Ten Women Who Are Taking on New Administrative Roles at American Colleges and Universities

Karen Sisson was named vice president for administration and chief financial officer at the California Institute of Technology, effective October 1. She has been serving as vice president for business and finance at Kalamazoo College in Michigan. Earlier, Sisson served for more than 10 years as the vice president and treasurer at Pomona College in Claremont, California.

Sisson earned a bachelor’s degree in international relations from Pomona College and an MBA from the University of Chicago. She also holds a master’s degree in biblical studies and theology from Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena, California.

Monique Guillory is the new chief of staff in the Office of the President and senior vice president for the University of the District of Columbia. Dr. Guillory was chief of staff and chief administrative officer for the Office of the President and Dean at the Morehouse School of Medicine in Atlanta. Earlier, she was vice president for academic affairs at the College of St. Elizabeth in Morristown, New Jersey.

Dr. Guillory earned a bachelor’s degree with a double major in rhetorical communication and English literature from Tulane University in New Orleans. She holds a Ph.D. in comparative literature and performance studies from New York University.

Bronté Burleigh-Jones was appointed as chief financial officer, vice president, and treasurer at American University in Washington, D.C. She has served as the vice president of finance and administration at Dickinson College in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, for the past eight years.

Burleigh-Jones holds a bachelor’s degree and an MBA from American University. She earned a Ph.D. in higher education administration from the University of Texas.

Valbona Schwab has been hired as a senior partner on the investment team at Grinnell College in Iowa. She comes to Grinnell College from Beth Israel Lahey Health in Boston, Massachusetts, where she served as managing director and vice president of finance.

Schwab earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration and finance from the University of Maine. She holds a master’s degree in finance and an MBA from Boston College.

Ebony Marsala is the new director of financial aid at Boston College. She was the director of undergraduate aid at Northeastern University in Boston. She had served on the staff at Northeastern University for 19 years.

A Bronx native, she received a bachelor’s degree in psychology and a master’s degree in educational administration from the University at Albany of the State University of New York System. Marsala is pursuing a master’s degree in organizational communications from Northeastern University.

Lisa Fraze was appointed director of alumni affairs at Lubbock Christian University in Texas. She began working at the university in August 2018 as director of stewardship leading the university’s Community Partners Program.

Fraze earned a bachelor of social work degree from Lubbock Christian University and a master’s degree in counseling from Dallas Baptist University.

Erin Moran has been appointed the inaugural executive director of the Dr. Nancy Grasmick Leadership Institute at Towson University in Maryland. Moran had served as chief culture officer for New York City-based Union Square Hospitality Group.

Moran is a Baltimore native. She holds a bachelor’s degree from St. Joseph’s University in Philadelphia and an MBA from the Thunderbird School of International Management in Glendale, Arizona.

Richie Hunter was named vice president of communications for the University of Oregon. She has been serving as vice president of strategic communications and external relations at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, New York.

Hunter holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration from the University of Southern California and a master’s degree in business administration from Lamar University in Beaumont, Texas.

Misty Shepherd was promoted to senior associate vice president for financial affairs at the University of Central Florida. She spent three years as the interim vice president and chief operating officer for the university. Earlier, Shepherd was the chief financial officer for the UCF Foundation.

Shepherd holds a bachelor’s degree in accounting from Florida State University. She has been a licensed certified public accountant since 2002.

Megan Davidson has joined Savannah State University in Georgia as its new vice president for business and financial affairs. She was vice president of finance and administration at Gordon State College in Barnesville, Georgia.

Davidson earned a bachelor’s degree in finance from Berry College in Georgia. She holds a master’s degree in accounting from Kennesaw State University in Georgia.