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 Global Campus, 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 UMGC 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, UMGC 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. UMGC'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 UMGC's public mission. UMGC 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, UMGC 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 UMGC staff or faculty member best positioned to respond.
Vice President and Dean, School of Cybersecurity and Information Technology
Ombudsman, Ombudsman's Office
Vice President and Chief Diversity Officer, Office of Diversity and Equity
Senior Vice President, Administration and Finance, and Chief Financial Officer
Vice President and Dean, School of Arts and Sciences and Overseas Academic Affairs
Vice President, Strategic Partnerships
As vice president of strategic partnerships at UMGC, 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 UMGC 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 and Dean, School of Business
Bryan A. Booth serves as vice president and dean of the School of Business at University of Maryland Global Campus. In this role, he ensures the faculty and the staff of the School of Business focus on providing an overall learning environment that leads to the success of students across more than 30 programs, including bachelor’s degrees, undergraduate- and graduate-level certificates, master's degrees, and a doctoral program.
Previously, Dr. Booth served as vice dean of the graduate school at UMGC and managed the doctoral programs. He also previously served as the executive director of the MBA program. Prior to joining UMGC, Dr. Booth was an associate professor at the John L. Grove College of Business at Shippensburg University in the management and marketing department.
Dr. Booth earned an MS and a PhD in organizational behavior from Cornell University's School of Industrial and Labor Relations, with minors in anthropology and human resources. He later earned a leadership certificate from the Harvard Graduate School of Education’s Institute for Management and Leadership in Education.
In addition to his 14 years of higher education administration experience, Dr. Booth has more than 25 years of higher education teaching experience in various subjects, including organizational behavior, leadership and change management, international and cross-cultural management, and labor relations. His academic interests include team development, emergent leadership, interviewing skills, and professional doctoral education. His anthropology training and analytical perspective bring a strong culturally-oriented focus to his management experiences.
Vice President and Director, UMGC Europe
Tony K. Cho is the vice president and director of UMGC Europe. He leads the administrative and academic operations for faculty and staff at UMGC Europe headquarters and in 17 countries across Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. He joined the Europe team in 2017 from UMGC 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, UMGC Asia
James Cronin is vice president and director of the Asia division at UMGC.
Cronin joined the university in April 2000, after retiring from the U.S. Army as a lieutenant colonel that year. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in political science from DePaul University and was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the infantry in 1980. He earned a Master of Science in administration from Central Michigan University and a graduate certificate in distance education from UMGC.
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, Louisiana; and the XVIII Airborne Corps at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. He commanded two infantry companies and served as a brigade executive officer. Cronin also served as recruiting company commander and held various positions in public affairs stateside in Fort Huachuca, Arizona, 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 joining the university in 2000, Cronin has focused on improving the functionality of UMGC's military portals and expanding enrollment. 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, the Information Resource Management College, and the Army Command General Staff College. In 2013 Cronin was appointed vice president of stateside support, and in July 2016 he was selected for his current role as vice president and director of Asia operations. In addition, Cronin has served as an adjunct associate professor at UMGC, teaching Introduction to Public Speaking. He was inducted into the International Adult Continuing Education Hall of Fame in November 2017.
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 Global Campus (UMGC). Based in the Office of the President, Heather is focused on strengthening internal communications and fostering employee engagement. She joined UMGC 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, Academic Quality
Christopher M. Davis, PhD, UMGC's vice president of academic quality, began his career in higher education as an adjunct faculty member at Baker College in Michigan in 1997, joining the full-time faculty a year later. He went on to serve as dean of computer science and technology, system director of effective teaching and learning, and director of assessment.
He subsequently served as vice provost of institutional effectiveness at National Louis University in Chicago; vice provost for Colorado Technical University, responsible for online faculty and later the supervision of doctoral programs; and vice president for institutional effectiveness, provost, and ultimately president of Western International University during the teach-out of the university until it closed in March 2019.
Davis has continued to teach both online and face-to-face through his career and served for 15 years as a peer reviewer for the Higher Learning Commission. He studied sociology as an undergraduate at the University of Michigan, where he went on to complete a PhD in urban, technological, and environmental planning. He also holds an MS in higher education leadership from Capella University, an MS in psychology from Walden University, and an MBA in IT management and accounting from Western International University.
He published his first book, How to Become a Professor, in 2018, and his second, Should I Go to College? In 2019.
Senior Vice President and Journalist in Residence
301-985-7200
michael.freedman@umuc.edu
Michael Freedman is senior vice president and Journalist in Residence at UMGC. In a distinguished career spanning more than 35 years, Freedman has served as general manager of CBS Radio Network News, managing editor for the Broadcast Division of United Press International, vice president and professor of journalism at The George Washington University, senior vice president and professor of the practice at University of Maryland Global Campus, and executive producer of the public broadcasting series "The Kalb Report."
Over the course of his career, Freedman has collaborated on programming with such icons as Walter Cronkite, Marvin Kalb, Tony Bennett, Ernie Harwell, Dan Rather, Charles Osgood, and Abba Eban. He has forged groundbreaking partnerships with CNN, The National Press Club, POLITICO, and The Newseum in Washington, D.C.
Freedman and his teams have been honored with more 85 honors, including 14 Edward R. Murrow awards for excellence in broadcast journalism. He 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 National Press Club Board of Governors and the Newseum Educator Advisory Team.
Vice President, Human Resources
JulieAnn Garcia is vice president of human resources for UMGC, where she leads efforts to strengthen organizational effectiveness and the global employee experience.
Garcia joined UMGC in 2015 as assistant vice president of HR Operations for the overseas divisions and has 25 years of experience in higher education, for-profit, and nonprofit settings.
Before joining UMGC, she served as chief learning and business operations officer at the National Education Association, working to align business strategy and operational needs focusing on workforce planning.
She holds a Bachelor of Business Administration from McMurry University and a Master of Business Administration from Abilene Christian University, as well as certifications as a Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR) and Senior Certified Professional (SHRM-SCP) from the HR Certification Institute and the Society for Human Resource Management, respectively.
Vice President, Student Affairs
Martina Hansen is the vice president of student affairs at University of Maryland Global Campus. In this role, she oversees the academic support and new student experience functions within academic affairs, including first-term experience courses, tutoring, library services, student resolution, retention initiatives, and virtual lab and technology support for students. Hansen joined UMGC in August of 2018. Prior to her current role, she served as vice president of student retention. In that role, she led the design, implementation, and improvement of programs to continuously enhance academic student services and student success.
Hansen brings more than 17 years of experience in enrollment management and operations to UMGC. 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.
Vice President and Dean, School of Cybersecurity and Information Technology
240-684-2400
douglas.harrison@umuc.edu
Douglas Harrison, PhD, is vice president and dean of the School of Cybersecurity and Information Technology at University of Maryland Global Campus. As dean, he is responsible for the vision and delivery of workforce-relevant cyber and IT education through the university’s open-access model for adult and military students. He also leads UMGC’s strategic initiative to strengthen the security of the online teaching and learning environment and secure the university’s intellectual property on the internet.
Harrison consults nationally on matters of academic integrity, authentic teaching and learning, and faculty performance assessment. Prior to joining UMGC, Harrison held administrative and faculty appointments at Trinity Washington University, where he led a transformation of the first-year curriculum in the university’s historic women’s college; James Madison University, where he oversaw career development initiatives for faculty; and Florida Gulf Coast University, where he was faculty senate president and a member of the Board of Trustees.
His work in higher education has been recognized with the National Education Association's Award for Excellence in the Academy and the John W. Kluge Fellowship at the Library of Congress. Dr. Harrison received a bachelor's degree from the Pierre Laclede Honors College at the University of Missouri-St. Louis, and master's and doctoral degrees from Washington University in St. Louis.
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 UMGC. He joined UMGC 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 UMGC. In this role she leads the implementation of operational strategies and objectives across multiple revenue-generating and support departments.
Henkel joined UMGC in March 1999. Prior to her current role, she served as the vice president of enrollment management. Henkel has also served in UMGC's overseas division as the director of downrange and Europe operations, where she was responsible for directing UMGC'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 UMGC 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 UMGC. In 2009, Henkel received UMGC'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 UMGC. In this role, she oversees new student recruitment and community college partnerships, and coordinates training for the enrollment management department. She joined UMGC 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.
Senior Vice President, Administration and Finance, and Chief Financial Officer
Lisa Kemp joined University of Maryland Global Campus as senior vice president, administration and finance, and chief financial officer in November 2018 after serving as vice president for finance and budget at George Mason University in Virginia for four years. With more than 25 years of executive finance and operations experience in higher education and healthcare, she came to UMGC with a strong background in managing large teams and defining and implementing controls and metrics, as well as an intimate understanding of the rapidly evolving challenges that face today's universities.
Previously, Kemp served as executive vice president and CFO of Trident University International; president and CFO of Cogswell Polytechnical Institute; and senior vice president, CFO, and officer for the American Public University System. She was a member of the founding leadership team that led the system to the achievement of regional accreditation and federal financial aid and ultimately to its initial public offering.
Before her career in higher education, Kemp held several senior positions with HCR–ManorCare, which saw more than $2.5 billion in revenues. She also spent seven years with Wolpoff and Company Certified Public Accountants, where she advanced to management before she assumed the role of controller for one of the firm's largest healthcare clients.
Kemp prides herself on being passionate about serving her constituents, building strong teams that work hard and have fun, and ensuring compliant and ethical practices. She holds an MBA from American Public University and an active CPA license in the Commonwealth of Virginia.
Vice President, Financial Operations and Facilities Management
301-985-7330
eugene.lockett@umuc.edu
Eugene D. Lockett Jr. is vice president of financial operations and facilities management at UMGC. He has been with the university since 2004.
As vice president of financial operations and facilities management, 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, Payroll, and Financial Analysis; manages the preparation and execution of UMGC's budget; and is responsible for the university's audited financial statements. He also oversees the office of Facilities Management, which maintains UMGC's facilities, physical plant, and grounds, and provides for the safety and security of UMGC's employees and assets. Facilities Management also handles all real property transactions and construction activities.
In addition, the College Park Marriott Hotel & Conference Center reports to Lockett through its general manager. The center, including its hotel, provides UMGC with a significant source of income and visibility. Thousands of people, regionally, nationally, and internationally, attend conferences at the center each year.
Before joining UMGC, 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.
Vice President, Budget and Financial Planning and Analysis
Gerard Maguire joined University of Maryland Global Campus as vice president of budget and financial planning and analysis in September 2019. In that role, he supports the university's strategic business decision making through budget oversight and data analysis.
Maguire comes to UMGC with more than 20 years of experience in finance, including 11 years in higher education. Most recently, he served with INTO Mason, a joint venture between INTO University Partnerships and George Mason University, which provides life-cycle services to international students. Previously, he held leadership roles with Laureate Education that included overseas assignments in Mexico City and Kuala Lumpur.
Maguire holds a bachelor's degree in finance from Loyola University Maryland and a master's degree in international finance from Columbia University.
Vice President, Academic Operations
Acting Registrar
Kris McCall joined University of Maryland Global Campus in November 2018 as vice president of academic operations and acting registrar. In this role, he provides academic and strategic support for all academic departments while ensuring regulatory compliance, quality administration, and effective, integrated operations throughout the student experience.
McCall brings more than 17 years of experience in enrollment management and university operations to UMGC. Previously, he served as vice president of enterprise solutions at Pearson, where he worked across the student lifecycle for the largest clients in their OPM portfolio. Prior to that, he served as senior vice president of university operations for Western International University, overseeing all student-facing departments, including enrollment, financial aid, student advising, registrar, prior learning assessment, and university services. Earlier, at Career Education Corporation, he held various senior level positions, overseeing operations and developing the student management foundations across multiple university systems.
McCall holds a bachelor’s degree in economics from Northern Illinois University and a master’s degree in business management from Colorado Technical University.
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 UMGC. 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 UMGC 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.
Senior Vice President, Chief Enrollment and Marketing Officer
301-985-7435
erika.orris@umuc.edu
Erika Orris is chief enrollment and marketing officer at UMGC. In this role, she oversees the Offices of Marketing, New Student Admissions, and Student Advising and Retention. She joined UMGC in March 2016.
Orris is a veteran administrator whose career has focused on helping students achieve their education goals. Before coming to UMGC, 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 and an MBA from University of Maryland Global Campus. 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 UMGC'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 UMGC. 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 UMGC's compliance with the Middle States Commission on Higher Education standards.
Pomietto served as acting provost and senior vice president for academic affairs during UMGC'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 UMGC 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 UMGC'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 UMGC in February 2015, serving most recently as vice president for Government Affairs, overseeing all aspects of state and Federal government relations. He came to UMGC with a wealth of experience in public affairs, public policy, government and community relations, and higher education.
Prior to joining UMGC, 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 and General Counsel
Sherri Sampson, JD, is vice president and general counsel for UMGC, where she leads the Office of Legal Affairs. She joined the university in September 2019. Before joining UMGC, Sampson served for 17 years as chief human resources officer, general counsel, and corporate secretary of the Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC), a global nonprofit organization that provides products and services, including the Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT), to business schools. In her various roles, she has handled issues related to contracts, labor and employment, disability accommodations, crisis management, privacy, and security.
Previously, Sampson served as an associate attorney on the corporate and securities team at the Washington, D.C.-based international law firm of Hogan Lovells and as a corporate transactions associate attorney at the Seattle, Washington, office of Perkins Coie. Virginia Business Law Magazine named her one of the Virginia Legal Elite's Best Lawyers.
Originally from Cleveland, Ohio, Sampson earned her bachelor's degree, with distinction, in comparative area studies (East Asia and Western Europe) from Duke University. She has studied Japanese law, literature, and culture and French literature and culture abroad, and holds a certificate in Asian and African languages and literature. She earned her Juris Doctor from the University of Washington School of Law and was admitted to the bar in Washington State, Maryland, the District of Columbia, and (for limited practice as in-house counsel) in Virginia.
Interim Senior Vice President and Chief Academic Officer
Peter Smith, EdD, serves as interim senior vice president and chief academic officer at UMGC. Smith has assembled a distinguished career in higher education, which includes serving as founding president of the Community College of Vermont and California State University, Monterey Bay. Smith was also appointed Endowed Orkand Chair and professor of innovative practices in higher education at UMGC in April 2016.
Just two years after earning his Bachelor of Arts from Princeton University in 1968, Smith led the effort to design and establish the Community College of Vermont. As the college's first president, Smith accepted an additional assignment from the chancellor of the Vermont State College System to create the Office of External Programs, which included developing the External Baccalaureate Degree program for nontraditional students and a portfolio assessment program for evaluating students' experiential learning accrued outside of college.
In his role as founding president of California State University, Monterey Bay, where he served from 1995 to 2005, Smith was responsible for building the university from the ground up. He guided the institution through all stages of accreditation and raised nearly $100 million from external sources for the development of academic buildings and programs.
After leaving CSUMB in 2005, Smith joined the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization in Paris, France as assistant director general for education, where he supervised more than 700 staff located in more than 30 countries.
In 2007, Smith joined Kaplan University as a senior vice president for academic strategies and development and more recently served as founding president of Open College at Kaplan University. In that role, Smith used no-cost open educational resources to support students who work toward a competency-based degree in professional studies. Also at Kaplan, Smith was responsible for development and implementation of initiatives to improve academic quality, including a set of policies that are considered the gold standard for online and blended learning.
Smith's work as dean of the George Washington University Graduate School of Education and Human Development from 1991 to 1994 ultimately led to the school being recognized as one of the leading professional schools in the Mid-Atlantic region and among the top 50 in America.
Smith also served his home state of Vermont as a state senator (1980-82) and as Lt. Governor (1982-86), while earning his Doctor of Education in Administration Planning and Social Policy from Harvard University in 1984.
He ran successfully for the U.S. House of Representatives as Congressman-at-Large from Vermont and served from 1989-1990. While in Congress, Smith was a member of the Education and Labor and Government Operations committees and served on the post-secondary education subcommittee.
Smith has also been a senior fellow at the American Council on Education and vice president for development at Norwich University.
Vice President, Institutional Advancement
301-985-7164
cathy.sweet@umuc.edu
Cathy Sweet has served as vice president of institutional advancement for UMGC 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 UMGC 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 President and Dean, School of Arts and Sciences and Overseas Academic Affairs
301-985-7758
kara.vandam@umuc.edu
Kara Van Dam serves as vice president and dean of the School of Arts and Sciences and Overseas Academics at University of Maryland Global Campus. In this role, she ensures that the school and its faculty, staff, and students—both stateside and overseas—are supported in rich learning environments and that its more than 40 academic programs help students develop as competent and confident people and professionals. Previously, she served as the dean of the undergraduate school.
Prior to joining UMGC, 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, Enterprise Solutions
Robin Whitfield, vice president, Enterprise Solutions, oversees the management and implementation of university-wide technology and enterprise solutions that support students, staff, and faculty worldwide. In this role, she also leads and oversees student account operations and initiatives.
Before assuming her current role, Whitfield served as an associate vice president in the office of the chief financial officer, focused on cross-functional and enterprise-wide initiatives and operations in student accounts, compliance, fraud prevention, and enterprise systems. She held key leadership roles focused on implementing and upgrading the university's student information and human capital management systems and now oversees the implementation of the university's new student information system and the related portfolio of auxiliary projects.
Whitfield holds a Bachelor of Science in accounting and a Master of Science in management, with a specialization in project management, from UMGC. She is active in the local community and serves on the board of directors of a Prince George's County high school.
Vice President, Stateside Military Operations
240-684-2311
kelly.wilmeth@umuc.edu
Ms. Kelly Wilmeth is the vice president of UMGC's Stateside Military Operations. In this role, she is responsible for UMGC's staff and operations on military installations across the country and for overseeing UMGC's outreach to and growth among the military and veteran population. Ms. Wilmeth began her career with UMGC 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.
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 800-939-8682 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 Policy on Student Classification for Admission and Tuition Purposes 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 those in programs requiring CBR, DCL, or PRO 600.) 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.
