Faculty and Staff: Ready to Serve You

Rodwell Cole

Military Advisor, Stateside Military Operations

rodwell.cole@umuc.edu

Rodwell Cole brings nearly 10 years of experience to UMUC’s advisory team. He has served as an admissions advisor and academic advisor and he has a passion for helping students navigate obstacles so they can achieve success.

Having family members who have served in the military as well as some that are still on active duty, Cole relishes the opportunity to be of service to our military and veteran students, and he is motivated by their determination to reach their educational goals.

"My advice to students is to be proactive. Reach out to professors, advisors, and the support staff. We are all here to support and consider your success our success," Cole says.

Barbara Kessler

Military Education Coordinator, Stateside Military Operations

301-887-7575
barbara.kessler@umuc.edu

Barbara Kessler's husband served in the military for 20 years, so she knows military life and the challenges it can present. She is an on-base military advisor for UMUC stationed at Fort Drum. In her role, she stresses the necessity of balance and time management and recommends blocking off certain times of the week for schoolwork. Kessler loves assisting military-affiliated students.

"After my youngest was off to kindergarten, I started working with military students," she says. "I fell in love with helping soldiers and talking to them about their education. There’s nothing more exciting than helping students pursue their degrees."

Julie McCarren

Senior Certification Specialist, Stateside Military Operations

240-684-2100 x25071
julie.mccarren@umuc.edu

Julie McCarren is a veteran of the United States Marine Corps, where she served from 2005 to 2009. Once she completed her active service, she decided to return to school and obtained her bachelor's degree in business communication. More recently, she earned a Master of Business Administration at UMUC.

McCarren has worked at UMUC for three years, helping veterans understand their benefits and improve their lives through education.

Timothy L. Powell

Military Education Coordinator, Stateside Military Operations

210-243-3138
timothy.powell@umuc.edu

Tim Powell has been advising students for more than seven years, including during his time at UMUC. He joined UMUC for the opportunity to support the military community and help students navigate the challenges of continuing their education. He is currently an advisor working in San Antonio, Texas, providing advisory service to students in Texas, Colorado, Oklahoma, Tennessee, and Kentucky.

Powell is no stranger to the military, having grown up in a military family. His father served 30 years in the Air Force, and many of his family members served in the Army, including his grandfather, who is a World War I veteran. As such, he is familiar with military life and the many unique challenges of servicemembers.

Powell holds two degrees in international relations. He stresses the importance of planning for the future, both in class and out, as well as developing the time management skills to balance schoolwork and life.

Valentina Singh

Military Advisor, Stateside Military Operations

valentina.singh@umuc.edu

Valentina Singh provides advisory services for military and veteran students at UMUC, serving a unique blend of students who require the attention and support of a caring knowledgeable advisor.

With a business relations and management background and more than 10 years of experience, Singh is able to serve students’ needs effectively. Being able to answer students' questions, provide them with the information they need to successfully handle the workload of college courses, and push them toward their future goals is Singh's mission.

“It just puts a smile on my face whenever I can help a student navigate their student portal and get them to the information that is right at their finger tips—even a task as simple as signing up for classes,” she says.

Lloyd "Milo" Miles

Senior Vice President, Global Military Operations

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

Major General Lloyd "Milo" Miles (U.S. Army, Ret.) currently serves as senior vice president of Global Military Affairs at UMUC. In this role, he oversees the administration and management of the university's global operations and partnerships in more than 20 countries and territories in Europe, Africa, and Asia, including the Middle East.

Before joining UMUC in January 2015, Miles served in the military for more than 32 years in a decorated career that included multiple distinguished leadership positions in education, training, strategic policy development, operational deployments, and combat. In his last duty assignment, Miles served as senior commander of Joint Base Lewis-McChord, one of the largest military organizations in the country, with approximately 40,000 soldiers and airmen and 15,000 government civilians and contractors. His various military assignments have enabled him to serve in Europe, Asia, Africa, the Middle East, and Latin America.

He has commanded at every level from captain to major general in assignments that included 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; combat operations in Iraq commanding a brigade combat team; and 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 amputee general to serve in either Iraq or Afghanistan and the only one to serve multiple combat tours after becoming an amputee.

His principal staff assignments included serving as a battalion and brigade operations officer; liaison officer to the Egyptian Ministry of Defense 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 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.

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.

Cheryl Harris

Associate Vice President, Military Enrollment Operations, Stateside Military Operations

Col. Cheryl A. Harris (U.S. Army, Ret.) is responsible for the management of UMUC's staff and operations on military installations throughout the United States. Harris retired from the U.S. Army and joined UMUC in August 2015.

As a career soldier with 30 years of active-duty service, she served in a variety of staff and command positions throughout the years. She commanded the 502nd Military Intelligence Battalion and 470th Military Intelligence Brigade during combat operations in Iraq. Her various military assignments have enabled her to see the world and visit exciting destinations around the globe, including Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin America, and the Middle East.

Harris earned a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice from McNeese State University, a Master of Science in Management from Troy State University, and a Master of Science in Strategic Campaign Planning and Strategy from the Joint Forces Staff College. Harris is a certified Personal and Executive Coach through the College of Executive Coaching. As a retired Colonel, she understands the educational needs of servicemembers, veterans, and their families. Harris is excited to have the opportunity to continue to serve by being a voice and advocate for those who wear the uniform, those who have served in the past, and their family members.

Keith Hauk

Associate Vice President, Veterans Initiatives and Military Support, Stateside Military Operations

Col. Keith Hauk (U.S. Army, Ret.) provides vision, leadership, strategic oversight, and direction to university-wide student veteran services. He ensures student veterans receive the advocacy, resources, and support they need as they work toward their educational goals and successfully transition into the civilian workplace. In addition, he oversees operational support for military-connected students, including processing of VA certification for student veterans and processing Tuition Assistance for active-duty military students.

Keith is a 29-year Army veteran who joined UMUC in September 2015. Over the course of his career he served in locations across the continental United States, Central America, Europe, and the Middle East, including combat tours in Afghanistan, Iraq, Kuwait, and Saudi Arabia. He holds an undergraduate degree from the United States Military Academy at West Point as well as advanced degrees from the Colorado School of Mines and the United States Naval War College.

Sevgi Rochford

Assistant Vice President, Partnerships, Stateside Military Operations

240-684-2309
sevgi.rochford@umuc.edu

Sevgi Rochford is responsible for the management and administration of all UMUC operations on military installations throughout the United States. 

Rochford began working for UMUC in 1993 as a field representative and adjunct assistant professor at UMUC Europe. Since moving to Maryland in 1997, she has worked as an advisor, degree auditor, and director. She was instrumental in establishing the military and veterans advising teams. She enjoys teaching and loves working with military students who are eager to pursue higher education.

Rochford holds a bachelor's degree in economics from Dokuz Eylul University in Izmir, Turkey, and a master's degree in management from Troy University.

Michelle Reitze

Assistant Vice President, Veterans Certification Office, Stateside Military Operations

Michelle Reitze is the assistant vice president of UMUC's Veterans Certification Office. In this role, she leads a team of school-certifying officials responsible for the certification of students receiving Department of Veterans Affairs educational benefits at all stateside and overseas locations. She joined UMUC in 2007 as an academic advisor and since then served in a variety of roles developing advising staff, supporting student outreach, and delivering strategic project outcomes.

Michelle earned her BA in Psychology from University of Virginia and her MS in Management specializing in Project Management from UMUC. She resides in Maryland with her Army-veteran husband and their daughter.

Kristin Byerly

Director, Veterans Initiatives, Stateside Military Operations

301-892-2342
kristin.byerly@umuc.edu

As the director of veterans initiatives for Stateside Military Operations, Kristin Byerly's role is to ensure the educational, career, and lifelong needs of our veterans and their families are addressed. Byerly has been with UMUC since January 2013, previously serving two years as a military education coordinator and three years as the assistant director in Hampton Roads, Virginia, assisting our veteran community in a direct, one-on-one capacity. Byerly is the spouse of a 30-year U.S. Navy veteran, the daughter of a 29-year veteran, and a parent of a commissioning naval officer.

Christopher Palermo

Director, Military Portals, Stateside Military Operations

240-684-2300
christopher.palermo@umuc.edu       

Christopher Palermo is the director of Military Portals, Programs, and Partnerships. He and his team work with the various military portals to ensure a smooth business process and assist students in any way possible. They work extensively with colleagues in the overseas divisions. In addition, Palermo helps facilitate a number of military and Department of Defense civilian partnership programs.

Palermo started his career at UMUC as a graduate advisor in 2007. He finds that his service in the Marine Corps has provided him with invaluable insights into servicemembers’ perspectives on higher education, making his work to help members of the military community achieve their educational goals especially rewarding. Before joining UMUC, Palermo earned his degree in psychology and English literature from University of Maryland, College Park, and worked as a group counselor and in crisis intervention there.

Nora Graves

Regional Director, Central Region, Stateside Military Operations

757-646-1530
nora.graves@umuc.edu

Nora Graves manages the central and Hampton Roads regions in support of active-duty servicemembers, veterans, and their families. This region includes Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, D.C. military locations. She is also an adjunct professor in the writing department at UMUC.

Graves began her career with UMUC as one of the initial field representatives outside the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area and has since expanded UMUC's presence in the area to 10 full-time staff members, who serve the many military installations in and around Norfolk. She is a military spouse herself, with three sisters who are also married to servicemembers, so she understands the unique challenges our students in the military face in acquiring their education. Graves holds a bachelor's degree in education and a master's in English with a specialty in rhetoric from Old Dominion University. She is a founding member and past president of the Virginia Advisory Council on Military Education.

Karla Hearsh

Associate Director, CRM and NTC Operations, Stateside Military Operations

karla.hearsh@umuc.edu

Karla Hearsh joined UMUC in 2009 as the National Testing Center coordinator at Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling. Since then, she has served in several roles, including the CRM outreach coordinator. In her current position, Hearsh provides operational support for the seven stateside National Testing Centers. The NTC staff assist servicemembers and their families in reaching their education goals by offering exams such as CLEP, DSST, and Pearson VUE. Additionally, Hearsh is responsible for coordination, oversight, and management of all CRM functions and development of standardized CRM business processes and efficiencies for UMUC Stateside Military Operations.

Rachel Smith

Regional Director, Western Region, Stateside Military Operations

rachel.smith@umuc.edu

As regional director, Rachel Smith manages the field operations for staff located on military bases and commercial sites in the Western region of the United States. She also served as the acting assistant director on the Largo advising team.

Smith began her career with UMUC in 2011 as a transfer advisor in Arizona on the community college partnership team. She was also a transfer advisor in Virginia and an education coordinator at UMUC's Shady Grove location.

Smith has been with Stateside Military Operations as an Eastern region assistant director since August 2016, and most recently served as the acting regional director for the Eastern region. She earned a bachelor's degree from the University of South Carolina and is proud to have earned a master's degree in management from UMUC.

Stacey Tate

Regional Director, Eastern Region, Stateside Military Operations

stacey.tate@umuc.edu

Stacey Tate joined UMUC in 2005, filling various roles at the Europe headquarters located in Kaiserslautern, Germany. In 2008, she became the first UMUC representative in Iraq and later served as the downrange office manager and regional director, for which she transferred, first to Okinawa, Japan in 2011, and then to the United Kingdom in 2012. Tate returned to downrange operations in 2015 and, prior to her transfer to the U.S. in 2018, served for a year as the regional director for Europe operations.

Jacqueline Goebeler

Assistant Director, Training, Stateside Military Operations

jacqueline.goebeler@umuc.edu

Jackie Goebeler is responsible for training both new hires and seasoned staff members within the Stateside Military Operations department. Having joined UMUC in 2009 as a military and veterans advisor, she knows the difference it can make for students to have exceptional front-line staff.

Prior to her current role, Goebeler was an assistant director for the Western region within the department, managing staff and locations from Washington to Kentucky. She takes great pride in being part of a department that operates across the nation, crossing states and time zones in order to assist students wherever they are. Goebeler earned a bachelor's degree from University of Maryland, College Park.

Raymond Tarpley, Jr.

Manager, Growth Initiatives, Stateside Military Operations

raymond.tarpley@umuc.edu

Raymond Tarpley is responsible for executing the marketing initiatives for Stateside Military Operations at UMUC. This includes strategy, messaging, and placement of SMO print, digital, web, and out-of-home marketing materials. He also manages the marketing expansion budget for our locations in San Diego, Honolulu, Killeen (Texas), and Fort Gordon (Georgia).

He began working at UMUC as a project manager in the marketing department. In this position, he helped manage print, web, e-mail, and digital projects. In his current position, Tarpley holds regular meetings with the UMUC marketing team to discuss strategy, creative, messaging, and placement for SMO's marketing projects, campaigns, and initiatives. He also holds regular meetings with regional directors to keep updated on information from UMUC locations.

Tarpley is a U.S. Navy veteran with more than 16 years of project management, marketing, and advertising experience. He holds a bachelor's degree in business management, attended the Dale Carnegie Leadership Training for Managers, and is in the process of completing an MBA.

Tony Cho

Vice President and Director, UMUC Europe

tony.cho@umuc.edu

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.

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.