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The Council of Independent Colleges (CIC) Board of Directors elected ten new members during its January 4, 2018, meeting in Hollywood, Florida. In addition, the Board elected seven members to the Executive Committee.
CIC is the only national higher education association that focuses solely on providing services and a broad range of initiatives directly to independent colleges and universities to help improve the quality of education and strengthen institutional resources.
“The Council is pleased to have these outstanding leaders with their vast experience as board members,” said CIC President Richard Ekman. “CIC continues to create many new programs, projects, and services and needs a strong Board of Directors to oversee their planning and execution. I look forward to working with our new board members and new executive committee.”
J. Bradley Creed, president, Campbell University
Elizabeth Davis, president, Furman University
Donald J. Farish, president, Roger Williams University
Jorge G. Gonzalez, president, Kalamazoo College
Mark A. Heckler, president, Valparaiso University
Mary Dana Hinton, president, College of Saint Benedict
Michael C. Maxey, president, Roanoke College
Elizabeth (Beth) L. Paul, president, Capital University
Elizabeth (Beth) J. Stroble, president, Webster University
Susan D. Stuebner, president, Colby-Sawyer College
The following officers were elected to CIC’s Executive Committee, with terms ending in January 2020.
Chair
MaryAnn Baenninger, president, Drew University
Vice Chair for Programs
Katherine Bergeron, president, Connecticut College
Secretary and Vice Chair for Membership
Robert R. Lindgren, president, Randolph-Macon College
Treasurer
Lester C. Newman, president, Jarvis Christian College
Vice Chair for Resource Development
Mary B. Marcy, president, Dominican University of California
Vice Chair for Public Information
Nayef H. Samhat, president, Wofford College
Vice Chair for Investment
Barbara K. Mistick, president, Wilson College
Additional biographical information about the new CIC board members:
J. Bradley Creed began his duties as Campbell University’s fifth president in 2015. He previously served as provost, executive vice president, and professor of religion at Samford University. Creed was a professor of Christian history, associate dean, and dean at the George W. Truett Theological Seminary of Baylor University. He also served as the scholar-in-residence at the Baptist Joint Committee on Religious Liberty and as visiting professor of church history at the John Leland Center for Theological Studies. Earlier in his career, Creed served as pastor of churches in Texas and Louisiana. Creed received a BA in religion, cum laude, from Baylor University and earned his MDiv and Phd degrees from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. He pursued further study in Harvard University’s Management Development Program and in the Spanish-language program at Academia Hispano Americano in Mexico.
Elizabeth Davis became Furman University’s 12th president in 2014. Previously, Davis spent 22 years at Baylor University, where she was executive vice president and provost as well as vice provost for financial and academic administration, associate dean for undergraduate business programs, acting chair of the department of accounting and business law, and a member of the accounting faculty. Davis serves on the board of directors of the Greenville Chamber of Commerce, is an honorary member of the board of governors of the Commerce Club, and is a member of the Greenville Rotary Club, American Council on Education Women’s Network executive committee, and the South Carolina Higher Education Tuition Grants Commission. She also is a member of the Council of Presidents of the Association of Governing Boards of Universities and Colleges. Davis has been recognized by Greenville Business Magazine as one of Greenville’s “50 Most Influential People.” She received her bachelor of business administration degree from Baylor University and her PhD in accounting from Duke University.
Donald J. Farish became the tenth president of Roger Williams University in 2011. Previously, Farish served for 13 years as president of Rowan University. He also held academic and administrative positions at Sonoma State University, University of Rhode Island, and University of Missouri. Farish served as one of 20 sitting presidents and chancellors at a 2010 Presidential Roundtable organized by the National Center for Public Policy and Higher Education to discuss the future of higher education. In 2013, he was selected as chair of the executive board of Rhode Island Campus Compact, and he has served on the governing boards for the New England Council and the Rhode Island Public Expenditure Council. Farish currently chairs the boards of the Association of Independent Colleges and Universities of Rhode Island and the Commonwealth Coast Conference. He has written six biology textbooks and numerous articles on entomology and animal behavior. Farish earned his BS in zoology from the University of British Columbia, an MS in entomology from North Carolina State University, a PhD in biology from Harvard University, and a JD from the University of Missouri.
Jorge G. Gonzalez has served as president of Kalamazoo College since July 2016. Previously, he was vice president for academic affairs and dean of the college for Occidental College. At Trinity University Gonzalez served as chair of the economics department for nine years, as special assistant to the president for two years, and as a faculty member for 21 years. He also was an American Council on Education Fellow at Pomona College. Gonzalez has published extensively on such topics as foreign investment, undocumented immigration, and international trade in the Americas and has presented his research findings at professional conferences throughout the world. He has served on the board of the Flintridge Preparatory School, KIPP Aspire Academy-San Antonio, Asociación de Empresarios Mexicanos-San Antonio, Greater San Antonio Chamber of Commerce, and World Affairs Council of San Antonio. He also served as the president of the International Trade and Finance Association during 2014 and is currently the president of the board of the F.W. and Elsie L. Heyl Science Scholarship Fund. A graduate of the Monterrey Institute of Technology, Gonzalez earned his MA and PhD degrees in economics at Michigan State University.
Mark A. Heckler is in his ninth year of service as the 18th president of Valparaiso University. Previously, he served the University of Colorado Denver for more than a decade, most recently as provost and vice chancellor for academic and student affairs for the three-campus university. Earlier, Heckler was professor of fine arts and director of theatre at Siena College where he directed, acted, designed, or produced more than 100 academic and professional productions in the United States, Europe, and the Middle East. Heckler has served as chair of the board of Independent Colleges of Indiana, Indiana Campus Compact, and New American Colleges and Universities and is a member of the board of the Private College 529 Plan and the NCAA Pioneer Football League for non-scholarship football. He is past president of the Association for Theatre in Higher Education (ATHE) and founder and co-director of ATHE’s Leadership Institute. Heckler earned his BA in communications, summa cum laude, at Elizabethtown College, his MFA in drama with an emphasis in directing at Catholic University, and his PhD in educational leadership and innovation from the School of Education and Human Development at the University of Colorado.
Mary Dana Hinton is the 15th president of the College of Saint Benedict. Previously, she served as the vice president for academic affairs at Mount Saint Mary College. Since 2012, she has taught in the University of Pennsylvania Graduate School of Education doctoral program in higher education management. Hinton is chair of the Minnesota Private College Council and a board member of the Association of Catholic Colleges and Universities, the Women’s College Council, the Greater St. Cloud Development Corporation, the Minnesota Campus Compact, and the Central Minnesota Community
Foundation. In 2017, Hinton received the Bicentennial Medal from Williams College. She has extensive administrative experience in Catholic higher education, nonprofit K–12 education management and development, and a philanthropic background. Hinton’s scholarship focuses on African American religious history, and leadership, strategic planning, and diversity in higher education. Hinton earned a BA in psychology from Williams College, an MA in clinical child psychology from University of Kansas, and a PhD in religion and religious education with high honors from Fordham University.
Michael C. Maxey is the 11th president of Roanoke College and has served the college for 22 years in many capacities. Maxey serves on the executive committees of the Lutheran Educational Conference of North America and the Council of Presidents of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) and is past chair of the network of ELCA colleges and universities. He is a member of the board of directors of the Educational and Institutional Insurance Administrators and of the board of trustees of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges. He also is a member of the Council of Independent Colleges in Virginia executive committee. At the local level, Maxey is vice chair of the United Way of Roanoke Valley board of directors. He was named Citizen of the Year by the Salem-Roanoke County Chamber of Commerce in 2007 and has twice been named a Paul Harris Fellow by the Salem Rotary Club. Maxey earned a bachelor of arts in history and a master’s degree in counselor education at Wake Forest University. He also earned a certificate of advanced graduate study in counselor education at the University of New Hampshire and attended the Institute of Education Management at Harvard University.
Elizabeth (Beth) L. Paul became the 16th president of Capital University in July 2016. Previously, she served for seven years as the senior academic officer for Stetson University. Before assuming the role of the university’s provost and executive vice president in 2015, Paul was provost and vice president for academic affairs and served as tenured professor of psychology. She also worked as vice provost and professor of psychology at the College of New Jersey, holding such positions as interim provost and vice president for academic affairs and interim vice president for student life. Earlier, she held a faculty position at Wellesley College and worked as a research associate at Harvard University. Paul was president of the Council on Undergraduate Research and currently serves on the board of directors of the National Association of College and University Business Officers (NACUBO). She also served as chair of CIC’s CAO taskforce. Paul holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology and a doctorate in personality psychology, both from Boston University. She completed a predoctoral training fellowship at the National Institute of Mental Health and earned a certificate in higher education administration from Harvard Institute for Educational Management.
Elizabeth (Beth) J. Stroble is president of Webster University. Previously, she held academic and administrative appointments at the University of Akron, the University of Louisville, and Northern Arizona University. Stroble serves on boards of educational and advocacy organizations, as well as other nonprofits, including the Association of American Colleges and Universities President’s Trust, Global Federation of Competitiveness Councils, Mercy Hospital St. Louis, the St. Louis Regional Chamber, Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis, and Municipal Theatre Association of St. Louis. Stroble earned a bachelor of arts degree in history and English from Augustana College and two master of arts degrees, one in history and one in American and English literature, both from Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville. She received her doctorate in curriculum studies from the University of Virginia.
Susan D. Stuebner has served as the ninth president of Colby-Sawyer College since July 2016. Previously, she was the executive vice president and chief operating officer at Allegheny College. For a decade, Stuebner served Lycoming College in senior-level administrative positions, including vice president for administration and planning, vice president for planning, and institutional planning officer and executive assistant to the president. Stuebner held the position of teaching fellow for a number of courses at the Harvard Graduate School of Education. Earlier, she held roles at Dartmouth College, Harvard College, Wheelock College, and Albright College. Currently, Stuebner serves on the executive committee of the New Hampshire College and University Council and on the NCAA Division III Membership Committee. Previously, she served on the NACUBO Small Institutions Council, NCAA Division III Financial Aid Committee, and the Dartmouth College Alumni Council. She has served as a member of eight visiting teams for the Middle States Commission on Higher Education. Stuebner earned her AB in psychology from Dartmouth College and her EdM and EdD in administration, planning, and social policy with a concentration in higher education from Harvard University.