About the President's Council

Laura Aikens*

Vice President for University Development

Office Address: 901 L.V. Eberhard Center
Phone: (616) 331-6000
Website: University Development

Keri Becker

Director of Athletics

Office Address: 193 Field House
Phone: (616) 331-3233
Website: Athletics

Stacie R. Behler*

Vice President and Chief Public Affairs and Communications Officer and Secretary, Board of Trustees

Office Address: 3035 James H. Zumberge Hall
Phone: (616) 331-2190
Website: University Relations

Annie Bélanger

Dean, University Libraries

Office Address: 430 Mary Idema Pew Library Learning and Information Commons
Phone: (616) 331-3500
Website: University Libraries

Jesse M. Bernal*

Chief of Staff to the President & Vice President for Inclusion and Equity

Office Address: 3035 James H. Zumberge Hall
Phone: (616) 331-3296
Website: Inclusion and Equity, Affirmative Action

Mychal Coleman

Associate Vice President for Human Resources

Office Address: 1090 James H. Zumberge Hall
Phone: (616) 331-2215
Website: Human Resources

Lindsay Corneal

Associate Professor of Product Design & Manufacturing Engineering, College of Engineering and Computing
Presidential Fellow for Learner Pathways

Office Address: 243 John C. Kennedy Hall of Engineering
Phone: (616) 331-6502

Website: School of Engineering

Alisha Davis

Assistant Vice President for the Social Justice Centers & Director of Office of Multicultural Affairs
Presidential Fellow for Inclusion & Equity

Office Address: 1240 Kirkhof Center
Phone: (616) 331-2177

Website: Office of Multicultural Affairs

Emil Delgado

Associate Vice President for Information Technology

Office Address: 4490 Kindschi Hall of Science
Phone: (616) 331-2035
Website: Information Technology

Jennifer Drake

Dean, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences

Office Address: B-4-232 Mackinac Hall
Phone: (616) 331-2495
Website: College of Liberal Arts and Sciences

Aaron Haight

Associate Vice President for Student Engagement and Dean of Students

Office Address: 202 Arend & Nancy Lubbers Student Services Building
Phone: (616) 331-3585
Website: Dean of Students

Jenny Hall-Jones*

Vice President for Student Affairs

Office Address: 4035 James H. Zumberge Hall
Phone: (616) 331-3585
Website: Student Affairs

Dan Hurwitz

Associate Vice President for University Development

Office Address: 916 L.V. Eberhard Center
Phone: (616) 331-6531
Website: University Development

Karen Ingle

Associate Vice President for Facilities Planning

Office Address: 1201 Service Building
Phone: (616) 331-3258
Website: Facilities Planning

Courtney Karasinski

Associate Professor and Director of Speech-Language Pathology & Vice Chair, University Academic Senate

Office Address: 303A Raleigh J. Finkelstein Hall
Phone: (616) 331-5540
Website: Faculty Governance

Robert Kimball

Associate Vice President & Executive Associate to the President

Office Address: 310 Bicycle Factory Building
Phone: (616) 331-2240
Websites: GV NextEd Co-Lab, Charter Schools Office

Marlene Kowalski-Braun

Associate Vice President & Deputy Chief Inclusion and Equity Officer

Office Address: 3080 James H. Zumberge Hall
Phone: (616) 331-2500
Website: Enrollment Development and Educational Outreach, Inclusion and Equity

Diana Lawson

Dean, Seidman College of Business

Office Address: 3019 L. William Seidman Center
Phone: (616) 331-7100
Website: Seidman College of Business

Mary Eilleen Lyon

Associate Vice President for University Communications

Office Address: 4090 James H. Zumberge Hall
Phone: (616) 331-2221
Website: University Communications

Philomena V. Mantella*

President

Office Address: 3035 James H. Zumberge Hall
Phone: (616) 331-2100
Website: Office of the President

Kristin Meyer

Associate Dean, University Libraries
Presidential Fellow for Reach Higher 2025

Office Address: 430C Mary Idema Pew Library Learning and Information Commons
Phone: (616) 331-3294

Website: University Libraries

Fatma Mili*

Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs

Office Address: 3090 James H. Zumberge Hall
Phone: (616) 331-2400
Website: Office of the Provost

Felix Ngassa

Professor & Chair, University Academic Senate

Office Address: 350 Padnos Hall of Science
Phone: (616) 331-3803
Website: Faculty Governance

Paul Plotkowski

Dean, Padnos College of Engineering and Computing

Office Address: 332 John C. Kennedy Hall of Engineering
Phone: (616) 331-6260
Website: Padnos College of Engineering and Computing

Ben Rapin

Associate Vice President and Chief Technology Officer

Office Address: 4490 Kindschi Hall of Science
Phone: (616) 331-2035
Website: Information Technology

Christine Rener

Vice Provost for Instructional Development and Innovation and Director of the Pew Faculty Teaching and Learning Center

Office Address: 068 James H. Zumberge Hall
Phone: (616) 331-3498
Website: Pew Faculty Teaching and Learning Center

Gregory Sanial*

Vice President for Finance and Administration and Treasurer, Board of Trustees

Office Address: 4068 James H. Zumberge Hall
Phone: (616) 331-2188
Website: Finance and Administration

Mark Schaub

Dean, Brooks College of Interdisciplinary Studies

Office Address: 224 Lake Ontario Hall
Phone: (616) 331-8655
Website: Brooks College of Interdisciplinary Studies

Robert Smart

Vice Provost for Research Administration and Executive Director, Center for Scholarly and Creative Excellence

Office Address: 049 James H. Zumberge Hall
Phone: (616) 331-2281
Website: Center for Scholarly and Creative Excellence

Patricia Smith

General Counsel

Office Address: 4068 James H. Zumberge Hall
Phone: (616) 331-2067
Website: Legal, Compliance and Risk Management

Sherril Soman

Dean, College of Education and Community Innovation

Office Address: 202C Richard M. DeVos Center 
Phone: (616) 331-6821
Website: College of Education and Community Innovation

Robert Talbert

Professor of Mathematics, College of Liberal Arts & Sciences
Presidential Fellow for the Advancement of Learning

Office Address: C-2-513 Mackinac Hall
Phone: (616) 331-8968

Website: Department of Mathematics

Tricia Thomas

Dean, Kirkhof College of Nursing

Office Address: 410 Daniel and Pamella DeVos Center for Interprofessional Health
Phone: (616) 331-3558
Website: Kirkhof College of Nursing

Miloš Topić*

Vice President for Information Technology and Chief Digital Officer

Office Address: 4490 Kindschi Hall of Science
Phone: (616) 331-2035
Website: Information Technology

B. Donta Truss*

Vice President for Enrollment Development & Educational Outreach

Office Address: 4035 James H. Zumberge Hall
Phone: (616) 331-2500
Website: Enrollment Development

Kara Van Dam

Vice Provost for Graduate and Lifetime Learning

Office Address: 718 L.V. Eberhard Center
Phone: (616) 331-7620
Website: Center for Adult and Continuing Studies

Kathleen VanderVeen

Associate Vice President & Deputy Chief Inclusion and Equity Officer

Office Address: 4035 James H. Zumberge Hall
Phone: (616) 331-3296
Website: Inclusion and Equity

Danny Vélez

Associate Vice President for Admissions & Recruitment

Office Address: 300 Arend & Nancy Lubbers Student Services Building
Phone: (616) 331-2025
Website: Admissions

Craig Wieschhorster

Associate Vice President for Business and Finance 

Office Address: 2015 James H. Zumberge Hall
Phone: (616) 331-2831
Website: Business & Finance

Jackie Zhang

Dean, College of Health Professions

Office Address: 400 Cook-DeVos Center for Health Sciences
Phone: (616) 331-3356
Website: College of Health Professions

* indicates Executive Officer of the university.

About the President's Council

In 2020, the President’s Council was expanded under the leadership of President Mantella to ensure many diverse voices and perspectives inform university strategy and decision-making. In summer 2022, following the approval of Reach Higher 2025, the council advised on the focus for 2022-2023 for leadership to receive information and provide consultation on opportunities to advance and align our strategy. The council promotes greater collaboration and communication across the university. The council is the senior advisory body to the president and Senior Leadership Team.  It operates with the following charge:

• Provide advice and counsel on Reach Higher 2025 alignment across divisions and colleges, continued engagement of the entire university community in advancing and successfully meeting our commitments
• Inform and consult on university-wide initiatives
• Identify and respond to other matters impacting the university community
• Continue building our agility and growth mindset
• Continue ongoing leadership education and development related to university priorities, such as diversity, equity, and inclusion
• Enhance cross university communication and collaboration 

This body holds meetings approximately every six weeks and annual retreat(s). The structure is designed to encourage and support our Reach Higher 2025 commitments to build a more empowered educational experience, a lifetime of learning, and culture of educational equity, in carrying out the mission of Grand Valley State University.

MEMBERSHIP

• President Mantella and the Senior Leadership Team
• Identified Associate Vice Presidents, other chief divisional officers to Vice Presidents, and Vice Provosts 
• Academic Deans
• University Academic Senate Chair and Vice Chair
• Presidential Faculty Fellows
• Members who hold a role that advances a current university priority
• Student Senate and AP Committee leadership join President’s Council once per semester or upon invitation from the President