Our Team

AASCU Consulting boasts some of the nation’s foremost thought leaders and experts in higher education leadership and management.  As former presidents, chancellors and other senior executives, our consultants draw from their knowledge and experience in higher education to help others address the challenges facing colleges and universities today. We are lifelong learners engaged in higher education research as consultants, lecturers, and scholars. Below are summaries of our consultants and their experience. Click on them for more details on their background and expertise.

Click on “Specialties” for expertise or on photo for full profile.

Michelle Behr, Ph.D.
Senior Consultant

Chancellor Emerita, University of Minnesota Morris

Leadership team building, coaching, mentoring, and development; reading institutional culture and facilitating transformation and organizational change, especially with small institutions; shared governance; institutional accreditation
Specialties
Lynette Zelezny, Ph.D., MBA
Senior Consultant

President Emerita, California State University Bakersfield

Leadership Coaching and Mentoring; Team Building; Retreat Facilitation; Strategic Planning; and Succession Planning.
Specialties
Don Betz, Ph.D.
Senior Consultant

President Emeritus, University of Central Oklahoma

Leadership Development, Team Building and Development, Executive Coaching, Transformative Learning, Leading Change, International Education
Specialties
Mickey Burnim, Ph.D.
Senior Consultant

President Emeritus, Bowie State University

Executive coaching (effectiveness enhancement, transitions), leadership team effectiveness (coaching, team building, and retreat facilitation), executive evaluation, strategic planning
Specialties
Matt Ceppi, Ed.D.
Managing Director
Strategy design and execution, transformation, public private partnerships, financial and resource allocation models, talent management, university foundations and auxiliaries
Specialties
LinkedIn
Sheela Hoyle, Ed.D.
Consultant
Organizational Leadership and Change; Strategic Planning; Training and Development; Diversity Equity and Inclusion; Advising Transformation
Specialties
William A. Covino, Ph.D.
Senior Consultant

President Emeritus, California State University Los Angeles

Leadership development/coaching; Team development; Institutional culture; Organizational change; External relations; Conflict resolution
Specialties
Profile
Emily Cutrer, Ph.D.
Senior Consultant

President Emeritus, Texas A&M University Texarkana

Profile

Onboarding and Transition, Executive Coaching, Organizational Assessment
Specialties
Ken Dobbins, Ph.D.
Senior Consultant

President Emeritus, Southeast Missouri State University. Chancellor Emeritus, Ponce Health Sciences University, St. Louis

Assessing financial, facilities, campus budgeting process, and other administrative areas; guiding academic/non-academic program reviews in a collegial/transparent manner; conducting organizational reviews and realignments; and integrating campus-wide entrepreneurial concepts
Specialties
Steve Dorman, Ph.D.
Senior Consultant

Former President, Georgia College & State University

Group/Team organization; Leadership; Executive coaching/onboarding; Innovation, Strategic, future-oriented thinking; Creating student success; High impact practices; Presidential role in fund-raising and alumni development
Specialties
William Fritz, Ph.D.
Senior Consultant

President Emeritus, College of Staten Island, The City University of New York

Strategic planning for sustainability, Community engagement, Institutional legacy, Facilities management, Athletics and compliance, Leadership development and executive coaching
Specialties
Mary Jo Gonzales, Ph.D.
Consultant
Leading through systemic change; leveraging organizational transitions and realignments; broadening institutional capacity through executive leadership and team development; infusing equity in organizational development; growth-oriented crisis management and strategic communications
Specialties
Karen Haynes, Ph.D.
Senior Consultant

President Emeritus, California State University, San Marcos

Team and leadership development; executive coaching; fund and friend development; community engagement and innovative partnerships; organizational culture and climate strategies and programs.
Specialties
Katy Heyning, Ph.D.
Consultant
Team and leadership development; Executive coaching and onboarding; Academic programs redesign; Faculty diversity and pipeline building; Academic affairs transformation and strategic planning
Specialties
Profile
Dana Hoyt, Ph.D., CPA
Senior Consultant

President Emeritus, Sam Houston State University

Strategic finance using budget and data analytics; feasibility of consolidation/ merger or shared service models; athletics – changing landscape and finance; vision and strategy related to leading change; onboarding or executive coaching
Specialties
John Jasinski, Ph.D.
Senior Consultant

President Emeritus, Northwest Missouri State University

Culture and strategy (organizational assessment, organizational culture and transformation, change management, strategic planning and execution, academic planning, operational and financial effectiveness, and data/information systems). Leadership (strategic thought discussions, development and coaching, onboarding, leadership system alignment, and shared governance). Institutional capacity (external relations and fundraising; student, stakeholder, and workforce systems; partnership development; integrated and value-added accreditation approaches; and crisis management)
Specialties
Dorothy Leland, Ph.D.
Senior Consultant

Chancellor Emerita, University of California, Merced

Institutional Transformation, Leading Organizational Change, Crisis Communication, Presidential Evaluation, Executive Coaching, Leadership Team Development
Specialties
Kathy Mangels
Consultant
Assessing financial data, campus budget process, and financing solutions; financial services including billing and financial aid; facilities management and master planning.
Specialties
LinkedIn
Chris Markwood, Ph.D.
Senior Consultant

Former President, Columbus State University

Strategic planning and execution, Organizational assessment, alignment and transformation, Executive Coaching, Team building/development, Leadership onboarding and transition, Shared governance, External relations and fund development, Academic planning and development
Specialties
Keith Miller, Ph.D.
Senior Consultant

President Emeritus, Lock Haven University and Former President and Professor of Leadership, Virginia State University

Branding the institution, strategic planning, enrollment management, fundraising and government relations, enterprise resource planning (ERP), emergency response management, and internationalization
Specialties
Timothy Mottet, Ed.D.
Senior Consultant

President Emeritus, Colorado State University Pueblo

Profile

Strategic Planning, Organizational Assessment, Team Development, Retreat Facilitation, Executive Coaching
Specialties
Rashad Nelms, J.D.
Consultant
Coaching, DEI, Manager and staff onboarding and transition
Specialties
LinkedIn
Linda Schott, Ph.D.
Senior Consultant

Former President, Southern Oregon University

Visioning and Strategic Planning, Presidential Transitions, Presidential Evaluations, Executive Coaching, Board Development and Relations, Team Development, Community-University Relations, Competency/Proficiency Based Education
Specialties
James C. Schroeder, Ph.D.
Consultant
Fundraising, alumni relations, foundation and alumni board development, advancement management, President/advancement relationships
Specialties
Jim Spaniolo, J.D.
Senior Consultant

President Emeritus, University of Texas Arlington

Executive Coaching and Mentoring; Leadership Team building and Effectiveness; Organizational Culture; External Relations and Fund Development; Community Engagement and Partnerships; Strategic Communications
Specialties
Ramon Torrecilha, Ph.D.
Senior Consultant

President Emeritus, Westfield State University

Executive Coaching, Team and Leadership Development, Executive Evaluation, Organizational Change
Specialties
James Votruba, Ph.D.
Senior Consultant

President Emeritus, Northern Kentucky University

Civic engagement, university-community partnerships, leadership assessment and development, organizational effectiveness and alignment, strategic planning and board development
Specialties
John Welty, Ed.D.
Senior Consultant

President Emeritus, California State University, Fresno (Fresno State)

Strategic planning, university advancement and fundraising, team building, and executive coaching
Specialties
Marten denBoer, Ph.D.
Consultant

Bio

Coaching, DEI, Manager and staff onboarding and transition
Specialties
LinkedIn
Karen Whitney, Ph.D
Senior Consultant

President Emerita, Clarion University

Administrative & Student Centered Program Review, Governing Board Assessment, Multi-University System Assessment Organizational Structural Assessment, Senior/Executive Leadership Assessment & Development
Specialties