Leadership & Governance

Guiding the Commission. Advancing the Future of Higher Education.

The Commission’s daily work is carried out by professional staff, while its accreditation decisions are made by trustees elected from among its member institutions. That separation is deliberate: the people who decide whether an institution meets the standards are peers from other member institutions, not Commission employees.

President's Cabinet

The President’s Cabinet leads The Commission’s day-to-day operations — accreditation services, member relations, finance, and strategic initiatives. Working with the President, the Cabinet carries out the policies and decisions set by the Board of Trustees and supports institutions through every stage of the accreditation process.

Dr. Geoffrey C. Klein

Chief of Staff

Dr. Patricia L. Donat

Senior Vice President

Ms. Lisa Robinson

Vice President for Financial and Administrative Services

Dr. Rae Borden

Director of Legal and Government Affairs, and Commission Support

Dr. Michelle Madden

Director of Substantive Change

Board of Trustees

The Board of Trustees is elected by the membership from among the faculty and administrators of member institutions. Trustees are responsible for accreditation decisions — including granting, reaffirming, and withdrawing accreditation — and they serve as volunteers while holding full-time positions at their own institutions.

The Board of Trustees

President

Dr. David L. Barnett

Vice President

Dr. Roslyn Clark Artis

Name	Title	Institution
Dr. Javaune Marie Adams-Gaston	President	Norfolk State University
Dr. Charlise Anderson	Managing Executive Director of Institutional Effectiveness, Research Planning and Assessment	Tennessee State University
Dr. Neil Aspinwall	Chancellor	SOWELA Technical Community College
Dr. Lawrence Barrett	President	Florida Gateway College
Dr. Carlos Eduardo Basurto	Vice President of Liaison, Effectiveness and Academic Services	Universidad de Monterrey
Dr. J. Blair Blackburn	President	East Texas Baptist University
Dr. Christopher Blake	President	Middle Georgia State University
Dr. Zarina Blankenbaker	President - Northwest Campus	Tarrant County College District
Dr. Connie Ledoux Book	President	Elon University
Ms. Frances Copeland Bradford	Senior Vice President, State Government Relations	Public Representative
Dr. Tim Brewer	President	Mitchell Community College
Mr. Eric Bruntmyer	President & CEO	Hardin-Simmons University
Mr. Charles W. Cagle	Attorney at Law	Public Representative
Dr. Noal Baxter Cochran	Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs	William Carey University
Mr. W. Scott Cole	Partner	Public Representative
Dr. Marcia Conston	President	Tidewater Community College
Dr. Bruce Crawford	Vice President for Instructional Services	T.A. Lawson State Community College
Dr. Eric Cummings	Senior Director, Office of Academic Program Review, Assessment & Accreditation	Vanderbilt University
Dr. Karrie G. Dixon	Chancellor	North Carolina Central University
Mr. John Joseph Fitzpatrick, Jr.	Educate Texas and Ferry Partners, LLC.	Public Representative
Dr. Molly M. Goldwasser	Associate Vice Provost for Academic Affairs	Duke University
Dr. Susan E. Graybeal	Vice President Institutional Excellence & Student Success and Accreditation Liaison	Northeast State Community College
Dr. Brent Gregory	President	East Central Community College
Dr. Tracy D. Hall	President	Southwest Tennessee Community College
Dr. Natalie J. Harder	President	Coker University
Dr. Katrice A. Hawthorne	Assistant Vice Provost, Assessment and Institutional Effectiveness	Virginia Commonwealth University
Dr. John F. Keener	Vice President for Institutional Effectiveness	Randolph College
Dr. Cynthia S. Kelley	President	Madisonville Community College
Dr. Shannon L. Kennedy	President	Rappahannock Community College
Dr. Sundra D. Kincey	Assistant Vice President of Program Quality	Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University
Dr. Anthony Johnston Leigh	President	Huntingdon College
Dr. Vahid Majidi	Director	Savannah River National Laboratory
Dr. John P. Marsden	President	Midway University
Dr. Douglas S. Masterson	Senior Associate Provost for Institutional Effectiveness	The University of Southern Mississippi
Dr. Candi S. McElheny	Assistant Provost for Institutional Effectiveness and Research, Assistant Professor	Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady University
Ms. Mary McKinley	Partner	Public Representative
Dr. Juan E. Mejia	President & CEO	Tyler Junior College
Dr. Dewayne Middleton	President	Copiah-Lincoln Community College
Dr. Will Miller	Associate Vice President for Continuous Improvement and Institutional Performance	Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University
Admiral Charles L. Munns	Vice Admiral USN (Ret.)	Public Representative
Dr. Patricia B. Murphy	Associate Provost for University Accreditation	University of Miami
Dr. Robert H. Pervine	Senior Associate Provost and Institutional Accreditation Liaison	Murray State University
Dr. Loraine Phillips	Associate Vice Provost for Institutional Accreditation	Texas State University
Dr. Bentley Ponder	Deputy Commissioner Quality Innovations and Partnerships	Public Representative
Dr. Heidi K. Popham	President	Georgia Northwestern Technical College
Prof. Muthanna Abdul Razzaq	President	American University in the Emirates
Dr. Jennifer L. Restrepo	Assistant Vice President for Academic Planning and Accountability	Florida International University
Dr. Kevin A. Rolle	Chief of Staff	Alabama State University
Dr. Dionne Rosser-Mims	Vice Chancellor	Troy University
Dr. Eric F. Schneider	Senior Vice President for Institutional Effectiveness	Wingate University
Dr. Victoria Seals	President	Atlanta Technical College
Dr. Sally Selden	President	University of Lynchburg
Dr. William Serrata	President	El Paso County Community College District
Dr. Michael Shannon	President	University of North Georgia
Ms. Sallie Shuping-Russell	Managing Director (Retired)	Public Representative
Mr. Madison C. Silvert, JD	President	Brescia University
Mr. Ronnie Slone	President	Public Representative
Dr. William C. Smart	Vice President for Academic Affairs	Aquinas College
Dr. Mrinal M. Varma	Provost & Senior Vice Chancellor	Auburn University at Montgomery
Dr. William S. Wainwright	President	Southeastern Louisiana University
Brandon Walker		Public Representative
Dr. G. Brent Wallace	Chancellor, CEO	North Central Texas College
Dr. Connie R. Walton	Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs	Grambling State University
Dr. Burton J. Webb	President	University of Pikeville
Dr. Joel D. Welch	President	Western Piedmont Community College
Dr. Angela Wiley	Associate Provost, Institutional Effectiveness	Auburn University

Executive Council

The Executive Council is the executive arm of the Board of Trustees with primary responsibility for interpreting Commission policy and procedure. It also functions on behalf of the Board between sessions. The Chair, a public member, and a representative from eleven states in The Commission membership make up the Executive Council membership. Council members are elected by the Board of Trustees.

The Executive Council

Name	Title	Institution
Dr. Roslyn Clark Artis	President	Benedict College
Dr. David L. Barnett	President	Brenau University
Dr. Christopher Blake	President	Middle Georgia State University
Dr. Marcia Conston	President	Tidewater Community College
Dr. Molly M. Goldwasser	Associate Vice Provost for Academic Affairs	Duke University
Dr. Tracy D. Hall	President	Southwest Tennessee Community College
Dr. John P. Marsden	President	Midway University
Admiral Charles L. Munns	Vice Admiral USN (Ret.)	Public Representative
Dr. William Serrata	President	El Paso County Community College District
Dr. Mrinal M. Varma	Provost & Senior Vice Chancellor	Auburn University at Montgomery
Dr. Connie R. Walton	Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs	Grambling State University