Profiles

A higher education professional since 2002, Emma Jones acts as a resource for leaders of higher education organizations and institutions around the country, bringing what Credo learns through its work to the marketplace in ways that inspire change and action. Her relationships with state-wide and national higher education associations build bridges for mutual learning and […]

Cara Giacomini is the vice president of data, research, and technology for the Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE). In this role, she leads CASE Insights—a primary resource and service provider for data, benchmarking, analytics, and original research to the educational advancement community worldwide—launched by CASE in 2018. Before starting at CASE, she […]

Eden Wales is academic vice president, dean of faculty, and professor of arts and science at Colby-Sawyer College (NH). Previously, she served as vice president for academic affairs, dean of faculty, and professor of English at Clarke University (IA); vice provost for academic affairs and associate professor at Saint Mary’s University (MN); and dean of […]

Simone Smith joined CIC in February 2024 as the director of sponsorships. In this role, she is responsible for the cultivation, recruitment, and management of sponsorship relationships with companies providing services to independent colleges and universities and supporting CIC activities, as well as managing existing, and securing additional, multi-year agreements. Prior to joining CIC, Smith […]

Ellen Peters joined CIC in 2024 as the director of strategic research and assessment. In this role, she provides leadership for CIC’s member engagement initiatives, utilizing data to make informed decisions about future programing and offerings to current and prospective members. Prior to joining CIC, Peters was the associate provost for institutional research, planning, and […]

Gerald Griffin is provost at Hope College (MI). Griffin joined the Hope faculty in 2015 as a member of both the departments of biology and psychology. Prior to his current appointment, he served as neuroscience program director, associate provost, and interim provost. Griffin is an accomplished scholar whose research interests primarily focus on the reciprocal […]

Ryan Sandefer became vice president for academic affairs at the College of St. Scholastica (MN) in 2020. He also currently serves as interim vice president for enrollment management and student affairs. Earlier in his career at St. Scholastica, Sandefer served in several other administrative roles, including as chair of the department of health informatics and […]

Jeffrey Frick joined Washington & Jefferson College (PA) as vice president for academic affairs and dean of the college in 2019. Prior to this appointment, he served St. Norbert College (WI) in the same role. Earlier in his career, Frick was professor of chemistry at Illinois Wesleyan University, where he also held administrative positions as […]

Karen An-hwei Lee is provost and professor of English at Wheaton College (IL). As provost, she leads Wheaton’s senior academic leadership team, serves on the senior administrative cabinet, and oversees all aspects of the academic division including the faculty, academic records and services, centers and institutes, global programs and studies, institutional research, library and archives, […]

Celia Cook-Huffman joined Manchester University (IN) as vice president for academic affairs in 2020. She returned to Manchester, her undergraduate alma mater, after spending 30 years at Juniata College (PA), where she began her academic career as a faculty member in peace and conflict studies. During her time at Juniata, Cook-Huffman held the W. Clay […]