Organizers
Alex Fronduto, DHS
Dr. Fronduto is an Associate Teaching Professor within the Graduate School of Education in the College of Professional Studies at Northeastern University.
His educational background includes a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry and Premedical and Health Studies (Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences), a Master of Education in Higher Education Administration (Northeastern University), and a Doctorate in Health Sciences (Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences).
His previous research has ranged from the lab-based sciences (Kaposi’s Sarcoma-associated Herpes Virus [KSHV] and Yeast-Two Hybrid System) to education (Team-based learning in health professions education and its impact on student achievement). His work experience includes working in enrollment management for ten years at a private four-year university with responsibilities including, but not limited to recruitment of all populations of students (freshman, transfer, graduate, adult learners, etc.), full-time admission staff and student worker supervision, travel coordination, operations and data management, affordability and financial aid, and event/marketing management.
Currently his teaching includes courses such as Foundations of Higher Education, The New Supervisor, Challenges in Supervision, Strategic Enrollment Management, and more. In addition to teaching, he chairs and second reads for Doctor of Education students working on their dissertations. Dr. Fronduto is a member of and has presented at conferences for NEACAC (New England Association for College Admission Counselors), NACAC (National Association for College Admission Counseling), and AACRAO (American Association of College Registrars and Admission Officers). He is also the current podcast host for AACRAO’s Admit It Podcast.
Taryn Tessari, M.Ed.
Taryn Tessari (she/her) is the Director of Faculty Affairs at the Khoury College of Computer Sciences at Northeastern University where she manages a small team of faculty affairs professionals.
Taryn has worked at Northeastern University for the past eight years. She earned her BA in History from Framingham State University in 2013 and her MEd in Higher Education from Northeastern University in 2020. In addition to her degrees, she completed a Cultural Competence in Computing (3C) Fellowship from Duke University in 2022 and a Diversity and Inclusion certificate from eCornell in 2021. Taryn’s work primarily focuses on supporting faculty as they navigate through the hiring, tenure and promotion, and merit processes. She is passionate about creating equitable, supportive and efficient ways that faculty can pursue their future career endeavors and also has expertise in creating and supporting faculty mentoring programs. Taryn is a member of the Faculty Affairs Northeast Network, the Higher Education Collective, and is currently pursuing a coaching certificate from the International Coaching Federation with a specialization in faculty affairs. Taryn looks forward to bringing her event planning management skills, network, and higher education experience to the Higher Education Collective community.
Jon Ahern, M.S.
With over 12 years of experience in higher education, Jon currently serves as the Associate Director of Graduate Programs for the Woods College of Advancing Studies at Boston College.
In this role, he oversees academic program implementation, develops faculty and student programming, and supports graduate student advising, all with a focus on fostering a dynamic and supportive learning environment.
Before joining Boston College, Jon worked as an Associate Director of MS Programs at Suffolk University and as Assistant Director of Admissions at Emmanuel College, where he helped drive student recruitment and program growth. Jon began his career at Education First, a company which leads international education and exchange programs. He has a passion for mission-driven work and believes in the transformative power of education.
Jon holds a Bachelor of Arts in English, Communication, Media, and Cultural Studies, as well as a Master of Science in Management, both from Emmanuel College. Driven by a commitment to educational equity and personal growth, he is dedicated to helping students unlock their potential and achieve their academic and professional goals.
Presenters
Scott Shea, M.S.
Session Title: Reset the Vibe, Fuel the Vision
Scott has over a decade of experience spanning public and private higher education. He serves as the Director of Campus Center & Event Services at UMass Boston.
His extensive background includes roles in student activities, event & conference administration, and student center operations across institutions such as Northeastern University, Salem State University, North Shore Community College, and Wesleyan University. Scott has also served as an adjunct faculty at Goodwin University and Southern Connecticut State University. He is an active member of the Association for College Unions International (ACUI), where he serves as a volunteer both regionally and nationally. Scott holds a Bachelor of Arts in English from Framingham State University, a Master of Science in Counselor Education from Central Connecticut State University, and a Master of Science in Innovation from Northeastern University.
Eve Rifkin, Ed.D.
Session Title: From Problem to Possibility: Leveraging the Power of Collective Intelligence in Higher Ed Leadership
Dr. Rifkin is a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Leadership, Policy, and Organizations at Vanderbilt University’s Peabody College, where she also serves as Director of the Leadership and Learning in Organizations (LLO) Ed.D. program.
This innovative, practice-focused doctoral program supports mid-career professionals across diverse industries as they develop the skills and mindsets needed to lead complex learning organizations.
In addition to her teaching and program leadership, Dr. Rifkin collaborates with Vanderbilt’s Office of Faculty Affairs to design and facilitate learning communities for academic leaders. Through these communities, she helps leaders engage in structured, collaborative inquiry to address pressing institutional challenges and build capacity for sustainable change.
Dr. Rifkin holds an Ed.D. in Leadership and Policy from Vanderbilt University. Her work is grounded in a deep commitment to equity, reflective practice, and the power of collective learning. With a background that spans K–12 and higher education, she brings a systems-level perspective to her work with faculty, students, and institutional leaders.
Cheryl M. Lawrence, M.Ed.
Session Title: Beyond the Checklist: A Human-Centered Approach to Supervision
Cheryl M. Lawrence (she/her), Assistant Director for Community Standards at Babson College, has dedicated her career in higher education to helping students navigate challenging situations.
She works with students to understand complex issues and find a positive way forward during their time at Babson.
A Massachusetts native from Worcester, Cheryl is a proud alumna of Girls Inc., where she developed her voice and advocacy skills, inspiring her to become an educator. She holds a bachelor’s degree in English with a minor in Educational Studies and a master’s degree in Higher Education in Student Affairs, both from Salem State University.
In her free time, Cheryl enjoys being by the ocean, playing board games, trying new recipes, and spending time with her dog, Mia, and her loved ones.
Jack Fitzpatrick, MHA
Session Title: Leading Through Change or Managing Chaos
Jack Fitzpatrick is the Director of Graduate Enrollment at Lasell University and has worked in Higher Ed for over 10 years.
He has held various roles at MCPHS University and MGH Institute of Health Professions. He served as a Captain in the MA Army National Guard for over 8 years as a Medical Service Officer. Jack has a BS in Kinesiology from UMass Amherst, an MHA from MCPHS University, and an Alumni of the NAGAP Leadership Academy. He volunteers to coach soccer and is a Brown Belt in Taekwondo.
Jermaine Soto, Ph.D.
Session Title: From Problem to Possibility: Leveraging the Power of Collective Intelligence in Higher Ed Leadership
Dr. Soto is the Sr. Director for Faculty Advancement in the Office of Faculty Development at Vanderbilt University.
He is responsible for supporting the career pathways of all VU faculty, from recruitment to retirement. Key parts of his portfolio include: serving as a consultant to all faculty search committees to provide strategies and best practices for a successful search process; new faculty orientation and integration; academic leadership development, including co-leading (along with Eve Rifkin, faculty member at Peabody College) the Academic Leadership Collaborative consisting of all associate deans within VU; and leading the internal faculty awards selection processes and prestigious external faculty awards nomination processes. Jermaine has a BA in English Literature from Cornell University and a Masters and Ph.D. in Cultural Foundations of Education from Syracuse University. He has extensive teaching and facilitation experience with Intergroup Dialogue and incorporates this framework in all his work.
Melina Prentakis, M.Ed.
Session Title: Your Personal AI-ssistant: Practical Tips for Work and Life
Melina Prentakis is an Associate Director of College Counseling at Phillips Academy in Andover, MA.
She holds a Master’s in Higher Education Administration from Vanderbilt University. While completing her graduate work, she held a variety of student-facing roles at different institutions, including residence life, student conduct, and student activities.
Before becoming a college counselor, Melina worked as an admissions officer at both Vanderbilt University and Boston University. She later joined the ed tech startup College Guidance Network, where she developed a keen interest in how technology can reduce the mental load for educators and allow them to focus more time and energy on the human side of their work.
When she’s not counseling students or going down rabbit holes exploring new tech tools, Melina can usually be found baking something sweet or chasing after her toddler.
Dan Serig, Ed.D.
Opening Panelist: Navigating the Evolving Landscape of Higher Education
Dr. Serig is an Assistant Teaching Professor in the Graduate School of Education, Doctoral Program in Education at Northeastern University.
He teaches research methods courses and electives in the Higher Education Administration concentration.
Academic Background and Areas of Research
Serig holds an Ed.D. from Teachers College at Columbia University in Art and Art Education. His current research focuses on AI in education. Since 2002, Serig has been part of dozens of arts programming evaluations nationwide. Clients include the National Endowment for the Arts’ Education Leaders Institutes, Cleveland Public Schools, the Utah Arts Council, the National Dance Institute, the Indianapolis Symphony, and ArtsConnection in New York City.
Serig served as the Research Review section editor of Teaching Artist Journal for three years and served as an editorial board member of the journals Visual Inquiry: Teaching and Learning in Art and Art for Life. Serig presents nationally and internationally.
Professional Experience
Serig comes to Northeastern after concluding his work as Vice President for Academic Affairs at Massachusetts College of Art and Design, where he also held the positions of Associate Vice President, Dean, Chair of Art Education, and tenured associate professor. Since 2002, he has been part of dozens of arts programming evaluations throughout the U.S.
Anna Maria Hummerstone, MHA
Session Title: Navigating the AI Frontier: A Practical Guide for the Modern Professional
Anna Maria Hummerstone, M.H.A., is the senior director of faculty administrative operations at Yale University and for the Yale University School of Medicine (YSM).
She has been with the University for over 30 years. She began her career at YSM as an associate administrator in the department of Surgery and then transitioned to ITS supporting the school’s human resource application. In her current role, Anna Maria oversees the academic process support functions for academic appointees, including the configuration and design of academic support applications on the Workday, Interfolio, and Salesforce platforms. At the Medical School, she serves as an advisor to the School’s department business offices providing leadership and guidance on academic human resources-related matters. She has a master’s degree in health administration from Duke University and a bachelor’s degree in economics from the University of Virginia.
Katrina Graham, Ph.D.
Opening Panelist: Navigating the Evolving Landscape of Higher Education
Dr. Graham is an Associate Professor of Management at Suffolk University.
She earned her B.A. in History from the University of Virginia, M.S. in Human Resource Management from Villanova University, and PhD in Organizational Behavior from Drexel University. Prior to her academic position, Katrina was a personnel officer in the U.S. Air Force and has also worked in Human Resources. Her research explores ethics in the workplace, dysfunctional leadership, and employee-supervisor relationships. She has published her work in journals such as Academy of Management Journal and Journal of Applied Psychology. She teaches courses on Organizational Behavior, Leadership, Difficult Conversations, and Managing Difficult People at Work. Katrina is also a senior facilitator for Orange Grove Consulting, and has conducted leadership trainings for a number of organizations in the Boston area. She runs the Leadership Academy for CREW Boston, which promotes the advancement of women in commercial real estate.
Joan Giblin, Ph.D.
Session Title: Responsible Generative AI in Higher Education: Building Ethical and Effective Team Practices
Dr. Giblin is an Associate Teaching Professor in the Graduate School of Education at Northeastern University where she also serves as Director of the EdD program.
Prior to Northeastern, Dr. Giblin held leadership roles in residence life, orientation programs, first year seminar, academic support programs, and academic advising as well as provided strategic leadership for student support and retention initiatives. Her research interests include academic self-regulation, intentional instructional design, and the field of higher education. Her work has been published in peer reviewed journals, book chapters, and presented at conferences. In addition to teaching in both the doctorate and masters’ programs, she also serves as an elected official on her local school board.
Liz van Luling, M.S.
Session Title: Supervising for Success: Communication Strategies for Higher Education Leaders
Liz van Luling is the founder of LvL Aligned Consulting, where she helps professional offices, individuals, and college-bound students align vision, purpose, and practice.
With over a decade in higher education roles, she has guided teams at multiple levels, collaborated on strategic decisions, and supported organizations through times of challenge, growth, and transformation. Earlier in her career, Liz established her communications foundation as a public relations manager; helping clients worldwide to tell their unique stories. She holds a MS in Organizational Leadership & HR from Quinnipiac University and a BA in Communication, Media & Cultural Studies from Emmanuel College. Liz also recently served as Chair of the Annual Meeting & Conference for the New England Association for College Admission Counseling (NEACAC), a professional organization with nearly 1500 members.
Katerina DeNardo, MBA
Session Title: Brand You: Building Connections and Leveraging Strengths for Career Growth
Katerina DeNardo is a proud Rhode Islander from Cranston and received both her undergraduate and master’s degrees from the University of Rhode Island.
She started her career in higher education at URI and is excited to be back on a college campus since coming from the corporate sector previously. She brings a wide range of Human Resources experience including recruiting, employee relations, and others and enjoys relationship building and helping others.
Shawna Cooper Whitehead, Ed.D.
Opening Panelist: Navigating the Evolving Landscape of Higher Education
Dr. Cooper Whitehead, joined Boston College as the Vice President for Student Affairs in August 2021.
Prior to that, she served as Seton Hall’s Vice President of Student Services where she was a member of the Executive Cabinet and provided leadership and guidance to facilitate decision making in all matters related to student welfare. Shawna managed a wide array of student support and academic programs including the Academic Resource Center, Career Center, Educational Opportunity Program (EOP), Freshman Studies, Health Services, Housing and Residence Life, and Public Safety and Security. She was chair of the Council for Student Success and the co-chair of the University Diversity & Inclusion Committee and the Health Intervention and Communication Team.
Previous to that Shawna served as the Assistant Provost at Loyola University Chicago. She also served as the Dean of Students of the School of Social Services Administration at the University of Chicago, Director of African American Student Affairs at Northwestern University, Assistant Director of the Student Activities Office at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and Assistant Dean of the School of Communication at Loyola University Chicago.
Shawna earned a doctoral degree of education from Boston University, master of education degree from National Louis University and bachelor of science degree from the University of Illinois.
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