of other law schools throughout the country. As a professor, she created and supervised an immigration externship program, developed and taught immigration-focused and intellectual property-focused legal writing curricula, and supervised students in pro bono research projects.
Her professional experience includes practicing immigration law as a sole practitioner, and serving as Supervising Attorney at Prisoners' Legal Services of New York, Buffalo – Immigration Unit, Immigration Staff Attorney at the Erie County Bar Association Volunteer Lawyer Project, and Appellate Law Clerk for the Hon. William P. Gilroy of the Superior Court of New Jersey, Appellate Division.
Dennis's research examines the intersection of higher education and immigration policies, and the impact of intellectual property on access to health care and medicine. Her works have been published in the Florida International University Law Review, Computer Law & Security Review, and John Marshall Law Review.
Dennis holds a B.A. in French from Rutgers University, an M.S. in Biotechnology from Johns Hopkins University Zanvyl Krieger School of Arts and Sciences, an M.A. in Education from Trident University College of Education, a J.D. from Temple University James E. Beasley School of Law, and a Ph.D. in Educational Leadership from Trident University College of Education.
Caitlin Domagal
Director, Domestic Field Programs, Office of Admissions, Syracuse University
Caitlin (Cait) Domagal leads domestic undergraduate recruitment and counselor initiatives within the Office of Admissions at Syracuse University. A native of central New York, she earned her bachelor's degree from SUNY Geneseo and M.Ed. in higher education from Penn State University. Cait began her career with Teach For America in Charlotte, NC, transitioning to roles in student affairs and college counseling in Washington DC and alumni relations in Buffalo, NY before returning to Syracuse in 2019. She has held multiple volunteer roles with the New York State Association for College Admissions Counseling (NYSACAC), most recently serving as co-chair of the Professional Development Committee and was honored as NYSACAC's Rising Star in 2024.
Jenny Dombroske
Executive Director, Office of Community Engagement, Syracuse University
Jenny Dombroske currently serves as the Executive Director of the Syracuse University Office of Community Engagement, following over 20 years working in school, youth, and family services. Her career is guided by deep commitments to equity, access, and opportunity, rooted in formative professional experiences working with children whose educational and health opportunities were disparately determined by circumstances they and their families were born into. Those experiences shaped a career striving to build bridges where there are divides, and center the voice and choice of children, youth, and families in the solutions that serve them. The belief that lasting change happens with communities, not for or around them, drives her leadership today, where she guides cross-sector partnerships connecting the University to the communities it calls home.
In this role, she and her team relaunched the Thursday Morning Roundtable, a 60-year civic institution, as a renewed forum for community dialogue centered on the question: are we creating a future for Syracuse, or with Syracuse? Jenny also serves on the Syracuse City School District's My Brother's Keeper steering committee and on the boards of the United Way of Central New York and Salvation Army Syracuse Area Services.
Jenny holds an Executive Master of Public Administration from the Maxwell School of Public Affairs at Syracuse University, with professional development in nonprofit management, school-based partnerships, trauma-informed practices, and youth development. While Jenny's heart is tied to the City, she lives just outside Syracuse on a family farm. She and her husband are proud parents of two young adults forging their own paths of service, purpose, and impact, and spend their spare time making music together in two local bands.
Sara Eftekharnejad, Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, Syracuse University
Dr. Sara Eftekharnejad is an Associate Professor in the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science at Syracuse University, where her research focuses on power grid operations and planning, and the integration of renewable and distributed energy resources. Bringing over a decade of combined experience in academia and industry, Dr. Eftekharnejad previously held a faculty position at the University of Idaho and worked as a Transmission Planning Engineer at Tucson Electric Power Company. She earned her Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering from Arizona State University in 2012 and her M.Sc. in Electrical Engineering from West Virginia University in 2008.
Her contributions to power and energy research are supported by multiple grants, most notably the 2022 National Science Foundation (NSF) CAREER Award, which funds her work on predicting cascading grid failures caused by severe weather and the growing uncertainties of renewable generation. Throughout her career, Dr. Eftekharnejad has mentored and graduated numerous graduate students, and she is equally committed to engaging undergraduate researchers in her lab, offering hands-on research experience at both levels. Dr. Eftekharnejad has served as associate editor for multiple journals and currently serves as vice-chair of the IEEE Power and Energy Society (PES) Power and Energy Education Subcommittee.
Alix Ferrer-Yulfo
Professor of Practice, Museum Studies
Dr Alix Ferrer-Yulfo is Professor of Practice in Museum Studies at Syracuse University's School of Design, where she serves as Graduate Internship Coordinator for the Museum Studies Graduate Program and Coordinator of the Museum Studies Minor. A Fellow of the United Kingdom’s Advanced HE, she brings more than 15 years of international experience in higher education across the United States, the United Kingdom, and Puerto Rico. Her work focuses on advancing innovative museum and heritage studies education through interdisciplinary collaboration, experiential learning, and strong partnerships with museums and cultural heritage organizations.
Since joining Syracuse University in 2021 as a Postdoctoral Faculty Fellow, Dr Ferrer-Yulfo has taken on progressively significant leadership responsibilities, serving as Interim Program Coordinator before assuming her current roles. She has led curricular innovation, expanded experiential learning opportunities, and strengthened the Museum Studies program through strategic partnerships with university and community organizations including Syracuse University Art Museum, the Onondaga Historical Association, the Matilda Joslyn Gage Foundation, the Indigenous Values Initiative, and the Engaged Humanities Network. Her efforts have increased internship opportunities, enhanced practice-based learning, and contributed to the continued growth of the Museum Studies Minor. She has also contributed to institutional initiatives through service on the School of Design's Minors Review Working Group and the College of Visual and Performing Arts DEIA Committee.
An active scholar and leader in the museum and heritage field, Dr Ferrer-Yulfo co-coordinates the U.S. Chapter of the Association of Critical Heritage Studies and serves on professional conference steering committees and advisory boards. She also mentors emerging museum professionals and collaborates with regional cultural organizations to strengthen connections between the university and the broader community. Her leadership reflects a commitment to academic excellence, community engagement, and preparing the next generation of museum professionals through innovative, collaborative, and practice-based education.
Nicole L. Fonger, Ph.D
Associate Professor of Mathematics and Mathematics Education, Department of Mathematics & School of Education, Syracuse University
Nicole L. Fonger, PhD (she/her) is an Associate Professor of Mathematics and Mathematics Education at Syracuse University, with dual appointments in the Department of Mathematics and the School of Education. A mathematics educator for over 20 years, she earned her MA in Mathematics and PhD in Mathematics Education from Western Michigan University and held a postdoctoral fellowship in Mathematical Thinking, Learning, and Instruction at University of Wisconsin-Madison. Her research advances meaningful, equity-centered mathematics learning through community-engaged, participatory design that links research and practice in urban school environments. She is the author of Making Algebra Meaningful: A Visual Approach to Math Literacy for All (Teachers College Press, 2024), has authored and co-authored over 50 peer-reviewed publications, and is the recipient of the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics Linking Research and Practice Outstanding Publication Award.
Nicole leads the Meaningful Mathematics Research Group, an interdisciplinary team of undergraduate and graduate students dedicated to advancing opportunities for youth to experience mathematics learning as meaningful through collaborative, participatory research with teachers. She has served as Principal Investigator and Co-Principal Investigator and Advisory Board Member on internally and externally funded projects. She currently serves as a 2025–2027 Lender Center for Social Justice Faculty Fellow. As co-founder of the Data Warriors program — a multi-institutional youth participatory action research initiative spanning Syracuse City School District and Syracuse University — she collaborates with teachers and mentors student researchers to support youth mathematical reasoning and data literacy, geospatial awareness, and civic action in the Syracuse community.
Karly Grifasi
Associate Director of Operations and Strategic Initiatives, Center on Disability & Inclusion, Syracuse University
Karly Grifasi oversees operations, administration, communications, and events for the Center on Disability & Inclusion (CDI), the Taishoff Center for Inclusive Higher Education and InclusiveU. She leads efforts to support CDI with local and global partnerships, grant management, advocacy and legislative initiatives, fundraising, inclusive study abroad, and the planning and execution of the annual national conference for the field of inclusive higher education.
Originally from Houston, Karly graduated from the University of Texas at Austin with a Bachelor of Science in Advertising and moved to New York City to begin a career in television production. She spent over ten years at NBC working first at Saturday Night Live followed by the TODAY Show, where she travelled around the world as a production manager for live broadcasts.
After moving to Syracuse in 2010, she worked as the Director of Special Events and Corporate Relations for the American Cancer Society, the Director of Communications and Events at the international non-profit Boulder Institute for Microfinance, and as the owner of KMG Productions, her consulting business specializing in communications, events, and conference planning. She joined the School of Education at Syracuse University in 2016.
Karly lives in the University neighborhood with her husband Michael, children Elijah and Luca (Syracuse University class of 2030!), and two adorable but ill-behaved dogs. She enjoys outdoor adventures, cooking delicious food, yoga, travelling, and spending time with her family and friends.
At the University, Karly serves as a voting member of the University Senate, a FYS 101 Lead Instructor, an Office of People and Culture Mentor, and a member of the Disability Pride Planning Committee.
Nicole Harris
Deputy Director of Athletics and Senior Woman Administrator, Syracuse University Athletics
Nicole Harris was named Syracuse University's Deputy Director of Athletics and Senior Woman Administrator in June 2026. As a member of the department's Executive Leadership Team, Harris provides strategic leadership across several key areas, including the Cuse Athletic Fund, revenue sharing, Name, Image and Likeness (NIL), compliance, academics, and student-athlete development. She serves as the sport administrator for Syracuse's women's basketball, women's lacrosse, and men's soccer programs and represents Syracuse on the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) Senior Woman Administrator Committee.
Harris joined the Orange after serving as Deputy Athletic Director, Chief Operating Officer, and Senior Woman Administrator at the University of Toledo. There, she provided executive leadership for strategic planning and daily operations across a 17-sport athletics program while overseeing student-athlete support services, strength and conditioning, and NIL strategy and implementation. She served as the sport administrator for football, women's basketball, and several other programs, and represented Toledo on the Mid-American Conference Administrators Council.
During her tenure, Toledo experienced one of the most successful periods in department history, highlighted by sustained conference championship contention and postseason success. The football program produced three top-65 NFL Draft selections over a three-year span — one of only 13 programs nationally to accomplish that feat — while the women's basketball program consistently led the Mid-American Conference in attendance and earned multiple postseason appearances.
Prior to Toledo, Harris held senior leadership positions at Grand Canyon University and Florida Atlantic University, where she was recognized with the Award for Excellence and Innovation in Undergraduate Advising.
A former four-year varsity rower at the University of Louisville, Harris earned a Bachelor of Science in health and human performance, with a double concentration in exercise science and physical education, as well as a Master of Science in sport administration.
Nicole and her husband, Tryshawn, reside in Jamesville with their daughter, Charlotte.
Jeanine A. Irons, Ph.D.
Director of Institutional Culture, Syracuse University Libraries
Jeanine A. Irons, Ph.D., is Director of Institutional Culture at Syracuse University Libraries. She brings more than 25 years in education to her role, having taught at every level from Pre-K through college. During her career, she taught in Hoover City Schools, worked with Birmingham Systemic Change Everyday Mathematics (K-5), evaluated school improvement for the Southern Regional Education Board's Making Middle Grades Work initiative, taught as an adjunct professor at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, and worked in faculty development at Western Carolina University and Syracuse University.
In her current role, Irons leads the Libraries' work on engagement and belonging, drawing on qualitative data from primary research to identify positive outcomes. She employs structured dialogue as a tool for productive change. She serves on the Academic Leadership for Strategic Initiatives council and has lent her expertise to the Disability Access and Inclusion Council and the Disability Appeals Board. She also inspired the expansion of halal food options on the north and south campuses.
For Irons, education and libraries have always been intertwined, each shaping her path toward the other. A first-generation college graduate and proud alumna of the University of Alabama, Irons holds an earned Ph.D. in Higher Education Administration with a Certificate in University Teaching. Her earliest professional grounding came in libraries, first at her undergraduate institution and later with the Birmingham Public Library, a thread that continues to shape her work today.
Outside the office, Irons serves as an election inspector for Onondaga County where she facilitates the voting process for others by assuring the smooth and equitable operation of local poll sites.
Holly L. Johnson
Operations and Budget Manager, The Graduate School, Syracuse University
Holly L. Johnson serves as Operations and Budget Manager at Syracuse University's Graduate School, where she administers graduate assistantship and fellowship programs, manages health insurance subsidies and payroll deductions for graduate students, and contributes to the development and implementation of graduate academic policy. She brings a broad institutional perspective to her role, serving as a reliable resource for faculty, staff, and students across campus. Johnson's career at Syracuse University spans almost two decades, including nearly 15 years at the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs, where she served as Budget Manager and Graduate Administrator. In that role, she directed more than $11 million in graduate financial aid annually, designed and implemented the centralized assistantship letter management system, and developed financial tools to improve payroll accuracy and efficiency across the school.
A Syracuse native, she is an avid reader who enjoys camping — from Myrtle Beach to the Adirondacks — with her husband and two daughters.
Dessislava (Dessi) Kirilova
Associate Director, Qualitative Data Repository, Maxwell School, Syracuse University
Dessislava (Dessi) Kirilova serves as the Associate Director of the Qualitative Data Repository (QDR), a digital archive for qualitative and multimethod data from the social, health, and education sciences, hosted at the Maxwell School. In this role, she leads curation operations, manages a team of graduate assistants, serves as the main liaison for QDR's member institutions and advises hundreds of research depositors from academic organizations across the U.S. and around the world. She is currently spearheading an effort to better promote and integrate QDR as a resource to the broader SU researcher community.
Originally trained as a social scientist, Dessi has been part of QDR since its founding in 2012, helping build the repository from the ground up through policy development, technology selection, and pilot projects management before it launched publicly. As QDR grew, she took on expanding responsibilities in institutional outreach, advisory boards coordination, expansion of curation capacity and further grant pursuits. As a scholar, she studies the policies and practices of researchers, funders, journals, and IRBs around data sharing, and publishes and presents widely on data management, qualitative data curation, research transparency, and the ethics of data sharing. She co-authored a data management module commissioned by the Collaborative Institutional Training Initiative (CITI). She has also taught courses in the Political Science department at Maxwell and previously at other universities.
Beyond her work at QDR, Dessi served on the volunteer Board of Directors of a local early education nonprofit for over six years, including two terms as Board Chair, and is a civically engaged member of her community.
Amanda Lalonde
Assistant Director for Veteran and Military Admissions, Syracuse University
Amanda Lalonde is a U.S. Navy veteran, mother of three, and Syracuse University alumna whose path to leadership has been anything but conventional, and all the more powerful for it. After serving as a Machinist Mate Second Class in the Navy from 2005 to 2014, Amanda returned to college as a non-traditional student, ultimately earning her bachelor's degree in psychology and forensic science from the College of Arts and Sciences, followed by an Executive Master of Public Administration from Syracuse's Maxwell School. While a student, Amanda was selected as the first student veteran ever named a Remembrance Scholar, Syracuse University's highest undergraduate honor, and was a Renée Crown University Honors Program scholar. She served as an orientation leader, a team leader with Peer Advisors for Veterans Education (PAVE), and a research assistant in the Psychology Department's Intergroup Bias Lab. She was also selected as a fellow and subsequently as a coaching mentor for the Purdue University Focus Forward Fellowship, a leadership program geared toward women veterans; followed by participating in the Student Veterans of America Leadership Institute.
Today, Amanda works as an Assistant Director for Veteran and Military Admissions at Syracuse University. Her work centers on helping fellow veterans and military-connected students navigate higher education and find their own paths of purpose. She additionally volunteers her time as a planning committee member for NYSACAC Camp College and volunteers many hours with her children's school sports and activities. Drawing on her own experience as a service member, a post-traditional student, and a mother balancing competing responsibilities, Amanda brings a grounded, resilient perspective to leadership — one built on service, advocacy, and a drive to support others achieve their own educational success.
Seyeon Lee, Ph.D.
Senior Associate Dean, College of Visual and Performing Arts; Professor, School of Design, Syracuse University
Seyeon Lee is Senior Associate Dean in the College of Visual and Performing Arts and a professor in the School of Design at Syracuse University. Prior to joining SU, Lee taught foundation design studios at the Texas A&M University School of Architecture. Before entering academia, she spent more than 14 years as an architectural and interior designer and project manager at Clifford Planning and Architecture (Hawaii) and MG2 (Seattle), building a professional portfolio spanning residential, commercial, retail, hospitality, and urban planning projects in the United States, South Korea, Japan, and Taiwan. She is an NCIDQ-certified interior designer and a LEED Accredited Professional.
Lee holds a bachelor's degree in environmental design and a master's degree in architecture from Montana State University, and a Ph.D. in architecture from Texas A&M University. Her current scholarship engages community architecture with an emphasis on sustainable, affordable, and socially responsive design particularly housing affordability, spatial justice, and health equity in marginalized communities. From 2021 to 2023, she served as a Faculty Fellow at Syracuse's Lender Center for Social Justice. She has authored more than 20 peer-reviewed publications, including articles in the International Journal of Sustainable Development & World Ecology and the International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education, supported by external and internal research grants totaling over $250,000. Her work has been recognized with a 2022 AASHE Sustainability Award and has been noted for centering underrepresented voices, including refugee and immigrant women, through community-based design projects that pair scholarship with real-world impact.
Lee teaches core courses including Collaborative Design, Community Projects Studio, and Environmental Design Capstone Project. In 2017, she founded the Meaningful Partnership Initiative, a collaboration between SU's Community Projects Studio and SUNY ESF's Construction Management program in which students redesign and renovate spaces for local nonprofits; the project received the IDEC Institutional Innovation Award in 2024.
Melinda Lothes
Senior Associate General Counsel – Intellectual Property and Business Transactions, Office of University Counsel, Syracuse University
Melinda Lothes joined the Office of University Counsel in 2018 and was promoted to Senior Associate General Counsel - Intellectual Property and Business Transactions in 2024. In this role, Melinda is lead counsel to the Athletics Department, Advancement and External Affairs, Office of Trademark Licensing, Division of Marketing, and SU Press, and provides broad support to schools, colleges and campus units on a variety of trademark, copyright and contractual matters. She is a member of the University Leadership Team and serves on the University’s Gift Acceptance Committee. As part of OUC’s leadership team, Melinda partners with the General Counsel and Deputy General Counsel on key strategic initiatives for the office, and trains and mentors other more junior attorneys navigating in-house higher education practice and transactional and IP matters.
Before joining Syracuse, Melinda served as an attorney for the Oneida Indian Nation, advising its casino, hospitality, and other enterprises, including Turning Stone Resort Casino. She also practiced in the Cleveland office of Baker & Hostetler LLP, a large national law firm, where she focused on intellectual property, transactional, and general corporate matters.
Melinda earned her J.D. from Case Western Reserve University School of Law, where she was a member of the Law Review and served as Commencement Committee Co-Chair. She earned her B.A. in Political Science and Psychology from the University of Rochester.
Lauren Murphy
Director of Residence Life, Syracuse University
Lauren Murphy serves as the Director of Residence Life at Syracuse University, where she provides strategic leadership for residential communities that support student learning, belonging, and success. With more than a decade of experience in housing and residence life, she is committed to building inclusive environments, developing strong teams, and helping institutions adapt to the changing needs of today's students and workforce.
A proud first-generation college graduate and neurodivergent leader, Lauren brings a perspective shaped by resilience, curiosity, and a commitment to creating systems that are both equitable and sustainable. She earned dual Master's degrees in English and History from the University of Nottingham in the United Kingdom, and her experience living and working internationally continues to influence her approach to leadership, collaboration, and organizational change.
Lauren's professional interests include leadership development, workforce sustainability, supervision, organizational culture, and cultivating belonging through intentional practice. She is passionate about helping emerging professionals develop confidence, critical thinking, and decision-making skills while encouraging organizations to rethink traditional approaches to leadership and employee engagement.
Beyond Syracuse University, Lauren is an active contributor to the student affairs profession through national and regional leadership. She has served in leadership roles with ACPA, ACUHO-I, and NEACUHO, including as Chair of the ACPA Next Generation Institute, faculty for ACUHO-I's James C. Grimm National Housing Training Institute (NHTI), and currently as NEACUHO's Senior Housing Officer Engagement Chair.
Lindsay Quilty
Assistant Dean of Academic Programs & Student Success, Martin J. Whitman School of Management, Syracuse University
Lindsay Quilty serves as Assistant Dean of Academic Programs & Student Success at the Martin J. Whitman School of Management at Syracuse University, where she leads undergraduate and graduate recruitment, academic advising and operations, student success, and online programs. In 2025, she received the Chancellor's Citation for Excellence in student experience and university initiatives.
Quilty joined the school in 2009 as an academic advisor and moved into academic leadership in 2013, serving as Assistant Dean of Undergraduate Programs before her role expanded in 2025. She founded the Whitman Leadership Living Learning Community and designed IMPRESS, a signature Whitman co-curricular development program.
Quilty has represented Whitman nationally, presenting at the National Undergraduate Business Symposium (NUBS) on retention strategy and at the Independent Educational Consortium Association (IECA) on business school admissions. She participated in the 2025 ACC-ALN (Atlantic Coast Conference Academic Leaders Network) cohort and is currently pursuing an EdD in Applied Learning Sciences. A Maryland native and University of Miami alumna, she lives in Jamesville with her family.
Erin J. Rand
Professor and Graduate Coordinator, Communication and Rhetorical Studies, Syracuse University
Erin J. Rand (she/her) is Professor and Graduate Coordinator in Communication and Rhetorical Studies at Syracuse University; she is also affiliated with LGBTQ Studies and Women's and Gender Studies. Her scholarship examines rhetorics of gender and sexuality in public discourse, focusing particularly on queer and feminist modes of agency, dissent, and social protest. Her current projects investigate the rise of anti-trans sentiment and legislation and policies that target trans young people. Rand is the author of Minor Troubles: Racial Figurations of Youth Sexuality and Childhood's Queerness (Ohio State University Press, 2025) and Reclaiming Queer: Activist and Academic Rhetorics of Resistance (University of Alabama Press, 2014). Her work also can be found in journals such as Quarterly Journal of Speech, Rhetoric and Public Affairs, Communication and Critical/Cultural Studies, QED: A Journal in GLBTQ World Making, and Women's Studies in Communication. Rand is the Book Review Editor for Quarterly Journal of Speech and serves on the Board of Directors of the Rhetoric Society of America.
Ellyn A. Riley, Ph.D., CCC-SLP
Professor & Department Chair, Communication Sciences and Disorders, Syracuse University
Ellyn Riley, Ph.D., CCC-SLP, is Professor and Department Chair in the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders at Syracuse University, a position she began in 2026. As Chair, she is responsible for departmental strategy, faculty development, personnel decisions, and graduate program oversight.
Dr. Riley brings to this role a research background as Principal Investigator of the Syracuse University Aphasia Lab, where she leads a National Institutes of Health funded clinical trial studying interventions for post-stroke communication and cognitive challenges. This scientific grounding informs her approach to departmental leadership, particularly in mentoring faculty through grant development and balancing research, teaching, and professional service demands.
Dr. Riley has invested substantially in her own leadership development. She was selected for and completed the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association Faculty Development Institute, the Council of Academic Programs in Communication Sciences and Disorders' Lisa Scott Leadership Academy, and was a recipient of the Women in Science and Engineering Faculty Leadership Development Grant. She has served on the board of directors of the Academy of Neurologic Communication Disorders and Sciences, where she contributed to organizational governance and strategic planning. She is also active in mentoring early-career faculty and doctoral students as they navigate academic career paths, with particular attention to helping them build sustainable careers in academia.
Katherine Robinson
Supervisor, Auxiliary Services
Katherine (Kat) Robinson is a supervisor in Dining Services, where she is a strategic operations and sustainability leader dedicated to building systems that strengthen communities, elevate people, and drive measurable impacts. With deep experience in dining operations, program development, food safety, and cross‑functional process improvement, she brings a grounded, systems‑level perspective to organizational challenges.
Kat recently completed an MBA from the Whitman School of Management at Syracuse University with a focus on Sustainability and is known for creating psychologically safe, collaborative environments where diverse teams feel supported, empowered, and equipped to succeed. Her leadership blends empathy, data‑driven decision‑making, and a commitment to continuous improvement.
Her community leadership is central to her work. Kat serves as Fundraising Chair for Salt City Harvest Farm, advancing food sovereignty, land access, and culturally relevant agriculture for New American families. She is also a Board Member of the Salt Springs Neighborhood Association, supporting community development, resident engagement, and local advocacy. Additionally, she is a Team Lead for the Portal Committee within the Agora Sustainability Leadership Group, helping shape collaborative learning spaces and sustainability-focused leadership development.
Kat has contributed to regional food equity efforts through the Onondaga Food Recovery Network, building partnerships that redirect surplus food to families in need and strengthen local resilience.
Across all her roles, Kat leads with curiosity, integrity, and a belief that sustainable systems and strong communities are built through intentional, everyday leadership. She brings a future‑focused, collaborative, and equity‑driven perspective to women’s leadership spaces—one rooted in service, community resilience, and the power of collective action.
Miranda Traudt
Assistant Provost for Strategic Initiatives; Director of Arts at Syracuse University, Office of Academic Affairs
Miranda Traudt serves as Assistant Provost for Strategic Initiatives at Syracuse University, providing strategic and operational leadership for initiatives within Academic Affairs — including Arts at Syracuse University and domestic Study Away Centers in New York City, Los Angeles, and Washington, D.C. Leading a coalition of twelve campus arts units, Traudt's work aligns and amplifies the role of the arts across the university. Traudt's portfolio also includes domestic Study Away Center operations, supporting faculty and student engagement beyond the Syracuse campus. In both areas, she works closely with unit directors, academic affairs leadership, and campus partners to connect these areas with broader institutional strategy and priorities.
Traudt's background spans more than fifteen years in arts administration across galleries, museums, community arts organizations, and higher education. Prior to her current role, she served as Director of Arts Programming at SUNY Oswego, where she developed a comprehensive arts program for the campus and surrounding community and founded the university's first Artist-in-Residence Program. Earlier in her career, she served as Managing Director of Point of Contact, a contemporary art gallery in residence at Syracuse University, and as Program Director at the Schweinfurth Art Center in Auburn, NY. She has also taught arts management, museum studies, and art history at several regional colleges and universities.
Traudt holds a B.F.A. in the History of Art and Design from Pratt Institute and dual M.A. degrees in Museum Studies and Art History from Syracuse University. She is currently in her third year of doctoral studies in Arts Administration at the University of Kentucky, where her research examines how public research universities structure, resource, and invest in the arts — and how those organizational relationships reflect broader institutional strategy and positioning.
Victoria Tumanova, Ph.D.
Associate Professor in the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders
Victoria Tumanova is an Associate Professor in the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders at Syracuse University and Director of the Syracuse University Stuttering Research Laboratory. Her research focuses on developmental stuttering, with particular emphasis on speech motor control and learning, temperament, emotional and physiological processes, and executive function in young children who do and do not stutter. Her work aims to strengthen understanding of the multiple factors that shape childhood stuttering and to translate research findings into clinically meaningful assessment and treatment approaches.
Dr. Tumanova has served as principal investigator on research supported by the National Institutes of Health, the American Speech-Language-Hearing Foundation, the National Stuttering Association and the Hart Speech Foundation. She has published in the areas of childhood stuttering, speech motor control, psychophysiology, and temperament, and regularly presents her work at national and international conferences. She currently serves as Editor for the American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology, she has also served the profession through editorial leadership, grant and manuscript review, conference programming, and mentoring initiatives.
At Syracuse University, Dr. Tumanova teaches undergraduate and graduate courses in stuttering, speech and language disorders in children, and anatomy and physiology of the speech and hearing mechanisms. She especially values working with students in her research lab and has mentored numerous undergraduate and graduate research projects, honors theses, master’s theses, and independent studies. Dr. Tumanova is also an affiliate faculty in the Center for Health Behavior Research and Innovation and the Interdisciplinary Neuroscience Program.
Kimberly Vanderhoef
Associate Director, Office of Postdoctoral Affairs, Syracuse University
Kimberly Vanderhoef is the Associate Director of the Office of Postdoctoral Affairs (OPA) at Syracuse University, where she oversees postdoctoral appointment administration, HR and compliance processes, international scholar services, and communications and programming for the University's postdoctoral community.
Kimberly's path to OPA began in Human Resources at Syracuse University, where she progressed through roles in compensation, as an HR Representative, and as a Senior Advisor. Along the way, she developed a genuine passion for untangling complex systems and turning them into processes people can actually navigate — a passion that now shapes her work supporting postdoctoral scholars and the departments that host them.
In her current role, Kimberly partners closely with academic departments, HR, legal, and sponsored programs offices to ensure postdoctoral appointments, reappointments, and international onboarding run smoothly and in compliance with University and sponsor requirements. She has led the development of key OPA resources, including process guides for reappointments and international scholar services, onboarding, and communications for the postdoctoral community — work she approaches with an eye for both clarity and care for the people on the other end of it.
Kimberly holds an MBA from Columbia College and a Master's degree in Project Management from Syracuse University's College of Professional Studies, where she was proud to be part of the program's inaugural cohort. She is also a certified Project Management Professional (PMP).
Kimberly is a native Central New Yorker, and she and her spouse — also an SU alum — are proud to call Syracuse home. Outside of work, she loves to travel and is always looking for opportunities to keep learning, whether in or out of the classroom. When she's not working or exploring somewhere new, you'll most likely find her by the water or at the beach.
Tara E. Venditti
Senior Director of Budget & Finance, Office of the Chief Operations Officer, Syracuse University
Tara Venditti serves as the Senior Director of Budget & Finance in the Office of the Chief Operations Officer. In this role, she leads the business office and oversees all fiscal operations, while providing strategic counsel to the Chief Operations Officer and his senior leadership team. She partners closely with the Auxiliary Services leadership team on long-range financial planning, budget development, forecasting, and the implementation of organizational initiatives that advance strategic objectives, enhance operational efficiency, and drive business process improvements. She currently serves as Vice President and Secretary of 601 South Crouse Avenue, LLC, is a member of the Drumlins, Inc. Board of Directors, and serves as Vice President of the Crouse Marshall Business Improvement District Board.
Tara joined Syracuse University in August 2022 from the Onondaga County Finance Department, bringing nearly two decades of experience in public-sector finance, budget administration, and strategic financial management. Her expertise spans fiscal planning, organizational leadership, and the development of sustainable financial strategies that support institutional growth and operational excellence. During her tenure with Onondaga County, she co-led the centralization of fiscal services across all county departments, served as acting CFO as required and supported the financial loss mitigation effort during the nation pandemic by instituting a comprehensive fiscal contingency plan.
A resident of Manlius, New York, Tara is the mother of three children. She enjoys an active lifestyle and spends her free time outdoors, whether skiing, boating, fishing, hiking, or running. A lifelong fitness enthusiast, she has been running for over 25 years and has completed a marathon, two duathlons, and multiple Mountain Goat and Boilermaker races. Her next personal goal is to complete a triathlon.
Brooke Wears
Associate University Secretary, Office of the Board of Trustees, Syracuse University
Brooke Wears serves as Associate University Secretary in the Office of the Board of Trustees at Syracuse University, where she has served in multiple roles since 2005, marking 21 years at the University.
She works closely with the Senior Vice President and University Secretary on the meeting management and activities of the Board of Trustees, and is responsible for the effective planning, management, and direction of Board meetings. Wears also serves as a key liaison between the Board, the Chancellor's Office, and senior University leadership on all meeting-related items and materials.
Wears joined the Office of the Board of Trustees in 2015 as Associate Director for Operations, and was promoted to Assistant University Secretary in 2017 and Associate University Secretary in 2023.
Previously, she worked in Energy Systems and Sustainability Management as a senior project analyst at the University.
While working full time, she earned her master's degree in public relations from the Newhouse School in 2010, interning with Athletic Communications along the way. She earned her bachelor's degree in information technology from Rochester Institute of Technology.
Wears also brings governance experience to her role, having served on the board of the North Area YMCA, where she chaired the annual fundraising campaign committee.
Outside of work, Wears and her husband, Dan, keep busy with their three children, Parker, Landon, and Madison, whose schedules amount to a part-time job in logistics. She regularly volunteers with her kids' sports organizations, whether that means hockey, soccer, lacrosse, or baseball. Wears also enjoys staying active and has completed 10 marathons.
Andrea Willis
Director of Academic Programs and Assistant Teaching Professor, College of Professional Studies, Syracuse University
Andrea Willis serves as Director of Academic Programs and Assistant Teaching Professor for the College of Professional Studies at Syracuse University, where she oversees the Master of Professional Studies and Bachelor of Professional Studies degrees, all credit-bearing certificates and minors, and comprehensive program and course assessment aligned with university and accreditation standards. Since the position was established in 2018, Willis has been proud to contribute to the growth of academic offerings from 7 to 24 programs, a reflection of her sustained commitment to collaborative curriculum development and faculty support.
A central dimension of Willis's work is the training and ongoing support of the College's faculty community — currently 10 full-time faculty and over 55 part-time instructors. Each semester she provides new faculty with pre-semester launch training in College-specific course delivery and student support, and delivers ongoing Blackboard training and instructional support throughout teaching assignments.
Willis's career at Syracuse University spans over 25 years and multiple roles. As Assistant Director of the Talent and Education Development Center (TEDCenter), she worked extensively with Central New York adults and high school students on career exploration, skill building, and educational pathways, while managing the center's operations, finances, and sponsored programs. She also served as Assistant Director of Summer College, supporting on-campus academic experiences for students from around the world.
Willis holds a Master of Science in Instructional Design, Development and Evaluation and a Certificate of Advanced Study in Conflict Resolution from Syracuse University, a BS in Health Education from SUNY Cortland, and an AAS in Nursing from SUNY Alfred.
A believer in whole-person leadership, Andrea's personal and professional passion for holistic wellness informs everything she does — from how she leads and supports her team to how she shows up for her students and colleagues. She is a Certified Meditation teacher, a Reiki Master practitioner and teacher in Usui, Karuna, and Angelic traditions, a ReikiSonics™ practitioner, a Water Mastery practitioner, and a retired registered nurse.
Erica Wynn-Kearse
HR Operations Manager, Shared Services, Office of Human Resources, Syracuse University
Erica Wynn-Kearse serves as the HR Operations Manager for Shared Services within Syracuse University's Office of Human Resources, where she leads a team of Tier I, Tier II Representatives, and Senior Advisors. In this role, she oversees a broad portfolio that includes benefits administration, payroll coordination, compliance, and team operations. Erica partners closely with colleagues across Human Resources to deliver high-quality support to the University community.
With more than twenty-four years of experience in nonprofit and higher education settings, Erica brings a thoughtful and service-driven approach to her work. She recently earned her Executive Master of Public Administration from Syracuse University's Maxwell School, along with a Certificate of Advanced Study in Conflict and Collaboration. Her graduate capstone, Optimizing Resources for Literacy: A Prototype K–5 Model for the Syracuse City School District, focused on enhancing literacy support for students and was informed by her lived experience as a parent advocate within the SCSD, as well as her volunteer service with United Way's Book Buddies program. Erica also holds a SHRM Certified Professional credential.
Erica demonstrates a strong commitment to community engagement and leadership beyond her professional responsibilities. She previously served on the Vera House, Inc. Board of Trustees and as Vice President of the Board for Indera, formerly known as EFR/ARISE. Her leadership philosophy is grounded in authenticity, collaboration, and a deep commitment to the well-being and success of those she serves, both within her team and across the broader campus community.
Outside of her professional role, Erica is a devoted mother of five, a spouse, and a grandparent, and she values time spent supporting and celebrating her family's many activities and milestones.
Qingyi Yu, Ph.D.
Associate Director, Health and Wellness Research, Barnes Center at The Arch, Syracuse University
Qingyi Yu serves as Associate Director of Health and Wellness Research at the Barnes Center at The Arch, and as Research Director of the Barnes Center Health and Wellness Research Consortium. The Consortium is an interdisciplinary team that connects scholars from schools and colleges across Syracuse University to support assessment and meaningful research initiatives focused on advancing student integrated health and wellness. In these roles, Qingyi leads research, assessment, program evaluation, data analytics and reporting, and professional training initiatives. Her work focuses on deepening understanding of students' integrated health and wellness and translating data and research findings into evidence-informed programs and data-driven institutional strategies.
Qingyi earned a Ph.D. in Applied Educational Psychology from Boston College, and a Graduate Certificate in Data Science from Harvard University. Before joining Syracuse University, she worked as a research associate at Harvard University's Derek Bok Center for Teaching and Learning and Harvard College Institutional Research. She also served as an Assistant Professor at the State University of New York at Oneonta, where she taught courses in assessment and advanced statistics.