The President's Cabinet

Javier Miyares

President

president-office@umuc.edu

Javier Miyares is president of University of Maryland University College, a constituent institution of the University System of Maryland. Since his appointment in 2012, he has expanded access and opportunities for adult learners through key initiatives and has been in the forefront of leveraging "big data" and analytics to fuel advances in learning science.

The university has also expanded its corporate and institutional alliances under his leadership. UMUC has established an agreement with the federal Office of Personnel Management to help fill identified skills gaps in the 2.7-million-strong federal workforce. He also established the UMUC Completion Scholarship, enabling Maryland community college graduates to earn a bachelor’s degree from UMUC for a total cost of $20,000.

In 2015, the USM Board of Regents approved a UMUC plan to spin off its highly successful Office of Analytics into a new company, HelioCampus, that now offers business intelligence products and services to universities nationwide. The university has committed to using profits generated by HelioCampus to support scholarship programs that would further reduce and perhaps ultimately eliminate tuition costs for graduates of Maryland community colleges who seek to earn their bachelor's degrees at UMUC.

Recognizing the university’s expertise in providing education to the U.S. military, the Department of Defense in 2015 awarded UMUC a new seven-year contract to continue offering coursework and academic support services to our U.S. troops in the Asia Pacific region. In 2013, UMUC secured the DoD contract to continue providing instruction to U.S. troops across Europe for the next 10 years.

Under Miyares's leadership, the Pillars of Strength Scholarship program has been established in association with the Yellow Ribbon Fund and the The Blewitt Foundation. This unique partnership awards full UMUC scholarships to the volunteer caregivers of wounded military servicemembers.

Also during Miyares's tenure, the UMUC Cyber Padawans—the university's cybersecurity competition team comprising students, faculty, and alumni—won the 2014 Global CyberLympics in Barcelona, Spain, as well as the Maryland Cyber Challenge in 2013 and 2014, and the inaugural Cyber DiploHack competition organized by the prestigious Center for Strategic and International Studies in 2015.

UMUC has received numerous honors during Miyares's tenure. The university was named 2015 Global Educator of the Year by the World Affairs Council of Washington, D.C. for its leadership in academic innovation. UMUC's service to veterans has been cited by Military Times, which ranked UMUC the top public university for veterans in its "Best for Vets: Colleges 2017" list. UMUC also received the 2015 President's Award from the Open Education Consortium for its exceptional leadership in adopting open-source material in all classes by fall 2016.

Miyares has often cited higher education as his gateway to the American Dream. Born in Havana, Cuba, he was spirited out of the country by his Jesuit teachers on July 4, 1961, at age 14, after his father was taken prisoner by Fidel Castro during the Bay of Pigs invasion. Miyares later joined Operation Pedro Pan and eventually moved to Maryland, where he attended the University of Maryland, College Park, earning bachelor's and master's degrees in sociology. He completed all the requirements but the dissertation for a doctorate in educational measurement and statistics.

Miyares currently serves as a member of the board of directors of the American Council on Education (ACE) and as a commissioner with UMUC's accrediting agency, the Middle States Commission on Higher Education.

Note: If you contact the Office of the President via e-mail, a member of the president's staff will make sure that your e-mail is forwarded to the UMUC staff or faculty member who is in the best position to reply to you.

Ed Bach

Vice President, Strategic Partnerships

edward.bach@umuc.edu

As vice president of strategic partnerships at UMUC, Ed Bach works with his team of business development specialists in higher education to shape innovative relationships that enable partner organizations to grow their talent and meet their organizational objectives.

Before joining UMUC in November 2016, Bach spent more than 25 years in executive management working with global partners to help grow and scale both emerging and Fortune 500 companies. He has served in the capacity of president and vice president in public and private firms since 1988. He spent significant time in the technology industry, where he reengineered business development teams that produced consistent revenue growth and forged innovative partnerships. He was a key component in executing corporate mergers at organizations such as Westinghouse and PageNet while still growing revenue.

Prior to his experience in technology, Bach founded and led an education and organizational development company in Columbia, Maryland, that had critical success with the Federal Government as well as in vertical markets, such as healthcare, manufacturing, biotechnology, and engineering.

Bach received a bachelor's degree in marketing from George Mason University.

Joseph Cantoni

Vice President of Strategy and Innovation, Strategic Enrollment Management

joseph.cantoni@umuc.edu

Joseph Cantoni joined UMUC in November 2016. His focus is on improving student acquisition, retention, and advising by developing innovative processes and services for UMUC colleagues and students.

Cantoni began his career as an engineer with General Electric. He has held progressive leadership positions in the consulting, healthcare, and education industries. His roles have focused on improving customer service and operations through the use of Six Sigma tools and methodology. Before joining UMUC, he was vice president of operational excellence for DeVry Education Group, where he led enterprise-wide value creation initiatives that delivered world-class student services and reduced operating costs.

Cantoni and his wife, Paula, have two daughters, Nicole and Danielle. He enjoys playing tennis and traveling. He earned bachelor's and master's degrees in engineering from Widener University, and he holds a JD from the Western New England University School of Law. Cantoni is also a Six Sigma Black Belt and Tau Beta Pi engineering honor society inductee.

Tony Cho

Vice President and Director, UMUC Europe

tony.cho@umuc.edu

Tony Cho serves as vice president and director of UMUC Europe. He previously served as UMUC's associate vice president and deputy director, Asia.

Cho retired as colonel after 26 years of service in the United States Army as a combat arms and foreign area officer—his last assignment being the Northeast Asia Policy Division Chief for the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff at the Pentagon. He has served in command and staff positions throughout the Middle East, Asia, South Asia, and Europe. His combat tour includes Operation Desert Storm as an infantry platoon leader and Operation Enduring Freedom as director of operations in Pakistan. He also served as Army senior fellow and political-military affairs officer at the State Department. Prior to enlisting in military service, Cho worked as an aeronautical engineer with Lockheed Martin Corporation Space Systems and NASA's Dryden Flight Research Center.

Cho holds a BS in aeronautical engineering from the University of Illinois; an MA in East Asian studies; an MPA from Harvard University; an MS in mechanical engineering from Stanford University; and an MA in national security studies from the United States Army War College.

James "Jim" Cronin

Vice President and Director, UMUC Asia

james.cronin@umuc.edu

James Cronin serves as vice president and director of the Asia division at UMUC, where he has worked since he retired from the U.S. Army as a lieutenant colonel in 2000. In 1980, he earned a Bachelor of Science in political science from DePaul University and was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the infantry. He also earned his Master of Science in public administration in 1999 from Central Michigan University and a graduate certificate in distance education from UMUC in 2002.

During an Army career that spanned more than 20 years, Cronin served as an infantry officer in the 8th Infantry Division (M) in Mainz, Germany; the 5th Infantry (M) at Fort Polk, LA; and the XVIII Airborne Corps at Fort Bragg, NC. He commanded two infantry companies and served as a brigade executive officer. He also served as recruiting company commander and held various positions in public affairs stateside in Fort Huachuca, AZ, and overseas in Korea and Bosnia. In his final assignment, he served as director of the Public Affairs and Journalism division of the Defense Information School at Fort Meade. His military service won him the Legion of Merit and six Meritorious Service Medals from the Army.

Since 2000, Cronin has focused on expanding UMUC's military enrollments stateside. He served for a number of years as associate vice president of program management, supervising various programs and partnerships. As program manager, he was responsible for all facets of the move into the GoArmyEd and Air Force institution portals. Cronin also developed and coordinated a number of special partnerships with military institutions, including the Army Signal Center graduate program, the Information Resource Management College, and the Army Command General Staff College. In addition, Cronin serves as an adjunct associate professor at UMUC, teaching Introduction to Public Speaking.

Heather Date

Vice President, Communications and Engagement

301-985-7077
heather.date@umuc.edu

Heather Date serves as vice president for communications and engagement at University of Maryland University College (UMUC). Based in the Office of the President, Heather is focused on strengthening internal communications and fostering employee engagement. She joined UMUC in 2012 as associate vice president for communications, helping build a communications operation for the university that includes executive communications, media relations, social media, university events, Commencement Services, and special projects.

Heather began her career working on public affairs programming in the Washington, D.C. Bureau of CNN, before joining the media practice of the public relations firm Hill & Knowlton as a senior account executive. She returned to her alma mater, George Washington University, as coordinating producer for the school's five-year partnership with CNN. The partnership resulted in the production of more than 750 programs, including the daily political debate program Crossfire, broadcast live before studio audiences. She also served as associate director of the university's Global Media Institute and, since 2007, as senior producer of the public broadcasting series, The Kalb Report, moderated by legendary journalist Marvin Kalb.

Heather earned her bachelor’s degree in political communication from George Washington University’s School of Media and Public Affairs, where she received the Dorothy and Will Roberts prize for academic excellence, professional promise, and community service. In 2011, she was honored in Beverly Hills, California, by the Alliance for Women in Media with a Gracie Award for Outstanding Producer— News/Non-Fiction for her work on The Kalb Report.

Maureen Walsh David

Vice President and General Counsel, Legal Affairs

301-985-7407
maureen.david@umuc.edu

Maureen Walsh David, JD is the vice president and general counsel for UMUC. She joined UMUC in 2010, as the deputy general counsel in the Office of Legal Affairs. The Office of Legal Affairs provides a wide range of advice and counsel to all areas of the university. Walsh David also values her opportunity to work directly with UMUC students in her role as an adjunct faculty member at UMUC.

Before joining UMUC, Walsh David combined her background in employment law and her commitment to education and public service as an assistant attorney general at the Maryland Office of the Attorney General, a position she held for over twelve years. During her time there, she was senior counsel for outreach and training in the educational affairs division, counsel to Baltimore City Community College, and counsel to the private career school section of the Maryland Higher Education Commission. Walsh David received an Exceptional Service Award for her work in 2005.

Walsh David earned her JD from University of Maryland School of Law, a Master of Science in library science from Simmons College, and an undergraduate degree from Harvard University. She is a member of the Maryland State Bar Association as well as the National Association of College and University Attorneys.

Michael Freedman

Senior Vice President, Communication

301-985-7200
michael.freedman@umuc.edu

Michael Freedman is senior vice president of Communications at UMUC.

In a distinguished career spanning more than 30 years, Freedman has served as general manager of CBS Radio Network News, managing editor for the Broadcast Division of United Press International, leadership press secretary to the Majority Whip of the U.S. House of Representatives, vice president of Communications for The George Washington University, GW professor of Media and Public Affairs, and executive director of the university's Global Media Institute.

During his tenure at GW, Freedman forged groundbreaking partnerships with CNN, The National Press Club, Politico, and The Newseum in Washington, D.C. Over the course of his career, he has collaborated on programming with such icons as Walter Cronkite, Marvin Kalb, Tony Bennett, Ernie Harwell, Robert Trout, Richard C. Hottelet, Dan Rather, Charles Osgood, and Abba Eban.

Freedman is the recipient of more than 85 honors, including 14 Edward R. Murrow awards for excellence in broadcast journalism. In 2009, the Global Media Institute earned a Gold World Medal in the New York Festivals International Radio Awards competition for its centennial tribute to Edward R. Murrow, which was moderated and produced by Freedman. In 2003, he was honored with the RTNDA Washington, D.C., Chapter's Peter Hackes Memorial Award for career contributions to broadcast journalism in the nation's capital. Most recently, in 2011, he received the GW School of Media and Public Affairs Faculty Excellence Award, voted annually by students in the program.

Freedman is co-author of The Broadcast Voice Handbook and a contributing author to Broadcasting Through Crisis, Responsible Journalism and The Encyclopedia of Journalism. He is a member of The Newseum Educator Advisory Team and serves on the boards of The Duke Ellington School of the Arts, the RTDNA Washington, D.C. Area Chapter, and The Radio History Society.

He holds a bachelor's degree in Speech Communication from Wayne State University in Detroit. He and his wife Renee have two sons and live in Old Town Alexandria, Virginia.

Deborah Grayson

Vice Provost, Learning Design and Experience

240-684-2703
deborah.grayson@umuc.edu

Deborah Grayson serves as vice provost for learning design and experience at UMUC. In this role, she leads Learning Design and Solutions, the library, academic technology, and faculty development to create a premier teaching and learning experience for faculty and students. Grayson and her team take a collaborative and integrated approach to learning design, educational pedagogy, neuroscience, design thinking, and user experience to create learning experiences that are engaging, impactful, and relevant to adult learners.

Previously, Grayson served as associate vice provost for learning design and solutions, where she and her team focused on developing innovative academic programs in partnership with the Undergraduate and Graduate Schools. Prior to joining UMUC, Grayson served as senior director for global learning and knowledge systems at Habitat for Humanity International, where she was accountable for designing and implementing strategies for content development, knowledge management, and virtual learning environments for staff, affiliated organizations, and volunteers. Grayson has also been a faculty member at Georgia Institute of Technology and the University of Rochester, where she taught courses on science, technology and culture, literature and medicine, and material culture. 

Grayson holds both a master's degree and a doctorate in American studies from Michigan State University and has a BA in English from the University of Maryland, College Park. Her current research interests include digital literacy and adult learning and use and user engagement around Open Educational Resources.

Blair H. Hayes

Ombudsman, Ombudsman's Office
Vice President and Chief Diversity Officer, Office of Diversity and Equity

blair.hayes@umuc.edu

Blair Hayes, PhD is ombudsman, vice president and chief diversity officer at UMUC. He joined UMUC following a career spent leading diversity initiatives, researching best practices, and developing programs to support climate and cultural change. A recognized thought leader in the fields of diversity and equal employment opportunity practices, Hayes has worked for Booz Allen Hamilton, managing demographics and analytics and leading the firm-wide Board Diversity Initiative. As a diversity consultant, he has worked with clients across the Federal workforce to expand their EEO policies and procedures and to improve their human capital offerings. Earlier, at Temple University, Hayes worked at the Institute for Survey Research, where he served as lead researcher on the SMART Memory Program, focusing on improving memory and cognitive function in senior citizens throughout Philadelphia. This work formed the basis for his innovative workshops and approaches to supporting generational diversity in the workplace.

Hayes holds a BA in psychology from Morehouse College and an MA and PhD in social/organizational psychology from Temple University. His research focused on gender and racial dynamics in the workplace. He has earned numerous awards and commendations for his work and commitment to diversity and cultural change.

Lisa Henkel

Vice President, Operations and Planning

240-684-2187
lisa.henkel@umuc.edu

Lisa Henkel is vice president of operations and planning at UMUC. In this role she leads the implementation of operational strategies and objectives across multiple revenue-generating and support departments.

Henkel joined UMUC in March 1999. Prior to her current role, she served as the vice president of enrollment management. Henkel has also served in UMUC's overseas division as the director of downrange and Europe operations, where she was responsible for directing UMUC's enrollment operations across Europe and for meeting the educational needs of servicemembers deployed downrange with the U.S. Central Command and U.S. Africa Command. Prior to her leadership role overseas, Henkel served in a variety of capacities with UMUC stateside, including associate vice president for Maryland operations.

Henkel earned an associate's degree from the Community College of the Air Force, a bachelor's degree in business management from Excelsior College, and a master's degree in management and a Master of Business Administration from UMUC. In 2009, Henkel received UMUC's Presidential Award, which recognizes members of the university's staff who have demonstrated exemplary performance.

Jamie Jaynes

Vice President, Enrollment Management

jamie.jaynes@umuc.edu

Jamie Jaynes is vice president of enrollment management at UMUC. In this role, she provides leadership, expert oversight, and coordination of recruitment, student advising, retention and persistence, and regional center operations. She joined UMUC in June 2017.

With more than 16 years of experience in enrollment management, Jaynes most recently served as a district manager with C2 Education, managing daily operations and student enrollment and ensuring that financial goals for five centers in the Dallas area were met. For more than 15 years, she served in various roles with DeVry University. As vice president of admissions, she was responsible for meeting on-site and online enrollment goals; managing, training, and developing up to 20 admissions directors; and ensuring budget outcomes were achieved on multiple campuses. Jaynes also served as a leader on multiple special projects to develop, streamline, and standardize enrollment processes to increase enrollment efficiencies; adopt technology to enhance the new student experience; and create and deliver admissions and recruitment training in both classroom and virtual environments.

Jaynes earned a Bachelor of Business Administration in finance from Texas Christian University and a Master of Business Administration with a concentration in human resources from DeVry University's Keller Graduate School of Management.

Kathryn Klose

Dean and Vice Provost, The Graduate School

240-684-2400
graddean@umuc.edu

As dean of the UMUC Graduate School, Kathryn Klose guides the development and implementation of the overall strategic plan for the school. Klose joined the Dean's Office in 2013 as associate dean and acting associate provost, responsible for the daily operations of the Graduate School, prior to advancing to her current position as dean. Klose has been actively involved in transforming the graduate learning model and in promoting participatory leadership in the school.

Klose joined UMUC in 2005 as the associate chair of the business and management program, where she assisted in guiding its daily operations. As a program chair, she led a team responsible for the portfolio of degree offerings in accounting and financial management. Klose served as an adjunct faculty member in accounting and financial management from 2001 to 2005.

Klose has 23 years of professional experience in management, accounting, and finance. She has served in senior executive roles in finance and was a licensed CPA, providing accounting services to both individual and corporate clients in the public and private sectors. Klose has successfully transferred this leadership experience to UMUC's academic environment.

Klose holds a PhD in education policy and leadership with a specialization in curriculum theory and development from University of Maryland, College Park. She holds a Master of Science in management with a specialization in financial management and a Bachelor of Science in education. In addition to discipline-specific interests, Klose's areas of research in education are in promoting the success of first-generation college students, globalizing curricula, and designing inclusive curriculum in nontraditional learning spaces.

Eugene D. Lockett, Jr.

Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, Business Operations

301-985-7330
eugene.lockett@umuc.edu

Eugene D. Lockett Jr. is vice president and chief financial officer of UMUC. He has been with the university since 2004.

As CFO, Lockett is responsible for the financial health and integrity of the university. He ensures the accounting functions of the university are carried out in strict accordance with recognized accounting principles and conducts financial analysis on university operations, potential business opportunities, and contractor performance.

Lockett oversees all financial operations, including the offices of Finance, Student Accounts, Budget and Financial Analysis; manages the preparation and execution of UMUC's budget; and is responsible for the university's audited financial statements. He also oversees the office of Facilities Management, which maintains UMUC's facilities, physical plant, and grounds, and provides for the safety and security of UMUC's employees and assets. Facilities Management also handles all real property transactions and construction activities.

In addition, the UMUC Inn and Conference Center by Marriott reports to Lockett through its general manager. The center, including its hotel, provides UMUC with a significant source of income and visibility. Thousands of people, regionally, nationally, and internationally, attend conferences at the center each year.

Before joining UMUC, Lockett served in progressively responsible positions in business and financial management at the University of Maryland, Baltimore. While there, Lockett was instrumental in bringing new housing to the UMB campus through a creative public/private partnership and in instituting a student loan initiative that realizes millions of dollars annually in reduced loan costs and scholarships for students.

Lockett also worked as a branch manager for a major financial services company in Baltimore, where he managed the most successful field office in Maryland for the consumer finance wing of the world’s largest financial services corporation.

Lockett graduated with honors in earning both his MBA from the University of Baltimore and his BS in business administration from Towson University.

Lloyd "Milo" Miles

Chief Operating Officer and Senior Vice President, Global Military Operations

301-985-7257
lloyd.miles@umuc.edu

Maj. Gen. Lloyd “Milo” Miles (U.S. Army, Ret.) currently serves as chief operating officer and senior vice president of global military operations at UMUC. In this role, he oversees the administration and management of the university's global operations and partnerships in more than 20 countries in Europe, Africa, Asia, and the Middle East.

Prior to joining UMUC in January 2015, Miles served more than 32 years of active duty in a decorated military career, which included multiple distinguished leadership positions in education, training, combat readiness, and leader development of U.S. troops. In his last duty assignment, Miles served as senior commander of Joint Base Lewis-McChord, one of the largest military installations in the country with approximately 40,000 soldiers and airmen and 13,000 government civilians and contractors. In his various military assignments, Miles has served in Europe, Asia, Africa, the Middle East, and Latin America.

Miles has commanded at every level from captain to major general, including one of the earliest peacekeeping missions to the Sinai Desert as a company commander, a battalion task force on a peace enforcement mission in Kosovo, and a brigade combat team in combat operations in Iraq. He also led the international effort to advise, train, and equip the Iraqi Army.

Miles is the fourth soldier to be promoted to general as an amputee since the Civil War. He is the only one from the current conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan and the only one of four to serve multiple combat tours after becoming an amputee.

His principal staff assignments included serving as battalion and brigade operations officer; liaison officer to Egypt's Ministry of Defense and Military Production in Cairo, Egypt; political-military planner for North Korea, Joint Staff, Pentagon; executive officer to the commander, U.S. Southern Command; and executive officer to the chief of staff of the U.S. Army.

Miles earned a BS in engineering from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point and an MS in national strategic studies from the U.S. Army War College.

Erika Orris

Chief Enrollment and Marketing Officer

301-985-7435
erika.orris@umuc.edu

Erika Orris is chief enrollment and marketing officer at UMUC. In this role, she oversees the Offices of Marketing, New Student Admissions, Student Advising and Retention, and Corporate and Government Partnerships as well as the Service Center and the Digital University program. She joined UMUC in March 2016.

Orris is a veteran administrator whose career has focused on helping students achieve their education goals. Before coming to UMUC, she was vice president for enrollment management at DeVry University and its Keller Graduate School of Management. While serving in this position, she built an acclaimed advisor training program, spearheaded development of a digital self-service process for student enrollment and financial aid, and oversaw the development of hundreds of corporate, college, and high school partnerships.

Prior to that, Orris served in various leadership roles in admissions and operations at the Art Institutes, a system of more than 40 campuses across North America that offer degrees and programs in the creative and applied arts. Her 19-year career there included leading a start-up operation; serving as vice president of marketing and admissions, where she also chaired the scholarship committee; and managing information technology-related projects to enhance the student experience. She led the development of virtual student interviews and career-oriented multimedia presentations in the 1990s, well ahead of its time.

Orris received a bachelor's degree in political science from the University of Pittsburgh. Her experience in serving a wide variety of students—including high school students and adults as well as those in the military—in both on-site and online formats will lend itself well to UMUC's mission to improve the lives of adult learners.

John R. Petrov

Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer, Human Resources

myhr@umuc.edu

John Petrov is vice president and chief human resources officer at UMUC. He is responsible for delivering best-in-class human capital programs and initiatives in support of our global faculty and staff. Petrov joined UMUC in January 2012, and was promoted to his current position after initially serving as associate vice president of human resources with leadership responsibility for compensation and benefits, talent acquisition, the human resources service center, and information systems. Petrov is also an adjunct faculty member at UMUC, where he has taught courses in human resource management.

Petrov has more than 15 years of human resources and leadership experience. Prior to joining UMUC, he served as the vice president and chief human resources officer at Fairmont General Hospital in West Virginia. Prior to that, he served as Bayshore Medical Center's human resources leader, where he successfully led the organization to receive its first-time recognition as a "Best Places to Work" in Houston, Texas.

Petrov holds a bachelor's degree in business administration from Colorado Technical University and a master's degree in human resource management from Briar Cliff University. He is certified as a Senior Professional in Human Resources through the HR Certification Institute. He is also a member of the Society for Human Resource Management and certified as a SHRM Senior Certified Professional.

Blakely Pomietto

Acting Provost and Senior Vice President, Academic Affairs

blakely.pomietto@umuc.edu

Blakely Pomietto joined UMUC in 2015, serving first as assistant vice provost for academic policies and reports and then as associate vice provost for accreditation, compliance, and reporting. She acts as UMUC's accreditation liaison officer, overseeing UMUC's compliance with Middle States Commission on Higher Education standards. Since coming to UMUC, Pomietto established a policy review and development process within academic affairs; worked alongside UMUC's Office of Legal Affairs to ensure UMUC's compliance with local, state, and Federal regulations, including the Code of Maryland Regulations, the State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement, and Federal gainful employment regulations; partnered with the Undergraduate and Graduate Schools to support data-driven program improvement, including academic program reviews, student surveys, and development of new capacities for quality assurance initiatives; and oversaw institutional and mandated reporting.

Prior to joining UMUC, Pomietto worked for University of Maryland, College Park's School of Public Health for nine years, most recently in the role of chief of staff. She led the school through initial accreditation and reaccreditation by the Council on Education for Public Health and coordinated with the school's dean's office and individual units, including academic affairs, communications, finance and administration, research, and student services. She facilitated school- and department-level policy development and implementation in alignment with university and accreditation requirements; served as lead data liaison to the university's Office of Institutional Research, Planning, and Assessment; and oversaw the periodic review and revision of the school's shared governance plan. Previously, as the school's director of student services and the Master of Public Health program coordinator, Pomietto provided leadership and support for student advising, student services, and the establishment of new academic departments and programs. She was also an adjunct faculty member in the school from August 2001 to May 2013.

Previously, Pomietto worked in a variety of public health agencies, where she led health education communications and training initiatives, developed evaluation and assessment tools, and served as managing editor for the peer-reviewed journal, Health Promotion Practice.

Pomietto earned a bachelor's degree in biology from George Mason University and a Master of Public Health, with a concentration in community health education, from the University of Maryland, College Park.

Frank J. Principe, Jr.

Chief of Staff, President's Office

301-985-7314
frank.principe@umuc.edu

Frank J. Principe Jr. is chief of staff in UMUC's Office of the President. In that role, he directs all activities and operations in the Office of the President and serves as the principal aide to the president, participating with the president and other senior officers in institutional planning, policy development, and a variety of other matters of institutional importance.

Principe joined UMUC in February 2015, serving most recently as vice president for Government Affairs, overseeing all aspects of state and Federal government relations. He came to UMUC with a wealth of experience in public affairs, public policy, government and community relations, and higher education.

Prior to joining UMUC, Principe served as chief of staff in the Office of the Secretary of the Maryland Department of Transportation, where he represented the governor's and secretary's interests with external stakeholders. Earlier, he served as government affairs director at the Baltimore County Executive Office for seven years and, prior to that, as executive director for government relations in the Office of the President at Towson University.

Principe began his career more than 25 years ago in the Office of the Maryland Senate President, Thomas V. "Mike" Miller Jr. There, he rose to serve as special assistant to the president, a position he held for more than five years.

Principe holds a master's degree in political management from George Washington University and a bachelor's degree in English, with honors, from the University of Maryland, College Park.

George A. Shoenberger

Senior Vice President and Chief Business Officer

301-985-7276
george.shoenberger@umuc.edu

George A. Shoenberger is the senior vice president and chief business officer for UMUC. He has been with the university since February 2004.

Shoenberger is responsible for the overall success of UMUC's day-to-day business operations. He works closely with the president to develop strategic, operational, financial, and business continuity strategies to maximize use of resources and ensure the university's ongoing competitive position, financial security, and long-term sustainability.

Shoenberger oversees the vice president and chief financial officer, who is responsible for the Offices of Budget and Financial Analysis, Student Accounts, Financial Operations, the Marriott Inn and Conference Center, and Facilities Management, including real estate development, construction services, and security. In addition, the vice president for Human Resources, and the assistant and associate vice presidents for Compliance and Fraud Prevention, Strategic Contracting, Procurement Services, as well as the chief information security officer, report to Shoenberger.

Shoenberger's experience in higher education administration is substantial and diverse. He began his professional career at Towson University, where he served in progressively responsible leadership positions.

The majority of Shoenberger's career in higher education was spent at the University of Maryland, Baltimore, the state's public academic health science and law campus. He was responsible for procurement and contract management functions as well as the auxiliary business operations. He also oversaw the UMB's Donaldson Brown Executive Conference Center and the Dr. Samuel D. Harris National Museum of Dentistry, the world's only comprehensive dental museum and an affiliate of the Smithsonian Institution.

While at UMB, Shoenberger spearheaded a student loan program that is generating millions of dollars for funding scholarships and reducing the costs that students pay toward their loans. He also headed the contracting effort to bring the first new housing to UMB in decades through a public/private partnership.

For nearly 15 years, Shoenberger represented the University System of Maryland before the governor, treasurer, and comptroller of the state of Maryland, sitting on the Maryland Board of Public Works.

Shoenberger has experience in international contracting through his work with the Westinghouse Defense Center, where he was instrumental in reducing manufacturing costs through offshore outsourcing. He also has experience in local government, having served as the senior advisor to the county executive of Baltimore County. As the county executive's liaison with government and business leaders, Shoenberger was especially proud of the major role he played in revitalizing a crime-ridden public housing project and in managing the county's heralded response to the aftermath of a devastating hurricane.

Shoenberger has a degree in business administration from Frostburg State College and an MBA from University of Baltimore. He holds an accreditation as a Certified Purchasing Manager and is a graduate of Harvard University School of Education in residence Management Development Program.

Cathy Sweet

Vice President, Institutional Advancement

301-985-7164
cathy.sweet@umuc.edu

Cathy Sweet is vice president of institutional advancement for UMUC. Sweet has 18 years of management and fundraising experience, most recently as special assistant to the president for board and external relations at Gallaudet University, where she started working in 1994 as director of individual giving.

During her tenure at Gallaudet, she served as executive director of institutional advancement, leading two capital campaigns that raised more than $70 million for scholarships, program support and the construction of two academic buildings. In her most recent position at the university, as special assistant to the president, she served as the university’s liaison with the board of trustees and board of associates and led all congressional relations activities.

Before joining Gallaudet she worked for United Way, where she directed a community service center that served deaf and hard of hearing citizens in Forsyth County, North Carolina.

Sweet earned a master’s degree in counseling from Gallaudet University and a bachelor’s degree in education from University of North Carolina.

Kara Van Dam

Vice Provost and Dean, The Undergraduate School

301-985-7758
kara.vandam@umuc.edu

Kara Van Dam serves as vice provost and dean of the Undergraduate School at UMUC. In this role, she ensures that the school, its faculty, staff, and students—both stateside and overseas—are supported in rich learning environments and that the school's more than 30 bachelor's degrees and undergraduate certificates help students develop as competent and confident people and professionals. Previously, she served as the vice provost for the Learner and Faculty Experience.

Prior to joining UMUC, Van Dam served as vice provost of academic affairs, dean of faculty, and dean of the School of General Education at Kaplan University. There, she led large-scale initiatives aimed at improving the institution's ability to serve students while also providing a rewarding work environment where faculty had opportunities to engage with and feel supported by the institution.

Van Dam holds both a master's degree and a doctorate in linguistics from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where she also served as a graduate teaching assistant. Her linguistics research focuses on the way people use language as a marker of identity, analyzing issues in language contact situations (e.g., in multilingual communities, immigrant communities, and educational classrooms). Van Dam also regularly presents and publishes on issues of online pedagogy, adult learner theory, competency-based education, general education, and assessment. She holds a Master of Business Administration from Kaplan University.

Kelly Wilmeth

Vice President, Stateside Military Operations

240-684-2311
kelly.wilmeth@umuc.edu

Ms. Kelly Wilmeth is the vice president of UMUC's Stateside Military Operations. In this role, she is responsible for UMUC's staff and operations on military installations across the country and for overseeing UMUC's outreach to and growth among the military and veteran population. Ms. Wilmeth began her career with UMUC in 2009 while stationed in Korea with her husband, who is an active-duty Army officer. Ms. Wilmeth is a military spouse who has lived all over the world in the past 20 years. She has worked for several colleges and universities which provide educational services to the U.S. military and their families, to include City Colleges of Chicago – Programs for the Military Europe, the University of Oklahoma, and Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University.

Ms. Wilmeth holds a bachelor's degree in International Relations from Stanford University and a master's degree in Secondary Education from the University of New Mexico. As a military spouse, she has experienced first-hand the many challenges that the military lifestyle presents as it relates to education and employment. She is honored that her career in higher education provides her the opportunity to assist service members, veterans and military spouses to achieve their academic goals and career aspirations.

Peter C. Young

Senior Vice President, Analytics, Planning, and Technology

240-684-5268
pete.young@umuc.edu

Peter C. Young is senior vice president of Analytics, Planning, and Technology at UMUC. He oversees the Office of Information Technology, the Office of Analytics, the university-wide Project Management Office, and Enterprise Architecture and Strategy. He joined UMUC in 2011 as chief information officer; in that role, he provided strategic direction and leadership for the planning and implementation of strategies, policies, and programs around the university’s global information systems.

Young came to UMUC with more than 20 years of progressive leadership experience in information technology, having served most recently as vice president and CIO of Rosetta Stone, in Arlington, Virginia, the world’s leading language-learning software company. Prior to that, he served as vice president and CIO of MedImmune, in Gaithersburg, Maryland, where he oversaw a staff of 250 and an annual budget of $90 million. In 2008, he was honored as a CIO&CTO Live! Mid-Atlantic IT Executive of the Year Award Finalist, and served as a keynote speaker at the 2009 Computerworld SaasCon Conference.

Young sits on the boards of several nonprofit organizations and is active in the community. He holds a BA in computer science and economics from Wittenberg University in Springfield, Ohio, and an MBA from Indiana Wesleyan University in Marion, Indiana.

Nicholas H. Allen

Provost Emeritus, Provost's Office

301-985-7040
nicholas.allen@umuc.edu

Nicholas H. Allen is provost emeritus of University of Maryland University College. He recently served as interim president of the university, following the resignation of Gerald A. Heeger in August 2005 until the start of Susan C. Aldridge’s tenure in February 2006.

Dr. Allen joined UMUC’s Graduate School of Management Studies in 1987 as a senior faculty member and director of General Management and Executive Programs. In 1991, he became dean of The Graduate School and saw it emerge as one of the largest schools of management on the east coast with more than 7,000 graduate students. During his tenure as UMUC's chief academic officer, a position to which he was appointed in 1998, Dr. Allen provided leadership and strategic direction to UMUC's academic units.

Allen has overseen UMUC’s emergence as one of the world’s largest virtual universities with online enrollments reaching more than 140,000 in FY 2005.

Prior to coming to UMUC, Dr. Allen served 23 years with the U.S. Coast Guard where, among other assignments, he commanded two cutters and served as a program manager at the Coast Guard Institute, responsible for professional qualification courses and service-wide promotion examinations for the Coast Guard enlisted workforce.

He received his BS degree from the U.S. Coast Guard Academy, MBA degree from Oklahoma City University, and MPA and DPA degrees from The George Washington University.