Staff and Senior Advisors

​​Sherita C. Ashmon joined CIC in November 2010 as conference and program coordinator and was promoted to conference manager in June 2016. She is a graduate of Delaware State University from which she earned a BA in communications and has completed some graduate work in communications management at Towson University. She previously served as membership coordinator for the Community Technology Centers’ Network and as operations and membership manager for the Neighborhood Funders Group (NFG), both in Washington, DC. In her last position, Ashmon managed all aspects of conference registrations for NFG’s annual meeting and provided programmatic support for NFG’s work groups.​​

Allison Blackburn joined CIC in October 2005.  As vice president for conferences, her responsibilities include contract negotiations and logistical management of CIC’s conferences. A native of Trinidad and Tobago, Blackburn brings with her a wealth of experience and training, including a master’s degree in Tourism and Travel Management from New York University, professional certification in meeting planning, and more than 15 years of experience in planning events. Prior to joining CIC, Blackburn served as manager of conferences and meetings for the International Life Sciences Institute where she worked for eight years with responsibility for managing multiple international conferences each year, both large and small.​​

​Alana K. Cassidy joined CIC as development manager in February 2017. Her responsibilities focus on enhancing CIC’s relationships with corporations and foundations. She also works closely on CIC’s leadership development programs, including the Executive Leadership Academy and the Senior Leadership Academy. Previously, Cassidy spent more than five years as director of business development for Academic Search, Inc., serving as the lead proposal writer and point of contact to secure new contracts for the executive search firm. She also established the firm’s overall marketing presence and served as a representative at national conferences, including CIC’s Presidents Institute and the Institute for Chief Academic Officers. Earlier, Cassidy held positions as events operations manager and as marketing assistant at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center. She holds a bachelor’s degree in business marketing and a minor in Spanish from Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania.

Sheila Cooper is administrative/membership assistant at CIC. She works with the president and executive vice president and with the membership director on the Tuition Exchange Program (TEP). She joined the Council in 2001 as administrative assistant and began assisting the membership director this spring. Sheila is responsible for preparing office correspondence and other written materials, maintaining files, scheduling appointments, and coordinating mailings. She also maintains TEP annual reports and registration forms. Prior to CIC, Sheila held numerous positions in human resources and sales in the hotel industry in the DC area.

​Heather M. Cox joined CIC as publications manager/designer in August 2019. Previously, she worked at the International Monetary Fund where, as senior graphic designer, she produced reports, brochures, infographics, and presentations. As long-time art director and co-owner of MillerCox Design, she has worked with clients including the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond, the Brookings Institution, Georgetown University—and CIC. Cox graduated from Edinboro University of Pennsylvania with a major in business administration and economics, a minor in computer science, and a concentration in art.

​Christopher Dodds serves as senior director of digital communications and strategy after joining CIC through the merger with the Foundation for Independent Higher Education in 2010. His responsibilities include CIC's website, listservs, email communications, and overall digital strategy and IT infrastructure. Dodds previously held research positions for several policy and research organizations. Dodds studied international business and political science at Messiah College (PA) and, upon completing his bachelor’s degree, moved to China where he studied economics at Xiamen University and taught English as a foreign language. Dodds also holds a master's degree in applied economics from Johns Hopkins University.

Richard Ekman currently serves as president emeritus and senior advisor. In this role he is writing about the recent history of higher education. During his 21 year tenure as president of CIC, Ekman led significant growth in CIC’s membership and participation in CIC programs. Ekman previously served in leadership positions for Atlantic Philanthropies, the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, Hiram College, the National Endowment for the Humanities, and University of Massachusetts at Boston. He is a member of the boards of the Harvard University Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, American Academic Leadership Institute and Academic Search, Emeriti Retirement Health, and Project Pericles. Ekman is a recipient of the W.E.B. DuBois Medal of Harvard University and is co-author, with Richard E. Quandt, of Technology and Scholarly Communication (University of California Press, 1999). He earned his AB in history and PhD in the history of American civilization, both from Harvard University.

​Michelle Friedman serves as director of programs for CIC with primary responsibilities for the day-to-day management of the Woodrow Wilson Visiting Fellows program and supporting roles within CIC meetings and events including the Presidents Institute and the Presidential Vocation and Institution Mission seminar. A staff member since 2007, her original duties focused on logistical administration of CIC meetings but have expanded. Previously, she served in positions related to membership and meetings at the International Real Estate Federation. Friedman graduated magna cum laude from The George Washington University (GWU) and majored in American studies with a minor in American art history. During her time at GWU, she held internships with The National Museum of Women in the Arts and The National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institute. She recently earned her MBA from University of St. Francis (IL).

​Stephen Gibson, CIC’s director of programs, oversees a wide range of projects, including the Davies-Jackson Scholarship, Art History Seminars, Ancient Greece Seminars, American History Seminars, and the Information Fluency Workshops. He began at CIC in 2001, serving as projects coordinator, and later as projects manager, for an array of CIC programs, including assisting with the Consortium for the Advancement of Private Higher Education. Before joining CIC, he served as editor and office assistant at Swobo Clothing in San Francisco, California, and earned an MFA in creative writing from the University of Washington, Seattle.

​Marjorie Hass became president of the Council of Independent Colleges in July 2021, after years of strengthening independent higher education in various leadership roles. From 2017 until her appointment to the CIC presidency, Hass served as president of Rhodes College. During that time, she expanded the college’s engagement with the city of Memphis, enhanced inclusive excellence, and led a comprehensive and inclusive strategic planning process, positioning the college for success in the next decade. Previously, Hass served for eight years as president of Austin College where she defined a strong vision for the college’s future, pairing academic excellence with a commitment to educational access for talented students regardless of financial background, along with a strategic approach to securing the resources needed to achieve that vision. Earlier, she spent more than 16 years as a member of the philosophy faculty and subsequently as provost at Muhlenberg College.
 
Hass was a member of the CIC Board of Directors from 2012 to 2016, serving as vice chair for resource development on the Executive Committee from 2014 to 2016. She has been a frequent presenter at CIC’s annual Presidents Institute and most recently served as a faculty member for CIC’s New Presidents Program. Hass also has been active in the leadership of other prominent higher education associations, serving as a board member of the Association of American Colleges & Universities and as former chair of the board of the National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities. She is the author of A Leadership Guide for Women in Higher Education (Johns Hopkins University Press, forthcoming August 2021). A philosopher by training, Hass earned bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees in philosophy from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. She has published widely on the philosophy of language, logic, and feminist philosophy and is an award-winning teacher.

​Philip M. Katz returned to CIC as director of projects in September 2013. Trained as an American historian, he has taught at Princeton and the University of Maryland University College, rose from program officer to acting executive director of the New York Council for the Humanities, and directed a national study of graduate education for the American Historical Association. He also helped develop the American Graduate Fellowships program as a CIC senior advisor. Most recently, he served six years as assistant director for research at the American Alliance of Museums, where he helped create the Center for the Future of Museums. Katz was educated at Harvard and Princeton Universities and is the author of the award-winning book, From Appomattox to Montmartre: Americans and the Paris Commune.

​Vanessa Long was promoted to manager of CIC’s State Council programs in June 2016 after serving as CIC’s conference and program coordinator since January 2015. In her new role she oversees the annual conference, grant initiatives, scholarship programs, and membership services for CIC’s State Council Members. After assisting with CIC’s NetVUE grant programs, Long brings a year and a half of grant program development and tracking experience to her new position. With over eight years of event planning and administrative experience, Vanessa previously served as office assistant for the American Association of Community Colleges, event and outreach coordinator for the DC Bar, and convention services coordinator for the Omni Shoreham Hotel. Long graduated summa cum laude from Delaware State University with a bachelor of science degree in general management and earned her master of tourism administration degree in event and meeting management from George Washington University.

​Paula M. Miller is CIC’s editorial and communications director. She has primary responsibility for editing CIC’s print and electronic publications. Previously, Miller worked at the U.S.-China Business Council (USCBC) as deputy director and editor of communications and publications. While at USCBC, she edited, managed, and wrote for the China Business Review magazine; edited newsletters, reports, testimonies, and press releases; and co-managed websites and social media platforms. Earlier, she was a China program officer for CET Academic Programs, a division of Academic Travel Abroad in Washington, DC. Miller holds a master’s degree in Asian studies from the University of Michigan and a graduate certificate in Chinese studies from the Johns Hopkins University-Nanjing University Center for Chinese and American Studies. She earned a bachelor’s degree in Chinese language and literature from Michigan State University.

​Emilee O’Dell joined the CIC staff as projects coordinator in October 2021. In this role, she handles administrative responsibilities for CIC’s Network for Vocation in Undergraduate Education, Visiting Fellows program, and Presidential Vocation and Institution Mission seminar. O’Dell graduated from Roanoke College in 2021 with a major in religious studies and a minor in public health. Throughout her time at Roanoke, she held positions as a service fellow in the Office of Civic Engagement, president of the Student Government Association, and resident advisor.

​Jo Ellen Parker joined the CIC staff as vice president for communications in February 2019. As vice president for communications, she serves as the lead for CIC’s media relations activities, oversees all print and electronic communications, and plays an important role in articulating the case CIC makes for the liberal arts and private higher education. As a member of CIC’s leadership team, she will play a key role in developing new CIC programs and services. Parker brings extensive experience to this position, including appointments as president of Sweet Briar College, founding executive director of the National Institute for Technology and Liberal Education, president of the Great Lakes Colleges Association, and associate dean at Bryn Mawr College. In addition, she served beyond the field of higher education as president of the Carnegie Museums of Pittsburgh. She has contributed as author and editor to many education and scholarly publications, writing on subjects from George Eliot’s early novels to digital pedagogy, and has authored numerous newspaper op ed pieces, interacted with many journalists, and led in creating some of the more important innovations that are now taken for granted in campus technology and social media. Throughout her career, Parker has championed collaboration and innovation to strengthen private colleges and universities, with a focus on advancing the liberal arts in the digital age. Parker earned a PhD from the University of Pennsylvania in English literature and is a Bryn Mawr College graduate.

Robert Powers was named CIC’s director of finance in May 2020, after joining CIC as an independent contractor managing CIC’s accounting and human resources activities in April. Previously, Powers served as the business manager of the Alexandria Country Day School, the director of finance for the Ford’s Theatre Society, and controller for Maret School. He is currently the treasurer of the Westchester Corporation and has served on the finance committee of the board of trustees of the Association of Independent Schools of Greater Washington (AISGW). Powers earned a bachelor’s degree in accountancy from the University of Mississippi and did graduate studies in education at the University of Virginia Curry School of Education.

Jason Rivera joined CIC as director of strategic research in September 2021. He oversees CIC’s research functions, such as research on member institutions to better understand their needs and to guide strategic programming at CIC, as well as data and research activities, such as the Key Indicators Tool (KIT), Financial Indicators Tool (FIT), and various research reports and figures available on the CIC website. Prior to joining CIC, Rivera served as a leader in institutional research and effectiveness at various independent institutions throughout the country, including Williams College, University of Bridgeport, Dickinson College, and Pitzer College. His work always centered the student experience and was explicitly focused on identifying, addressing, and removing barriers to access and equity for minoritized and historically underserved student populations. He earned a BA in psychology and organizational studies from Pitzer College and an MA in psychology and PhD in education from Claremont Graduate University.

​Leslie A. Rogers-Brown is CIC's conference manager. She joined the Council in June 2001 as administrative assistant to CIC's Consortium for the Advancement of Private Higher Education (CAPHE), and she was promoted to conference coordinator in fall 2004. Soon after, she was promoted to conference manager and is responsible for maintaining registration databases, arranging the myriad logistical details involved in each event, and staffing workshops and conferences on-site. A native of Washington, DC, Leslie attended the University of the District of Columbia for two years before entering the work force. Prior to coming to CIC, Leslie was a secretary at the U.S. Department of Justice, and she worked briefly for the GED Testing Service of the American Council on Education.

​Samantha Sabalis joined CIC through the Mellon/ACLS Public Fellows program for recent PhDs in the humanities in September 2018 and became a full-time CIC employee in September 2020. As director of development, she works on the solicitation and management of foundation and federal grants and assists with management of grant-funded programs. Before joining CIC, Sabalis was a postdoctoral teaching fellow at Fordham University during the 2017–2018 academic year. Earlier, she served as coordinator of a National Endowment for the Humanities-funded project at Fordham and chaired a professional development grant committee for the university. She also worked as an educator at the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Morgan Library and Museum in New York. Sabalis received an undergraduate degree in English from the University of St. Andrews in Scotland and an MPhil in medieval language, literature, and culture from Trinity College in Dublin, Ireland. She received a PhD in English from Fordham University in 2017.

Carol Schuler serves CIC as vice president for State Council programs and the Online Course Sharing Consortium. As the leader of the State Councils program, she directs the CIC/UPS Scholarships Program and other grant initiatives that are designed to support independent higher education through state-based collaboration, scholarships, career pathways for students, and public information. She also provides State Council members with professional development opportunities, including the State Councils Annual Conference, webinars, and special events at CIC’s Presidents Institute, and other member services. In 2018, Schuler launched the CIC Online Course Sharing Consortium, an innovative program that supports student progress and institutional success through flexible, cost-effective online course sharing. Since inception, the Consortium has grown to include more than 230 CIC members. Previously, Schuler served as vice president for development at Davis & Elkins College, where she led the college’s fundraising, alumni, and marketing and communications offices, and helped secure more than $25 million in lead gifts to launch the college’s $100 million Secure the Future campaign. Schuler organized major special events, including the college’s centennial celebration, and was the college’s principal liaison to congressional offices. During her tenure, Davis & Elkins received national media coverage as well as awards for publication and website design. Schuler served as a member of the CIC task force that planned the 2015 Institute for Chief Academic and Chief Advancement Officers and previously served on the CASE District II board of directors. She earned her master’s degree from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, and her bachelor’s degree from Purdue University. She began her studies at DePauw University, a member of CIC.

​Kathleen Smith joined CIC as projects manager in August 2019. In this new position, she will handle responsibilities for the president’s office as well as for CIC’s Network for Vocation in Undergraduate Education. Previously, Smith worked in the University Career Center as well as the Office of Student Conduct at Auburn University while completing graduate work. Earlier, she was an undergraduate intern at Lobbyit, a public policy advocacy group based in Washington, DC. Smith earned BA degrees in philosophy and political science from Furman University (SC) and an MEd in the administration of higher education from Auburn University.

​Tabitha Truscott is the lead conference team member for the Institute for Chief Academic Officers and the NetVUE Conference, and she handles registrations, evaluations, and reimbursements for several other CIC workshops. Previously, Truscott served at the Airports Council International-North America as sponsorship and partnerships manager and was responsible for planning and executing events with up to several thousand participants. Earlier, she worked at the American Public Transportation Association as the conference and education department coordinator.

​Keith Wallace has been director of administration at CIC since 2001. He assists with staff hiring, acts as liaison with the building manager and engineers, and oversees office management, administrative, and technical issues for CIC. Prior to joining CIC, Wallace was office manager for the American MidEast Education and Training Services (AMIDEAST) and Phillips Publishing Inc. He earned his bachelor’s degree in business management from the University of the District of Columbia.

​Kate Webber joined CIC in August 2008 as membership manager. She is responsible for working with the staff and Board of Directors to recruit and retain members, managing CIC’s Tuition Exchange Program, and maintaining CIC’s database. Webber started her professional career at Bank One, holding positions as trainer, business analyst, and auditor. She is a graduate of Wilson College (PA), where she double-majored in psychology and sociology. While at Wilson, she served as student ambassador of the Women with Children program and later as president of the Wilson College Student Government Association.