Seven Women Who Have Been Appointed to New Administrative Posts in Higher Education

Amy B. Kweskin, vice chancellor for finance and chief financial officer at Washington University in St. Louis, has been promoted to executive vice chancellor for finance. Kweskin joined the university’s Office of the Treasurer in April 1997 as associate treasurer after 12 years at McDonnell Douglas Corporation. She was named university treasurer six months later and, in July 2008, was promoted to associate vice chancellor for finance and treasurer. She was named vice chancellor for finance and chief financial officer in 2016.

Kweskin is a graduate of the University of Missouri at St. Louis, where she majored in finance and marketing. She holds an MBA from Saint Louis University.

Rachelle Feldman is the new vice provost for enrollment at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.  She has served as the interim vice provost since November 2020. Feldman came to the university in 2016 as the associate provost and director in the Office of Scholarships and Student Aid. Earlier, she was assistant vice chancellor and director for financial aid and scholarships. at the Univerity of California, Berkeley.

Feldman earned a bachelor’s degree in economics and dramatic art dance from the University of California, Berkeley. She holds a master’s degree in economics from Golden Gate University.

Valeda F. Dent was appointed the inaugural vice provost of libraries and the Michael C. Carlos Museum at Emory Univerity in Atlanta. She has been serving as acting provost and vice president for academic affairs as well as vice president for student success and learning at Hunter College of the City University of New York. Earlier, Dr. Dent was dean and university librarian at St. John’s University in Queens, New York, and dean and chief operating officer for the libraries at Long Island University in New York.

Dr. Dent is a graduate of Hunter College, where she majored in film studies. She holds a master of social work degree and a master of library and information science degree from the University of Michigan and a Ph.D. in information science from Long Island University.

Erin Rongers is the new director of development for the Sam M. Walton College of Business at the University of Arkansas. Since 2018, Rongers has served as the associate director of development for Walton College. Earlier, Rongers served as the executive director for The Cancer Challenge chapter in nearby Bentonville, Arkansas, and as the executive director for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northwest Arkansas.

Rongers holds a bachelor’s degree in communications studies from the University of Texas and a master’s degree in recreation with a concentration in sport management from the University of Arkansas.

Maria Rios has been appointed the humanities research services librarian at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. She joined the staff at the university in 2018 as the first resident in the newly-created Diversity Residency program.

Rios is a graduate of Armstrong State University (which merged into Georgia Southern University), where she majored in English professional communications. She holds a master of library and information science degree from the University of South Carolina.

Lacey Gordon is the new assistant director of development for Mississippi State University Extension and the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. She worked in the furniture industry prior to joining the Mississippi State University Foundation development staff.

Gordon earned a bachelor’s degree in kinesiology with an emphasis in communication at Mississippi State University.

Melanie E. Jones was appointed vice president for advancement, research, and economic development at Grambling State University in Louisiana. She was vice president for college advancement at York Technical College in Rock Hill, South Carolina, where she also served as the executive director of the York Technical College Foundation.

Jones is a graduate of Spelman College in Atlanta, where she received a bachelor’s degree in chemistry and mathematics. She earned a master’s degree in educational leadership from Tennessee Technological University.