October 2019 Conference

CWNF’s biennial conference was held October 10th and 11th, 2019 at Saint Joseph’s University in Philadelphia, PA.

Download the Agenda

Thursday — October 10

Reception & Dinner

• Welcome Address

  • Eric R. Almonte, J.D.
    Associate Vice President, Major Gifts
    Saint Joseph’s University

    
    Eric R. Almonte, J.D.
    Associate Vice President, Major Gifts
    Saint Joseph’s University

    Welcome Address

     

• Opening Remarks/Invocation

  • Mark C. Reed, Ed.D
    President
    Saint Joseph’s University

    
    Mark C. Reed, Ed.D
    President
    Saint Joseph’s University

    Opening Remarks & Invocation

    Mark C. Reed became the 28th president of Saint Joseph’s University in July of 2015. Since his arrival, Dr. Reed has prioritized sustaining and expanding academic quality and ensuring the University’s financial strength through sound management, collaboration and a progressive mindset.

    In addition to securing the largest gift in University history — $50M to primarily bolster endowment for both academic programs and student scholarships, Dr. Reed also recently negotiated a partnership with the adjacent, internationally-renowned Barnes Foundation. The educational affiliation will sustain Barnes programming and allow for the expansion of Saint Joseph’s art and cultural offerings.

    As President, Dr. Reed is deeply committed to understanding and attending to the experience of students, ensuring a rigorous and reflective education that leads graduates to fuller personal and professional lives. He spends time at the heart of the enterprise teaching an undergraduate calculus course as a lecturer in the mathematics department. A product of Jesuit education, Dr. Reed believes in the University’s Jesuit tradition and accepts a responsibility to steward its mission as central to his leadership.

    Currently, Dr. Reed chairs the Council of Presidents for the Atlantic 10 Conference and serves on the Board of Directors for the American Council on Education, the Association of Catholic Colleges and Universities, the Association of Independent Colleges and Universities of Pennsylvania, and the City Avenue Special Services District. Additionally, he serves on the Board of Directors and the Executive Committee for the Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities, and is Vice Chair of the Board of Trustees for Saint Joseph’s Preparatory School in Philadelphia.

    Dr. Reed received a B.S. in mathematics from Fairfield University, a master of education in secondary educational administration from Boston College, an MBA from Fairfield, and a doctorate of education in higher education management from the University of Pennsylvania.

• 40th Anniversary of Newcombe Charter

  • Gianna Durso-Finley, Ph.D
    Executive Director
    The Charlotte W. Newcombe Foundation

    
    Gianna Durso-Finley, Ph.D
    Executive Director
    The Charlotte W. Newcombe Foundation

    40th Anniversary of Newcombe Charter – Opening Speaker

    Gianna Durso-Finley, Ph.D., came to the Newcombe Foundation in December of 2016. Prior to that, she was a Professor of Sociology and Assistant Dean for the American Honors program at Mercer County (NJ) Community College, where she had been employed since 2001. She also served MCCC as Director of Institutional Research and Assessment. Dr. Durso-Finley holds an A.B. (cum laude) in Anthropology from Princeton University, and an M.A. and Ph.D. in Sociology from Brown University. Her scholarly research has focused on gender equity at work, labor relations in transition, universal learning design in higher education, and the impact of pedagogy on students’ worldviews. She served as a site evaluator for the Middle States Commission on Higher Education, where she specialized in evaluation of strategic planning and assessment. Dr. Durso-Finley recently traveled to Cuba with sociology students and to China, where she worked with a Chinese educational foundation to give classroom demonstrations of engaging pedagogy to help prepare students for international study. In addition, Dr. Durso-Finley is currently on the Advisory Board for the Wrestlers in Business Network, a non-profit organization which supports youth wrestling in Trenton, New Jersey.

    Upon accepting the Trustees’ offer, Dr. Durso-Finley said, “The mission of the Charlotte W. Newcombe Foundation is so compelling. I am excited to work with the Foundation’s distinguished Trustees to preserve and expand the Foundation’s mission at a time when helping to provide access to affordable higher education is more important than ever.”

  • Lindsey G. Bohra, MBA
    Associate Executive Director
    The Charlotte W. Newcombe Foundation
    Presentation #1: PDF Download  |  Full PPT available on request
    Presentation #2: PDF Download

    
    Lindsey G. Bohra, MBA
    Associate Executive Director
    The Charlotte W. Newcombe Foundation

    40th Anniversary of Newcombe Charter – Opening Speaker

    Lindsey G. Bohra came to the Newcombe Foundation in December of 2016. She holds a BS degree in Management Science and Statistics from the University of Maryland, College Park and an MBA in General Management from the Darden School of Business at the University of Virginia. From 2012 to 2016, she was the Executive Director of Lawrenceville Main Street, a volunteer-led non-profit dedicated to fostering a sense of community and continuing the revitalization of the historic downtown area by organizing events, building partnerships, cultivating the business environment, and enhancing the physical setting of the historic district. Prior to that, she was a Product Manager for Kimberly-Clark Corporation and is experienced in marketing, social media, event planning, and small business development.

    She currently sits on the board of trustees and serves as Vice-President for The Lawrence Township Community Foundation, which provides grants to local non-profits, as well as being a long-term board member of the Lawrence-Hopewell Trail, a 20+ mile bicycle and pedestrian recreational trail.

Friday — October 11

Morning Plenary Session

• Opening Remarks

  • Don DiJulia
    Special Assistant to the President
    Saint Joseph’s University

    
    Don DiJulia
    Special Assistant to the President
    Saint Joseph’s University

    Morning Session – Opening Remarks

    One of the most respected administrators in college athletics, Don DiJulia closed out his storied SJU career at the end of the 2017-18 academic year, which was DiJulia’s 50th overall in college athletics and his 35th as Saint Joseph’s athletic director over a span of two terms. He continues to serve SJU as a special assistant to University President Mark C. Reed, Ed.D.

    From his beginnings as a student-athlete to his lengthy career as an administrator, he truly exemplifies the Jesuit ideal of being a “man for others.”

    DiJulia was inducted into the Saint Joseph’s Athletic Hall of Fame on March 3, 2018, the Big 5 Hall of Fame on April 16 and the ECAC Hall of Fame on May 4. It was also announced in 2018 that the Atlantic 10 Conference would sponsor the Don DiJulia Athletic Director Internship, to be awarded annually to a candidate aspiring to become an athletic director, who will serve a 10-month apprenticeship with the Atlantic 10.

    DiJulia oversaw tremendous growth in the University’s athletics programs. During his tenure, five varsity programs were added, a new weight-training facility built, athletic fund drives initiated, and athletic facilities updated and created. He has also emphasized the importance of the student-athlete by instituting the SJU Athletic Director’s Honor Roll as well as senior Scholar-Athlete awards during his tenure.

    DiJulia has been extremely involved in the intercollegiate athletic community during his career, serving on the administrative, finance and branding committees for the Atlantic 10. He has also served on the Dad Vail Regatta Board, The?Institute for Sport/Spirituality and Character Board, and the Philadelphia Sports Congress Executive Board.

    A two-sport athlete as an undergraduate in baseball and basketball, DiJulia was a member of the 1964-65 Hawk basketball team that compiled a 26-1 regular-season record and a top 10 national ranking under head coach Dr. Jack Ramsay.

    In 2005, DiJulia was inducted into the Hall of Fame for his alma mater, St. James High School, and in 2007, he was inducted into the Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame Delaware County Chapter.

    He and his wife, Pat, reside in Havertown, Pa., and have seven children and 14 grandchildren.

• Education for All:

  A Look at Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion in Higher Education Today

  • Roberta J. “Bobbi” Cordano, J.D.
    President
    Gallaudet University
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    Roberta J. “Bobbi” Cordano, J.D.
    President
    Gallaudet University

    Morning Session – Plenary Speaker

    Roberta J. “Bobbi” Cordano is the fourth deaf president, and the first female president, in the university’s history. In office since January 1, 2016, Cordano has brought new energy and transformational leadership to the role, leading strategic planning, academic innovation, and new approaches to higher education service and delivery. She has also prioritized language vibrancy and the university’s contribution to the deaf and signing ecosystem by creating economic and leadership opportunities for deaf, hard of hearing and deafblind individuals.

    A seasoned, proven administrator and leader, Cordano brings to her presidency skills and experience built in both traditional and non-traditional settings. She was previously vice president of programs for the Amherst H. Wilder Foundation in St. Paul, Minnesota. She also held leadership roles in the health care industry, with Allina Health, the Park Nicollet Institute, and Park Nicollet Health Services. Earlier in her career, she was an educational administrator at the University of Minnesota and an assistant attorney general for the State of Minnesota. She was a founder of two charter schools for deaf and hard of hearing children in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area. A 1987 graduate of Beloit College, Cordano received her Juris Doctor degree in 1990 at the University of Wisconsin, Madison. She is fluent in American Sign Language and English.

  • Elavie Ndura, Ed.D.
    Vice President of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusive Excellence
    Gallaudet University

    
    Elavie Ndura, Ed.D.
    Vice President of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusive Excellence
    Gallaudet University

    Morning Session – Plenary Speaker

    Elavie Ndura is a transformational leader, practitioner, and scholar with over 30 years of hands-on transnational multidisciplinary expertise and proven impact in developing capacities for inclusive diversity, educational equity, intercultural and cross-cultural competency, and peacemaking leadership. She brings well-rounded domestic and global multidisciplinary competencies in transformative multicultural education, conflict transformation, and peace building.

    She grounds her work in authentic visions of intersectionality lens into human diversity and human interdependence to achieve consensus within and across constituencies, and facilitate courageous intergroup dialogue across difference.

    She is internationally known for her scholarly and practitioner expertise in developing, implementing and evaluating diversity and inclusion strategic goals, leading institutional visioning and capacity building for inclusive excellence policies and practices, and coordinating institutional responses to diversity-related community conflicts and crises.

  • Sue Henderson, Ph.D.
    President
    New Jersey City University

    
    Sue Henderson, Ph.D.
    President
    New Jersey City University

    Morning Session – Plenary Speaker

    Sue Henderson has served as the 12th president of New Jersey City University since August 2012. Since her arrival, she has accomplished a range of transformational initiatives. She created the NJCU School of Business and relocated it to a state-of-the-art facility in Jersey City’s financial district, while hiring more than half the faculty during her tenure. During this time, more than five new academic programs were developed as well as a new General Education program and an Honors Program. She spearheaded the implementation of a $350 million project to redevelop the institution’s West Campus, to include student housing, shops, restaurants, and a pedestrian-friendly layout to aesthetically and economically revitalize the region. Dr. Henderson additionally ensured NJCU tuition and fees would remain among the lowest of all public, four-year colleges and universities in New Jersey, and implemented the NJCU Debt-Free Promise Program to make a college education accessible and affordable.

    Dr. Henderson serves on the Board of Directors of the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities, is Chair of NCAA Division III President’s Council and Elected Vice-Chair of the NCAA Board of Governors, and is on the Committee on International Education of the American Association of State Colleges and Universities. In addition, she is Chair of the Academic Issues Committee for the New Jersey Presidents Council, and serves on the Internationalization Commission of the American Council of Education. Her term as a Commissioner for MSCHE began on January 1, 2018.

    Dr. Henderson holds a Ph.D. in Higher Education from the University of Georgia, and bachelor’s and master’s degrees in math education from Georgia State University. Dr. Henderson has received numerous awards for her work as an educator and administrator.

• Breakout Sessions

  Breakout sessions are designed to inform different key audiences, Finance, Students with Disabilities, and Mature Students, although everyone is welcome to attend whichever session is most interesting to them. There will be one of each track in the morning and one in the afternoon.

  • 1. FASB Updates – Impact of ASU 2018-08 – Clarifies Revenue Accounting for Nonprofit Grants and Contracts

    • Sherise D. Ritter
      CPA, CGFM, CGMA, PSA
      Managing Director
      Mercadien – Nonprofit & Human Services Group

      
      Sherise D. Ritter
      CPA, CGFM, CGMA, PSA
      Managing Director
      Mercadien – Nonprofit & Human Services Group

      Morning Session – Financial Breakout

      Sherise D. Ritter has a broad base of experience and expertise in the performance of audits, reviews and compilations of nonprofit organizations, government entities, colleges and universities. She works regularly with clients that receive funding from the State of New Jersey Depts. of Human Services, Children and Families, and Education and has robust knowledge of their rules and regulations. She also has extensive tax planning and preparation experience for individuals, for-profit businesses and exempt organizations. Sherise is proficient in the tax exemption determination process and maintenance of exemption for both 501(c)(3) and 501(c)(6) entities, including addressing unique tax issues. She also focuses on business planning and consulting for nonprofit entities and businesses, in such areas as budgeting, cash flow management, accounting systems design, and board governance training

      Ms. Ritter frequently works with organizations that provide services to individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities or behavioral health issues. Not only does Sherry work with the agencies themselves on accounting, compliance oversight and taxation matters, she also serves as an advocate for these agencies with their funding sources, helping the sources to understand financial and governance issues. For the last several years, Ms. Ritter has helped numerous human service agencies build their compliance oversight and billing platforms in a new fee-for-service billing and payment model.

      Ms. Ritter co-leads the firm’s Nonprofit & Human Services Group, which is dedicated to identifying industry trends and meeting the changing needs of clients in the nonprofit sector. She regularly authors articles for the firm’s newsletter, Nonprofit Outlook, and other publications, and is an active affiliated member of the NJ Association of Community Providers, ASAH, the NJ Association of Independent Schools, and the NJ Association of Mental Health and Addiction Agencies. She is a frequently-requested speaker on a variety of exempt organization topics at industry conferences and events.

    • Lovepreet Buttar
      CPA, MBA, CGMA, PSA
      Director
      Mercadien – Nonprofit & Human Services Group

      
      Lovepreet Buttar
      CPA, MBA, CGMA, PSA
      Director
      Mercadien – Nonprofit & Human Services Group

      Morning Session – Financial Breakout

      Lovepreet Buttar has more than 10 years of experience performing and overseeing engagements for various nonprofit clients, including associations, schools, private foundations, and health and human services organizations. This includes training and supervising staff along with the planning and completion of audit testing procedures. Lovepreet’s experience encompasses performing financial statement and compliance audits and reviews and compilations. Her specializations include reporting, disclosures and compliance issues of entities subject to Uniform Guidance, as well as state and local reporting requirements. She is also proficient in the tax exemption determination process and maintenance of exemption for 501(c)(3), 501(c)(4), and 501(c)(6) entities.

      Well-regarded in the areas of internal control structures, audit program design, and implementation, Lovepreet has led various internal and external training seminars with regards to the nonprofit industry, accounting developments, and tax return preparations. She also frequently authors articles for the firm’s newsletter, Nonprofit Outlook.

  • 2. Best Practices in Serving & Retaining Students with Disabilities

    • Aaron Spector, M.Ed.
      Director of Disability Resources and Services
      Temple University

      
      Aaron Spector, M.Ed.
      Director of Disability Resources and Services
      Temple University

      Morning Session – Students with Disabilities Breakout

      Aaron Spector is responsible for promoting a culture of inclusion for students with diverse abilities through the provision of direct support to students and leadership to the university on issues of accessibility.

      Aaron joined the Disability Resources and Services department in 2010 and became the director in 2014. He began his career as a middle school and high school teacher before making the transition to higher education. He served as the disability services coordinator at Indiana University for four years.

      Aaron has an Associate’s degree from Simon’s Rock College of Bard, a Bachelor’s degree in Sociology from Oberlin College, a Master’s degree in Education from the College of Staten Island, and a graduate certificate in Disability Studies from Temple University.

    • Leah Zimmerman, Ed.D.
      Executive Director of Student Disability Resource Office
      Pennsylvania State University

      
      Leah Zimmerman, Ed.D.
      Executive Director of Student Disability Resource Office
      Pennsylvania State University

      Morning Session – Students with Disabilities Breakout

      Leah Zimmerman provides leadership for all of Penn State’s 24 campuses. SDR is responsible for providing reasonable academic accommodations under applicable federal laws, coordinating support services, and promoting disability awareness and accessibility in the University community. Also at Penn State, Leah previously worked in SDR as the liaison to all campus disability offices before becoming the University’s Americans with Disabilities Act Coordinator in the Affirmative Action Office. Primary duties in that role included directing the reasonable accommodation process for all University employees; investigating formal and informal complaints of disability-related discrimination; and ensuring University-wide access to all programs, services, activities, and facilities. Prior to working for Penn State, Leah spent several years working as a program specialist and project officer for the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education Programs in Washington, D.C. In addition to her experience with the federal government, she also held positions at both local and state government levels. Leah worked as a high school special education career evaluator for the Fairfax County Public Schools in northern Virginia, a certified vocational evaluator for the Virginia Department for Aging and Rehabilitative Services, and a supported employment specialist for Virginia’s Rehabilitative Services and Fairfax County. She has a doctorate in special education and a master’s degree in transition special education both from the George Washington University, and a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Bucknell University.

    • Theresa McFalls, MSW
      Director of College Support for the Kinney Center (ASPIRE Program)
      Saint Joseph’s University

      
      Theresa McFalls, MSW
      Director of College Support for the Kinney Center (ASPIRE Program)
      Saint Joseph’s University

      Morning Session – Students with Disabilities Breakout

      Theresa McFalls received her Master’s in Social Work from West Chester University and is a Licensed Social Worker in the state of Pennsylvania. Theresa has worked with children and their families in a variety of settings including residential treatment facilities, hospitals and schools. She has provided individual, group, and family counseling services while locating additional community resources.

      Theresa joined the Kinney Center team in 2011 and assisted with the planning and implementation of the ASPIRE college support program during its inaugural year. She strives to provide students and their families with resources that enable students to achieve academic success and expand social opportunities. She looks forward to the continued success ASPIRE students have at Saint Joseph’s University.

  • 3. Community and Experience: Mature Student Housing

    • Katherine Pohlidal, M.Ed., MBA
      Director of the Women With Children Program
      Misericordia University

      
      Katherine Pohlidal, M.Ed., MBA
      Director of the Women With Children Program
      Misericordia University

      Morning Session – Mature Student Breakout

      Katherine Pohlidal has over 20 years of experience as a clinician, case manager, treatment provider and administrator both in clinical treatment settings including the Caron Foundation and in the last 15 years, within higher education at both Ursinus College and Misericordia University. She holds a B.A.in Sociology as well as a M.Ed. in Counseling Psychology from Penn State University and a MBA from Alvernia University. Katherine is a Pennsylvania state-certified addictions counselor (CADC) and a Pennsylvania state licensed professional counselor (LPC). Katherine has been featured in both local and national news with the Today Show, NPR StoryCorps, the New York Times and the Associated Press for her work with the Women with Children Program and the FARMU initiative at Misericordia. The RMB Women with Children program model developed by Katherine in 2013, has inspired the new Parent Pathways initiative for the state of Pennsylvania, launched by Governor Wolf in 2019. She was recently named one of the 20 most influential women in Northeastern Pennsylvania through the Times Leader’s Distinctive Women of 2018.

    • Rebecca Reynolds, M.A. and M.F.A.
      Assistant Dean of Advising and
      Director of Mary I. Bunting Program
      Rutgers University Douglass Residential College

      
      Rebecca Reynolds, M.A. and M.F.A.
      Assistant Dean of Advising and
      Director of Mary I. Bunting Program
      Rutgers University Douglass Residential College

      Morning Session – Mature Student Breakout

      Rebecca Reynolds received her B.A. from Vassar College, her M.A. in English from Rutgers University, and an M.F.A. in Creative Writing from the University of Michigan. She has published two books of poetry and received the Norma Farber First Book Award from the Poetry Society of America. She has worked as an assistant dean and advisor at Douglass College and then Douglass Residential College of Rutgers University for 25+ years. Since 2008 she has served as the Director of the Mary I. Bunting Program for Non-traditional Age Women Students, as well as the Director of Mentoring and Advising at Douglass. She teaches Creative Writing and Women’s and Gender Studies at Rutgers.

Lunch Plenary Session

• Closing Equity Gaps through Data and Analytics

  • Timothy M. Renick, Ph.D.
    Senior Vice President for Student Success and Professor
    Georgia State University
    View Presentation [PDF download]

    
    Timothy M. Renick, Ph.D.
    Senior Vice President for Student Success and Professor
    Georgia State University

    Lunch Session – Plenary Speaker

    Dr. Timothy M. Renick has, since 2008, led strategies, initiatives and programs that have established Georgia State as an internationally recognized leader in student success and enrollment efforts. Under Dr. Renick’s leadership, Georgia State has produced one of the fastest growing graduation rates in the nation and has eliminated achievement gaps based on students’ race, ethnicity and income levels.

    Dr. Renick has testified on strategies for helping university students succeed before the U. S. Senate and has twice been invited to speak at the White House. His work has been cited by President Barack Obama and has been covered by national news media, including the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, Time and CNN.

    Dr. Renick was named one of 2016’s Most Innovative People in Higher Education by Washington Monthly, was the recipient of the 2015-16 Award for National Leadership in Student Success Innovation and was awarded the 2018 McGraw Prize in Higher Education. Dr. Renick is principal investigator for a $9 million U.S. Department of Education grant to study the impact of predictive-analytics-based advisement on 10,000 low-income and first-generation students nationally.

    He has previously served as Chair of the Department of Religious Studies and Director of the Honors Program. A summa cum laude graduate of Dartmouth College, Dr. Renick holds master’s and doctor’s degrees in religion from Princeton University.

Afternoon Session

• Breakout Sessions

  • 1. 21st Century Philanthropy

    • Hope Gallagher Ogletree
      Director of Development for the Gabelli School of Business
      Director Fordham’s Women’s Philanthropy Initiatives
      Fordham University

      
      Hope Gallagher Ogletree
      Director of Development for the Gabelli School of Business
      Director Fordham’s Women’s Philanthropy Initiatives
      Fordham University

      Afternoon Session – 21st Century Philanthropy Breakout

      Hope Gallagher Ogletree’s passion for women’s philanthropy began early after graduating from two women’s institutions that then went co-ed and as an alumna volunteer, she began to understand the differences between the way men and women solicit funding. It became her focus to bring women into these family discussions when philanthropic decisions were being made. Since then, the research on women’s giving patterns has become well known, and financial investment institutions, in many cases, were faster than higher-educational institutions in learning how best to engage their women clients. It is this research that Hope shared with Fordham which provided the impetus to begin a Women’s Philanthropy Summit three years ago. Fordham will present the 3rd Women’s Philanthropy Summit in October and has thus far engaged 375 new alumnae, raising one million dollars in giving-circle commitments for scholarship support.

      Hope has been a major gift officer for over 12 years for two institutions: Fairfield University and Fordham University. In both institutions, she rose to leadership positions, serving as the interim Director of Major Gifts at Fairfield before arriving at Fordham to help lead the newly unified undergraduate and graduate schools of the Gabelli School of Business as the Director of Development. She has spent an important part of her time mentoring and training new gift officers in best practices. Her previous volunteer work included 25 years of serving as the class fund agent, class president, and as a member of the Alumni Board at her undergraduate institution, Wheaton College, MA.

    • Mary Tufts
      Deputy Director of Development and Chief Foundation Relations Officer
      Baruch College

      
      Mary Tufts
      Deputy Director of Development and Chief Foundation Relations Officer
      Baruch College

      Afternoon Session – 21st Century Philanthropy Breakout

      Mary Tufts was the Director of Development and Communications for the Federation of Protestant Welfare Agencies, and did both program work and grant development for the Twenty-First Century Foundation and NYU Law School, prior to joining Baruch. As the NYS Representative for the national Grants Professional Association, Mary worked to develop professionalization in the grantsmanship field nationally.

      Prior to entering the nonprofit field, Mary directed government relations for a law firm for nearly 20 years. After having volunteered in the nonprofit sector for a number of years, Mary chose to enter the field full time when the law firm dissolved. While specializing in corporate and foundation grants, Mary has worked in other areas of fundraising, communications and program development.

      Mary is committed to teaching and mentoring; she has served the Robin Hood Foundation as a Management Assistance Team Volunteer working with their grantees, and has taught at NYU’s Heyman Center for Philanthropy and at community organizations and training centers.

  • 2. Keeping your COMPASS LEVEL: Connecting Research and Practice when Serving Students with Disabilities

    • Kathleen Davis Viezel, Ph.D.
      Director of COMPASS Program
      Fairleigh Dickinson University

      
      Kathleen Davis Viezel, Ph.D.
      Director of COMPASS Program
      Fairleigh Dickinson University

      Afternoon Session – Students with Disabilities Breakout

      Kathleen Davis Viezel holds a Ph.D. in School Psychology and is a licensed psychologist and Nationally Certified School Psychologist. Fairleigh Dickinson University’s COMPASS program on the Metropolitan campus serves undergraduates with autism spectrum disorders. She has been presenting about college students with autism spectrum disorders to both professional and community audiences since 2010. She is currently editing a book about post-secondary transition for students with high-functioning autism, expected to be published next year. Dr. Viezel is also an associate professor in the School of Psychology at Fairleigh Dickinson University, where she teaches and supervises graduate students on issues related to child assessment and intervention.

    • Greg Hannah
      Assistant Director of Disability Services
      Villanova University

      
      Greg Hannah
      Assistant Director of Disability Services
      Villanova University

      Afternoon Session – Students with Disabilities Breakout

      Greg Hannah joined the Office of Disability Services in the summer of 2009 and he assists in student advisement, ADA inquiries, academic support, and faculty training. Before coming to Villanova, Greg spent six years in public education as a classroom teacher and then shifted his energy and efforts into becoming a teacher/advisor for students with disabilities which has now become his focus at Villanova. Greg brings years of experience in leadership development, team building, and social awareness to the campus community and he hopes his commitment to the Office of Disability Services will turn into positive energy, support, and education for the Nova Nation. Most recently Greg was a major contributor to the award winning documentary, “Coming Off the DL”, as well as contributing to other projects on behalf of the Office of Disability Services that have been seen on ESPN, ABC, CBS, NBC. News stories in The New York Times, The Philadelphia Inquirer, and other local papers and magazines carried stories for his efforts and commitment to the Office of Disability Services

    • Christa Bialka, Ed.D.
      Assistant Professor
      Villanova University

      
      Christa Bialka, Ed.D.
      Assistant Professor
      Villanova University

      Afternoon Session – Students with Disabilities Breakout

      Christa Bialka received her M.Ed. in Moderate Special Needs Education from Boston College and her Ed.D. in Teaching, Learning and Teacher Education from the University of Pennsylvania. Prior to earning her Doctorate, Dr. Bialka taught English and Special Education in the Boston area. Her research interests include understanding the development of teacher dispositions, preparation of teachers for inclusive classrooms, and disability awareness in K-12 and higher education.

  • 3. Best Practices in Serving & Retaining Mature Students

    • Kyle Dailey, M.Ed.
      Dean of Students
      Cedar Crest College

      
      Kyle Dailey, M.Ed.
      Dean of Students
      Cedar Crest College

      Afternoon Session – Mature Student Breakout

      Kyle Dailey is a proud Lehigh Valley native from Easton, PA. Kyle serves as the Dean of Students at Cedar Crest College in Allentown, PA. As the Dean of Students, Kyle is responsible for providing leadership and oversight for student affairs activities of the College, specifically for a broad range of student development services including residence life, first and second year experience, career planning, community service, counseling services, health services, student government, and cultural and educational programming.

      Prior to joining Cedar Crest College, Kyle served as the Associate Dean of Students at Virginia Commonwealth University, Assistant Dean of Students at the University of Virginia, and served in roles in student conduct and housing at the University of Georgia.

      Kyle received his Bachelor of Science from West Chester University of Pennsylvania and his Master of Education from Kent State University.

    • Jess Myers, M.S.
      Director, Women’s Center
      University of Maryland Baltimore County

      
      Jess Myers, M.S.
      Director, Women’s Center
      University of Maryland Baltimore County

      Afternoon Session – Mature Student Breakout

      Jess Myers is the director of the Women’s Center at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC) where she has worked since 2011. She received her master’s degree in Student Affairs and Higher Education with a certificate in Women’s Studies from Colorado State University in 2010. With 13 years of experience working in higher education, Jess is dedicated to advocating for and supporting women and marginalized student groups with a specific focus on survivors of sexual violence, LGBTQ students, and mature women students. Jess has published several articles related to higher education professionals working with these student populations to include a co-authored paper theorizing leadership development for marginalized women students focused on the mature women student experience. Jess was born and raised in Baltimore, Maryland. For fun she likes to cycle, listen to podcasts, and travel.

    • Marita M. Hurst, M.Ed.
      Assistant Director, Advising Support Center
      Saint Joseph’s University

      
      Marita M. Hurst, M.Ed.
      Assistant Director, Advising Support Center
      Saint Joseph’s University

      Afternoon Session – Mature Student Breakout

      Marita M. Hurst is the Assistant Director of Advising at Saint Joseph’s University. Her primary focus is on the Adult learners within the College of Arts and Sciences and the School of Health Studies and Education. Marita is a learning development professional experienced in advising, student retention/success, curriculum planning, and the design and implementation of instructional programs/materials for adult learners. In her five years with SJU, she led initiatives that extended campus resources to adult online learners, created an online orientation, and identified strategies for student outreach. With over 25 years of experience in education and business settings she strongly supports the pursuit of lifelong learning. Marita earned a Master’s Degree in Educational Media from Temple University and a Bachelor’s Degree in Special Education from LaSalle University. She feels that this background allows her to help students find the best learning strategy for completing their undergraduate degree.

Closing Remarks

• Newcombe Foundation Updates and Inputs