Administration
The President's Cabinet is an advisory body that shares information with the president on key projects and initiatives taking place across the university. It includes the individuals on the Executive Committee and other leaders representing various departments and divisions at the university.
The cabinet meets regularly and provides a forum through which the president can communicate critical information.
President
Javier Miyares is president of University of Maryland University College, the nation's largest public online university and 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—which offers courses online and in a hybrid format at more than 20 locations stateside and in more than 20 countries around the world—has also expanded its corporate and institutional alliances under his leadership.
Miyares has maintained a singular focus on quality, access, and affordability for Maryland's adult learners and members of the U.S. military around the world. The Maryland Completion Scholarship enables Maryland community college graduates to earn a bachelor's degree from UMUC for a total cost of $20,000—including their community college tuition. Through a partnership with Prince George's Community College and Prince George's County Public Schools, UMUC has also created the Prince George's 3D Scholarship pilot program that allows high-achieving students to earn college credit while still in high school and ultimately complete a bachelor's degree for $10,000 or less.
In fall 2015, the university made headlines when it replaced publisher textbooks with open educational resources in all undergraduate courses, a move that saves students millions of dollars each year. UMUC's Graduate School followed suit in fall 2016.
Miyares has also committed his support to the university's evolving learning model, which focuses on a personalized learning experience for students at scale, with greater emphasis on competence and confidence as students prepare to enter professional positions.
Miyares worked closely with and received the unanimous approval of the University System of Maryland Board of Regents in creating a new business model that serves to keep tuition low and allows for innovative approaches to fulfilling UMUC's public mission. UMUC Ventures, a nonprofit supporting organization, now serves as a holding company for commercial enterprises that will provide the university with additional revenue streams.
During Miyares' tenure, UMUC was named 2015 Educator of the Year by the World Affairs Council of Washington, D.C., and ranked No. 1 by Military Times among "Best Colleges: Online and Nontraditional Schools" for 2018. The university's competitive cybersecurity team, the Cyber Competition Team, won the 2014 Global CyberLympics in Barcelona, Spain; the 2013 and 2014 Maryland Cyber Challenge; and the inaugural Cyber DiploHack competition, organized by the prestigious Center for Strategic and International Studies, in 2015.
Miyares has often cited higher education as his gateway to the American Dream. Born in Havana, Cuba, he was taken out of the country by his Jesuit teachers on July 4, 1961, at age 14, after his father was imprisoned 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 on the board of directors of the American Council on Education (ACE); as a commissioner with the Middle States Commission on Higher Education; on the board of directors of Achieving the Dream; and on the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Veterans Advisory Committee on Education.
Note: If you contact the Office of the President via e-mail, the president's staff will ensure that your e-mail reaches the UMUC staff or faculty member best positioned to respond.
Vice President of Strategy and Innovation, Strategic Enrollment Management
Ombudsman, Ombudsman's Office
Vice President and Chief Diversity Officer, Office of Diversity and Equity
Vice President, Strategic Partnerships
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.
Vice President of Strategy and Innovation, Strategic Enrollment Management
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.
Vice President and Director, UMUC Europe
Tony K. Cho is the vice president and director of UMUC Europe. He leads the administrative and academic operations for faculty and staff at UMUC Europe headquarters and in 17 countries across Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. He joined the Europe team in 2017 from UMUC Asia, where he had served as the associate vice president and deputy director.
Cho retired as a colonel after 26 years of service in the U.S. Army as a combat arms and foreign area officer. His last assignment was as the Northeast Asia policy division chief for the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff at the Pentagon, working as the primary advisor to the Chairman on issues related to North Korea, South Korea, Japan, and Guam. This followed a variety of command and staff positions throughout the Middle East, Asia, South Asia, and Europe, including serving as Senior Army Fellow and political-military affairs officer at the U.S. State Department. Cho's combat tours include Operation Desert Storm as an infantry platoon leader and Operation Enduring Freedom as the director of operations in Pakistan. His military awards include the coveted Combat Infantryman's Badge and the Ranger Tab.
Prior to joining the Army, Cho was an aeronautical engineer with Lockheed Martin Space, leading a team of engineers in designing the flight control systems for the Navy's submarine-launched Trident II ballistic missile. He also worked at the NASA Dryden Flight Research Center.
Cho received a BS in aeronautical and astronautical engineering from the University of Illinois. He also holds an MS in mechanical engineering from Stanford University; an MA in East Asian Studies and an MPA from Harvard University; and an MA in national security studies from the United States Army War College.
Vice President and Director, UMUC Asia
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.
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.
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.
Senior Vice President, Chief Academic Officer
Alan Drimmer, PhD, serves as senior vice president and chief academic officer at UMUC. Drimmer is an accomplished academic leader and innovator with more than two decades of experience in improving access, retention, and the quality of higher education for nontraditional students. He brings formidable educational credentials, outstanding leadership in academic affairs, and demonstrated commitment to UMUC’s unique mission within the University System of Maryland (USM).
Prior to joining UMUC, Drimmer served as chief executive of PromotED, an education startup that helps employers position personalized coaching, education, and technology as employee benefits to reduce frontline turnover and absenteeism. He also held key leadership roles with Apollo Education Group, first as president of Western International University from 2009 to 2011 and then as provost and executive vice president of University of Phoenix until 2013. He served as chief academic officer of the entire Apollo Education Group from 2013 to 2016 and led multiple initiatives that involved adaptive and competency-based learning, analytics to improve student success and operational efficiencies, and student motivation projects to improve retention.
Drimmer began his professional career at the State Department as a Foreign Service Officer in the U.S. Embassy in Amman, Jordan, and then as an International Economic Sanctions Officer for the Treasury Department based in Washington, DC.
Drimmer holds BA, MA, and PhD degrees in political science from the University of Chicago, as well as an MBA from the Wharton School at University of Pennsylvania. He was a National Security Fellow at Harvard’s Olin Institute for Strategic Studies and won a prestigious Derek Bok Undergraduate Teaching Award at Harvard College. In addition, he served as a Research Fellow at the American University in Cairo's Center for Arabic Study Abroad, a Raoul Wallenberg Scholar at Hebrew University in Jerusalem and attended the Institut d’Études Politiques de Paris.
Vice President, Student Success
Ivonna Edkins joined UMUC in July 2018 as the vice president of student success. In this role she leads the department responsible for managing student success, persistence, retention, and achieving stateside total student enrollment goals.
Edkins brings more than 18 years of experience in student advising, enrollment management, and service operations to her new role. She most recently led multi-state locations as a group president with DeVry University, managing on-campus and online service delivery to non-traditional students. She previously served as vice chancellor of admissions and enrollment at Jones International University, a regionally accredited online university serving military and non-traditional students, and as a campus director at University of Phoenix.
Edkins earned a bachelor's degree in psychology at Cardinal Stefan Wyszynski University in Warsaw and began her career in higher education as a non-traditional student, earning a Master of Business Administration with a concentration in global management from University of Phoenix.
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.
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.
Vice President, Student Retention
Martina Hansen joined UMUC in August 2018 as vice president of student retention in the Office of the Senior Vice President and Chief Academic Officer. In that role, she is responsible for managing academic initiatives driving student success and student population goals while leading the design, implementation, coordination, assessment, and improvement of programs, initiatives, and interventions to continuously enhance academic student services and student success.
Hansen brings more than 16 years of experience in enrollment management and operations to UMUC. Previously, she served as vice president of operations at Delta Career Education Corporation. In that role, she was responsible for centralized operations, information technology, PMO, application development, training and development, and procurement. Simultaneously, she served as a regional vice president of campus operations, with profit and loss responsibility for 17 of Delta's campuses. At Delta, Hansen carried out several strategic operational transformations, migrated the organization to a new academic model, and led enterprise technology integrations.
Prior to that, Hansen served as vice president of continuous improvement at Career Education Corporation, where she implemented strategies to improve student success and persistence, served as a liaison between departments, and worked to ensure the effectiveness of new growth and student experience initiatives.
Hansen holds a Bachelor of Business Administration with a concentration in marketing and communications from University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, and is currently enrolled in a master's degree program in technology management at Georgetown University.
Ombudsman, Ombudsman's Office
Vice President and Chief Diversity Officer, Office of Diversity and Equity
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.
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.
Vice President, Admissions
Jamie Jaynes is vice president of admissions at UMUC. In this role, she oversees new student recruitment and community college partnerships, and coordinates training for the enrollment management department. 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.
Vice Provost and Dean, The Graduate School
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.
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.
Senior Vice President, Chief Operating Officer
301-985-7257
lloyd.miles@umuc.edu
Maj. Gen. Lloyd “Milo” Miles (U.S. Army, Ret.) currently serves as senior vice president and chief operating officer 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.
Senior Vice President, 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, Advising Operations, 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.
Deputy Chief Academic Officer, Academic Affairs
Blakely Pomietto is currently the Deputy Chief Academic Officer at UMUC. In this role, she collaborates directly with the chief academic officer in defining, implementing, and advancing key academic initiatives, strategic planning, and institutional priorities, working closely with leadership in Academic Affairs and across the institution. Pomietto oversees academic affairs-relevant policies and procedures, fulfillment of mandating reporting requirements, administrative and budget matters, and serves as the accreditation liaison officer with oversight of all accreditation-related activities and UMUC's compliance with the Middle States Commission on Higher Education standards.
Pomietto served as acting provost and senior vice president for academic affairs during UMUC's national search for the Chief Academic Officer. She served previously as associate vice provost for accreditation, compliance and reporting, including oversight of academic effectiveness and institutional research, the academic affairs policy portfolio, academic program reviews and approvals, and academic partnerships.
Prior to joining UMUC in 2015, Pomietto worked at the 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 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.
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.
Vice President, Institutional Advancement
301-985-7164
cathy.sweet@umuc.edu
Cathy Sweet has served as vice president of institutional advancement for UMUC since 2008. In this role, Sweet leads the Development, Alumni Relations, and Career Services units. With more than 25 years of management and fundraising experience, she led the first capital campaign at UMUC and stood up an innovative Career Services model that serves both alumni and students.
During her 14-year tenure at Gallaudet University, Sweet 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. Later, as special assistant to the president, she served as liaison with the board of trustees and board of associates and led all congressional relations activities.
Before joining Gallaudet, Sweet worked for United Way, where she directed a community service center that served deaf and hard-of-hearing citizens in Forsyth County, North Carolina. She has served on the boards of Habitat for Humanity Metro Maryland and Special Olympics Maryland and is a member of Leadership Maryland's Class of 2010.
Sweet earned a master's degree in counseling from Gallaudet University and a bachelor's degree in education from the University of North Carolina.
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.
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.
President, AccelerEd
Chief Technology Officer
Tracy Woods serves as president of AccelerEd and chief technology officer at UMUC. Prior to joining AccelerEd, she served at American Public University System as senior vice president and chief information officer, where she had overall responsibility for the technology infrastructure, applications, and services supporting APUS students, faculty, and staff.
Previously, Woods served as vice president of IT service delivery for Sunrise Senior Living, a global provider of senior care services that has more than 400 communities in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom. At Sunrise, she was responsible for the global technology infrastructure, application services, and user support for the communities and corporate headquarters.
Before joining Sunrise, Woods served as the vice president of Internet businesses for the National Rural Telecommunications Cooperative, which provides wholesale private label ISP services to rural telephone and electric cooperatives all over the United States. She was responsible for all aspects of service delivery, subscriber support, technical operations, and new product/business development as well as the financial performance of the business lines.
Woods holds a bachelor's degree in journalism from Boston University.
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.
The discount for Federal employees and their spouses and eligible dependents will be applied to out-of-state tuition and specialty graduate programs. It does not apply to doctoral programs. This discount cannot be combined with the Completion Scholarship for Maryland community college students or the Pennsylvania Completion Scholarship.
Undergraduate and standard graduate program tuition for students who meet the criteria for Maryland residency will be the applicable in-state rate. Tuition for active-duty military; members of the Selected Reserves, National Guard, and the Commissioned Corps of the U.S. Public Health Service and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration; and the spouses and dependents of these student groups will be the applicable military or specialty rate. If you are a student using Post 9/11 benefits, please contact an advisor at 800-939-UMUC to determine if you can apply both benefits.
View important information about the education debt, earnings, and completion rates of students enrolled in certificate programs.
All students are required to pay tuition for all courses in which they are enrolled. Tuition rates are subject to the approval of the University System of Maryland Board of Regents. They may be changed, or other charges may be included, as a result of the Board of Regents decisions. Notwithstanding any other provision of this or any other university publication, the university reserves the right to make changes in tuition, fees and other charges at any time such changes are deemed necessary by the university and the USM Board of Regents.
The Board of Regents has authorized the university to charge a student's delinquent account for all collection costs incurred by the university. The normal collection fee is 17 percent plus attorney and/or court costs. The service charge for a dishonored check is $30. Requests for services (for example, transcripts, diplomas, registration) will be denied until all debts are paid.
Please see the USM residency policy for specific details about residency requirements.
Financial aid and tuition remission for University System of Maryland employees cannot be applied to noncredit courses. Golden ID benefits may not be applied to fees, noncredit courses, specialty graduate programs, or doctoral programs. Regular tuition rates apply for cooperative education, course challenge examinations, and EXCEL 301.
GI Bill is a registered trademark of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. More information about education benefits offered by VA is available on the U.S. government GI Bill website.
The UCSP 615 requirement may be waived if you previously earned a graduate degree from a regionally accredited institution. For more information, contact your academic advisor.
(Required within the first 6 credits of graduate study for all new graduate students, except MBA students). An overview of the skills needed for academic and professional success. Focus is on enhancing communication and critical thinking skills. Assignments provide familiarity with tools such as social media and library and information resources. APA style and resources are also addressed.
