Russell Carey, Chair
Russell Carey serves as Vice Chair of the Commission and is a member of the NECHE Executive Committee. As Executive Vice President for Planning and Policy at Brown University, Carey is the senior officer responsible for coordinating Brown’s strategic planning processes and providing leadership on a broad range of University strategy, policy, and governance matters. His duties include establishing measures to assess planning priorities and progress towards Brown’s strategic planning goals; conducting ongoing data gathering, analysis, and outcomes assessment to evaluate the effectiveness of the University’s plans, initiatives and policies; and assisting senior officers, divisions and departments in defining strategies and developing plans to ensure continued growth and prosperity. At Brown, he has also served as Senior Vice President for Corporation Affairs and Governance and Interim Vice President for Campus Life and Student Services. His bachelor’s degree is from Brown and his J.D. from Suffolk University.
Michaele Whelan, Vice Chair
Michaele Whelan is Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs at Emerson College where she has served since 2013. Earlier she served as Vice Provost for Academic Affairs and Interim Provost at Brandeis University and before that as Associate Dean in the Schools of Arts, Sciences and Engineering at Tufts University and as Assistant Director of Undergraduate Studies in the Department of English and American Literature at Harvard University. She earned her bachelor’s degree summa cum laude from Cornell University and her master’s and Ph.D. in American literature from Harvard University. She has taught in English departments and programs in American Studies and Women’s Studies at Pennsylvania State University, Harvard University, Tufts University, and Brandeis University. Her area of academic expertise is modern and postmodern America literature.
Lloyd Blanchard
Lloyd Blanchard is the Interim Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of the University of Connecticut, where he also serves on the faculty of its Department of Public Policy. He is a seasoned public administrator, having served as a senior White House budget official, chief operating officer of the Small Business Administration and Medgar Evers College of The City University of New York, and deputy chief financial officer at NASA. He has also served as a vice provost at Louisiana State University and on the public policy faculty at the University of Washington and Syracuse University. He earned his MPA and PhD in public administration from Syracuse University’s Maxwell School, and bachelor degrees in economics and political science from the University of Texas (at Austin and San Antonio, respectively). His research interests are in educational productivity and costs; and racial and ethnic disparities in education and small business lending.
Stephen Coan
Steve Coan (Public Member CT) is Strategic Advisor to MResult Corporation and recently completed a long tenure as President and CEO of Mystic Aquarium. He is a Trustee of the Cal Ripken, Sr. Foundation, Chairman of the Connecticut Tourism Advisory Council, and Chairman of the Innovation Center of New London. He served as Chief Education Officer of JASON Learning, an international STEM program for K12. He has taught at Bentley University and served as Executive Director of the Waltham Partnership for Youth and as a youth outreach worker in Boston and eastern Kentucky. He has a B.A. from Brandeis University and both masters in management and PhD degrees from the Heller School for Social Policy and Management at Brandeis.
Doug Crowe
Mr. Crowe (Public Member, MA) has over 25 years of International Operations and Information Technology Management experience in the Telecommunications, Financial Services, Department of Defense, Outsourced Services and Non-Profit sectors. He has served in multiple senior management positions during the past 20 years as the Chief Information Officer for Liberty International, CIGNA International and ARAMARK International. He has lived in France, Germany and Argentina and worked actively in over 40 countries and speaks Spanish. Mr. Crowe holds a BA in Economic Applications of Finance and Law from the University of Connecticut and an MA in International Relations from Boston University.
Rick Daniels
Rick Daniels (Public Member, MA) has a long career in media, including service as Publisher/CEO of the Baltimore Sun, Hartford Courant and Allentown Morning Call (2014-2016); President/General Manager, Boston Globe (2001-2006); and COO/CEO, Gatehouse Media New England (2007-2012). He currently serves as advisor to the Boston Globe. His involvement with digital media includes with boston.com, BostonWorks, WickedLocal.com, GoLocal124.com, and Broadcast Data Systems. He serves as advisor to the Catholic Schools Foundation and is on the Board of Trustees at Thayer Academy as well as advisory committees at Northeastern University, from which he earned his undergraduate degree. He has a graduate degree in administration from Boston University and an honorary doctorate from Curry College.
Peter Ebb
Peter Ebb (Trustee Member) recently retired from his position as partner at Ropes & Gray where he specialized in employment and labor issues, including employee privacy, disciplinary actions, compliance with state and federal discrimination laws, wage and hour compliance, social media concerns, whistleblower claims, and disability-related issues. Earlier he served seven years as staff to the Massachusetts State Legislature and for one year as a judicial clerk on the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court. He serves as chair Board of Trustees of Urban College of Boston and is a past member of the Finance Committee for the town of Natick. He earned his bachelor’s degree from Harvard College and his law degree from Boston University
Pam Eddinger
Pam Eddinger has served as President of Bunker Hill Community College since 2013. Previously, she was at Moorpark College in California where she served as Executive Vice President and then President. Earlier she served as Vice President for Academic Affairs then as Executive Vice President of Massachusetts Bay Community College in Wellesley Hills. She emigrated to the US at age 11 from Hong Kong and grew up in Miami. Her bachelor’s degree in English is from Barnard College, and her master’s degree and doctorate are in Modern Japanese Literature from Columbia University. She is on the Board of Directors of Achieving the Dream and has served on the Voluntary Framework of Accountability Oversight Board.
Kimberly Goff-Crews
Kimberly Goff-Crews serves as Secretary of the Yale Corporation, supports institutional governance, oversees the University Chaplaincy, and ensures the alignment of university-wide policies and procedures to maximize support for all students. She is also responsible for the conduct of official university functions, including Commencement. She is a graduate of Yale College and Yale Law School. After several years in private law practice, she returned to Yale as Assistant Dean in Yale College and Director of the Afro-American Cultural Center from 1992 through 1998. She focused in particular on enhancing the African American student experience at Yale and improving retention rates for women and students of color in the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields. Before returning to Yale in her current position, she worked at Lesley University and as Dean of Students at Wellesley College.
Joseph Greene
Joseph Greene is Vice Chancellor of Finance and Administration/Treasurer and Chief Financial Officer at Johnson & Wales University. He is responsible for university finance, budget, procurement, internal audit, facilities management, information technology and auxiliary services. He is a certified public accountant with more than 38 years of accounting and finance experience, including 34 years at Johnson & Wales. He has significant commission experience and served as a team member on seven visiting teams. He received his B.S. and M.S. in Accounting from Johnson & Wales.
Judith Hain
Judith Hain has a long and distinguished career in higher education, retiring as Vice President for Human Resources at Montclair State University in 2014 after fifteen years of service. Prior positions include Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs at Richard Stockton College of New Jersey, Executive Director of Employee Relations and Human Resources for the New Jersey Department of Higher Education, and Employee Relations Coordinator for the New Jersey Governor’s Office of Employee Relations. Prior to her service in higher education, Judith was a secondary school teacher and assistant principal. She received her BA from Arcadia University, and her MS in Industrial Relations and Human Resources from Rutgers University. Judith resides with her husband Stuart in Prospect, Maine. Her passion these days is her photography studio in her home in Maine.
James Herbert
James Herbert is President of the University of New England, a merger of St. Francis College and Westbrook College, that includes a Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine, Pharmacy, and Dental Medicine, and a study abroad campus in Tangiers, Morocco. Earlier at Drexel University he served as Executive Vice Provost and Dean of the Graduate College, Interim Provost, chair of the Psychology Department and President of the University Faculty. His research expertise is on quackery and pseudoscience in mental health, and he is a fellow of the Institute for Science in Medicine and the Commission for Scientific Medicine and Mental Health. He earned his bachelor’s degree in psychology at the University of Texas Austin, and his master’s and Ph.D. in clinical psychology from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro.
Lily Hsu
Lily Hsu is President of Laboure College of Healthcare, Inc. and an experienced academic leader and educator. She most recently served as provost at Johnson & Wales University where she was responsible for strategic leadership and academic programming across four campuses. Before joining Johnson & Wales, she was the associate provost at Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences. Dr. Hsu holds an Ed.D. from Teachers College, Columbia University in Health and Behavioral Studies and Nutrition Education, and a M.S. and B.A. from The Pennsylvania State University. Dr. Hsu served as a member of Labouré College’s Board of Directors from 2016 – 2019.
Susan Huard
Susan Huard is Interim Chancellor of the Community College System of New Hampshire and former President of Manchester Community College, Manchester, NH. Before joining Manchester Community College, she served for a decade as Dean of Learning and Student Development at Quinebaug Valley Community College in Connecticut. At MCC, she oversaw approximately $9.0 million in capital building projects including the College’s first student center as well as additions to the Automotive Technology Center, the welding laboratory, and upgrades to computer science and exercise science programs. Under her leadership, the College hired its first Institutional Development Director, created new articulations with area colleges, and participated in grants ranging from advanced manufacturing to health care. She serves on the Board of Directors of the Catholic Medical Center and the board of NH Jobs for America’s Graduates. Earlier she taught at the middle and high school levels. Her Master’s and Ph.D. degrees are both from the University of Connecticut.
Joyce Judy
Joyce Judy has been president of the Community College of Vermont since 2009, having previously served as dean of students and provost of the College. A special focus of her work is on expanding access to higher education for all Vermonters, from high school students taking college courses to adult students seeking new career opportunities. She received a bachelor’s degree from the University of New Hampshire and a master’s in organization and management from Antioch New England Graduate School. In addition to serving on the University of Vermont Health Network/Central Vermont Medical Center Board of Trustees, the Vermont Higher Education Council, the Vermont Business Roundtable, and the College Board Community College Advisory Group, she is a member of the Future of Vermont Action Team, convened to support the Vermont Council on Rural Development’s efforts to advance resilience, justice, strong communities, and a sustainable economy.
Ellen Kennedy
Ellen Kennedy has served as President of Berkshire Community College (BCC) since 2012. Previously, she held positions as Vice President for Administration and Chief Financial Officer at BCC; Interim Chief Operating Officer of the National Patient Safety Foundation; Director of Development at WFCR – Public Radio for Western New England; Chief Advancement Officer for Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts (MCLA); and President of the MCLA Foundation. She began her career in Administration and Finance at North Adams State College where she was actively engaged in changes to the College’s mission, name and mascot. Kennedy earned her BS in Business Administration from MCLA, formerly North Adams State College, an M.B.A. from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, an M.P.A. from the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University, and an Ed.D. from Northeastern University.
Todd Leach
Todd Leach is Chancellor Emeritus of the University System of New Hampshire consisting of University of New Hampshire, Keene State College, Plymouth State University, and Granite State College. Earlier he served as President of Granite State College, the primary public provider of online higher education in New Hampshire. Before that he served at Northeastern University as Senior Associate Dean of the College of Professional Studies where he oversaw all of its academic programs and faculty and led the development of over twenty master’s and doctoral programs. He provided oversight for Northeastern Online and served as the Executive Director of the School of Education. He earned an Associate’s degree from Massachusetts Bay Community College, a bachelor’s degree from Worcester State College, an M.B.A. from Bentley University, and a Ph.D. from Northeastern University.
Jean MacCormack
Jean MacCormack is a Trustee of Bridgewater State University in Massachusetts. She earned her bachelor’s degree in English from Emmanuel College and her master’s and doctoral degrees in education from the University of Massachusetts Amherst; she has been awarded three honorary degrees. Her roles at the University of Massachusetts Boston included faculty member, Director of the Institute for Teaching and Learning, Interim Dean of the College of Education, Vice Chancellor for Administration and Finance, Deputy Chancellor, and Interim Chancellor. She served for thirteen years as the Chancellor of the University of Massachusetts at Dartmouth. After retiring from that position, she served as President of the Edward M. Kennedy Institute in Boston, Chair of the South Coast Health System, and Director of the Bristol County Saving Bank.
Jeffrey J. McMahan
Jeffrey J. McMahan (Public Member) is an attorney with Dinse, Knapp & McAndrew in Burlington, Vermont, where he has served as managing partner. He identifies his practice areas as business planning and intellectual property. Previously he was an in-house lawyer at IDX Systems Corporation, its ChannelHealth subsidiary, and Allscripts Healthcare Solutions, Inc. He has also served as an attorney for several Vermont independent institutions of higher education. He is a member of the National Association of College and University Attorneys. He earned his B.A. from Middlebury College cum laude and his J.D. from William and Mary School of Law.
Juline Mills
Juline Mills is Dean of the College of Education, Health, and Human Services at Westfield State University in Westfield, Massachusetts. Prior to her arrival at Westfield in 2018, Juline was at University of New Haven in Connecticut where she served as chair of the Department of Hospitality and Tourism Management, and as the chair and vice chair of the faculty senate. Dr. Mills’ strengths as an administrator and faculty member include a focus on experiential learning and its desired outcomes; re-energizing academic departments in need; engaging and retaining talented faculty; infusing an entrepreneurial approach to teaching; creating non-tuition based revenue; and designing success-focused curricula driven by industry trends.
Peggy Newell
Peggy Newell is Deputy Provost at Harvard University. She is responsible for strategic and tactical planning and management of all provostial activities, as well as advising the Provost on a wide array of administrative matters. Initially, she focused on supporting the campaign and planning for the Science and Engineering complex in Allston. Prior to coming to Harvard, Peggy held a variety of positions at Tufts University, most recently Provost ad interim, Vice Provost, and Associate Provost for Research. Earlier she was Associate Dean of the Sackler School of Graduate Biomedical Sciences and Associate Dean for Special Programs at Tufts University School of Medicine. She served on the Board of Directors of the Massachusetts Society for Medical Research and a member of the Board of Governors of the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative’s John Adams Innovation Institute. She holds a B.A. from Boston College (major in Psychology), an M.B.A. from the Carroll School of Management, and a J.D. from Suffolk University.
Sebastian Royo
Sebastian Royo is Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs at Clark University. He previously served at Suffolk University as Vice President of International Affairs and Professor of Political Science from 2019-2021; Acting Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs from 2016-2019; and as Vice Provost for Student Success from 2012 to 2016. He was Suffolk’s Accreditation Liaison Officer since 2013 and has led the self-study and interim report processes at the University. Sebastian has served on six NECHE accreditation teams.
Andrew Shennan
Andrew Shennan is Provost and Dean of the College and Professor of History at Wellesley College. He oversees all academic programs of the college as well as the college’s libraries and technology services and budgetary and strategic planning. He is a graduate of Corpus Christi College, Cambridge, where he received a double-starred first in history. He also received his Ph.D. from Cambridge University. He has published three books about the history of France in the 20th century and was a founding director of Wellesley’s International Relations program and the first director of the College’s summer school.
Christine Siegel
Christine Siegel is Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs at Fairfield University in Fairfield, Connecticut. She joined Fairfield University as a faculty member in the Graduate School of Education and Allied Professions. She held a number of administrative positions in the Graduate School before being named Vice Provost. In that position, she worked on strategic planning, student learning assessment, and inclusive excellence initiatives before being named Interim Provost in 2017 and Provost in 2018. Her vision has been instrumental in leading a number of significant initiatives, including hiring key academic personnel, reshaping the role of Fairfield’s academic centers, enhancing classroom technology resources, leading a successful accreditation process, revising the core curriculum, and refreshing the Honors Program.
John Sweeney
John Sweeney is Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer at Providence College. Earlier he was associate vice president for finance and administration at Eastern Connecticut State University. He brings considerable experience and expertise in Commission processes, having served several times since 2011 on the Commission’s committee to review Annual Reports on Finance and Enrollment (ARFE), and has served as a team member since 2010 on nine teams, to public and private colleges and universities, overseas institutions, and a special-purpose graduate-only institution. He has served as a commissioner on the Glastonbury (CT) Town Ethics Commission. He earned a B.S. in Finance and an M.B.A. both from the University of Connecticut.
Melinda Treadwell
Dr. Treadwell, an alumna of Keene State and the first in her family to attend college, began serving as interim president of Keene State on July 31, 2017. Dr. Treadwell originally joined Keene State as a faculty member in 2000. Later, she also served as interim provost. Prior to returning to Keene, Dr. Treadwell served as CEO and provost of Antioch University New England. Dr. Treadwell holds a Doctorate in Pharmacology and Toxicology from Dartmouth Medical School and a Bachelor’s degree from Keene State College.