Profiles

Cynthia Alby joined Georgia College in 2001, where she is a professor of teacher education and faculty director of GC Journeys. She works extensively with the Center for Teaching and Learning and is also the lead lecturer for Georgia College’s “Governor’s Teaching Fellows,” a faculty development program with which she has worked since 2001. Alby […]

Shirley V. Hoogstra is president emerita of the Council for Christian Colleges & Universities (CCCU), an educational association representing over 185 colleges and universities around the world. She is a regular speaker at conferences and campuses across the country, speaking on and for Christian higher education, and has been quoted in The Washington Post, The […]

Kristen Shahverdian is the program director for campus free speech at PEN America, a nonprofit organization focusing on the intersection of literature and human rights to protect free expression in the United States and worldwide. Before PEN America, Shahverdian was a senior lecturer at the University of the Arts in Philadelphia and was an adjunct […]

Tony Banout is the inaugural executive director of the University of Chicago’s Forum for Free Inquiry and Expression. Prior to his role at the University of Chicago, Banout served as senior vice president and before that vice president of institutional advancement at Interfaith America. A lifelong advocate for ideological diversity and inclusion in academia, Banout […]

Jacqueline Pfeffer Merrill joined CIC in 2024 and is the senior director of civic learning and free expression projects. Earlier in her career, she was on the faculties of College of William & Mary (VA) and St. John’s College (MD). She has also taught at the University of Calgary (Canada), Humboldt Universität zu Berlin (Germany), and […]

Amanda Ripley is a New York Times bestselling author, a Washington Post contributing columnist, and the co-founder of Good Conflict, a media and training company that helps people reimagine conflict. She has written three award-winning, nonfiction books about three very different subjects: High Conflict, The Smartest Kids in the World, and The Unthinkable. Her work […]

Richard Guarasci served as the 18th and longest serving president of Wagner College (NY) and currently serves as principal of Presidential Partners, a higher education consulting form specialized in creating inclusive, thriving, and sustainable communities. Earlier, Guarasci was the dean of the college at Hobart and William Smith (NY) and before that served as associate […]

Dr. Mary Dana Hinton is the 13th president of Hollins University in Roanoke, Virginia, and President Emerita of the College of Saint Benedict in St. Joseph, Minnesota. An active and respected proponent of the liberal arts and inclusion, her leadership reflects a deep and abiding commitment to educational equity and the education of women. Hinton […]

Michael Porter is a partner at Miller Nash LLP and is a member of the firm’s employment law and labor relations and education law practice teams. He works with public and private employers in all areas of labor and employment law, providing strategic advice and counsel to address and reduce risk of employment claims in […]

Jeff Musellleads the sales efforts for Multiple Employer Plans (MEP) at TIAA. He helps clients in the nonprofit, education, government, and healthcare market segments define their MEP strategy and narrative. He often serves as a front-line product expert for the TIAA community. Prior to joining TIAA, Jeff helped educate shareholders and participants on mutual funds […]