Profiles

Samantha Sabalis joined CIC in 2018 and serves as senior director of foundation relations. She initially served as development officer through the Mellon/ACLS Public Fellows program for recent PhDs in the humanities and became a full-time CIC employee in 2020. In her current role, she leads the entire life cycle of fundraising strategy, grant development, […]

Leslie A. Rogers-Brown joined CIC in 2001 and is director of conferences. She is responsible for supporting the Institute for Chief Academic Officers, managing the Presidential Spouses and Partners Program, arranging the myriad logistical details involved in each event, and supervising workshops and conferences onsite. A native of Washington, DC, Leslie attended the University of […]

Siena McCabe joined CIC in 2023 and is the manager of network engagement. In this role, she is responsible for managing CIC’s Online Course Sharing Consortium (OCSC), while supporting CIC’s corporate affiliate partners and expanded offerings for members and sponsors. McCabe was initially hired as a conference coordinator at CIC before being promoted. Prior to joining […]

Vanessa Long joined CIC in 2015 and is the associate director of finance and accounting. Long brings to CIC several years of grant program management, event management, and accounting experience and is responsible for overseeing CIC’s accounts receivables, accounts payables, and bank reconciliation processes. Prior to joining CIC, Long served as office assistant for the […]

Christoph Kunkel joined CIC in 2004 and is the senior vice president and chief of staff. He is responsible for CIC’s administrative and financial operations, and he plays a key role in shaping CIC’s technology and investment activities. He serves as the main liaison to the CIC Board of Directors. A native of Germany, Kunkel […]

Philip M. Katz became CIC’s director of projects in 2013 and senior director of projects in 2023. His current portfolio includes faculty development programs in philosophy and the public humanities as well as the national Legacies of American Slavery network. Trained as an American historian, he has taught at Princeton and the University of Maryland […]

​After serving at two CIC member institutions, Susan Jenkins joined CIC in 2022 as assistant vice president and was promoted to vice president for marketing and communication to implement a new “digital-first” communications strategy. She previously led brand marketing and reputation efforts as assistant vice president of marketing and communications at Shenandoah University. Jenkins also […]

Marjorie Hass became president of the Council of Independent Colleges in 2021, after years of strengthening independent higher education in various leadership roles. From 2017 until her appointment to the CIC presidency, Hass served as president of Rhodes College. During that time, she expanded the college’s engagement with the city of Memphis, enhanced inclusive excellence, […]

Stephen Gibson joined CIC in 2001 and serves as director of programs. He oversees a wide range of projects, including the Presidents Governance Academy and seminars on Art History and Teaching Interfaith Understanding. Before joining CIC, he worked for many years as a bicycle messenger during which time he cofounded a zine called Mobile City […]

​Alonso De Los Rios joined CIC in 2022 and is the conference coordinator. He is responsible for the event registration process, logistics management, and providing client service for each CIC event. Previously, he worked for Strayer University as a faculty support & business development coordinator, as well as a logistics and finance associate for the […]