ACE Names 26 Emerging Higher Education Leaders

The American Council on Education (ACE) selected 26 emerging college and university leaders for the 2024-25 class of the ACE Fellows Program.

“For decades, the ACE Fellows Program has played a crucial role in developing a pipeline of skilled, agile, and diverse leaders who advance and invigorate higher education,” said ACE President Ted Mitchell.

The ACE Fellows Program boasts having strengthened institutions in American higher education since its 1965 inception.

Jaunita BanksMitchell said fellows take part in transformative learning experiences and emerge with new insights, prepared to face whatever challenges the future might bring. The program has identified and prepared over 2,500 faculty, staff, and administrators for senior positions in college and university leadership through its cohort-based mentorship model with more than 80% of fellows who have participated have gone on to serve as chief executive officers, chief academic officers, other cabinet-level positions, and deans.

The ACE Fellows Class of 2024-25 list comprises Rima Adil, dean of student success and academic development at Houston Community College; Ralitsa Akins, vice provost at the University of West Georgia; Tiffany Birdsong, chief academic officer at the Richard Bland College of William and Mary; Tamara Bland, dean of the Borra College of Health Sciences at Dominican University; Daryl Carter, associate dean, director, and professor at East Tennessee State University; Elizabeth Carter, assistant vice president for health and well-being at Coastal Carolina University; Kristyn Davis, vice president of enrollment management and extended studies at Colorado State University-Pueblo; Christoper DePerno, professor, FWCB coordinator, and provost faculty fellow at North Carolina State University; Andrea Duffy, assistant vice provost at Colorado State University; and R. Danielle Egan, dean of the faculty and chief academic officer at Connecticut College.

The list also includes Stephen Griffin, associate provost for online education at Wilberforce University; Michael Harris, professor and department chair at Southern Methodist University; Melvin Johnson-Norwood, vice chancellor for student affairs and associate provost at Winston-Salem State University; Dayna Matthew, dean and Harold H. Greene Professor of Law at George Washington University; Stephan Moore, vice president of enrollment management and student affairs at Coppin State University; Marisol Morales, executive director, Carnegie Elective Classifications, at the American Council on Education; Kristin Moran, associate dean at the University of San Diego; Nayshon Mosley-Milford, dean of student success at Chicago State University; Suzanne O'Driscoll, associate vice president for student affairs and dean of students at Shenandoah University; Wendy Reed, dean of the Swenson College of Science & Engineering at the University of Minnesota-Duluth; Nukhet Sandal, associate dean at Ohio University; Tracy Tambascia, professor of clinical education at the University of Southern California; Corlisse Thomas, senior vice chancellor for student affairs at Rutgers University-Newark; Debbie Thorne, senior vice provost at Texas State University; Franklin Tuitt, vice president and chief diversity officer at the University of Connecticut; and Anna Ya Ni, associate dean at California State University San Bernardino.

“We are honored that the 2024-25 fellows and their nominators entrust ACE with supporting their leadership journeys,” said Juanita Banks, program director at ACE. “This upcoming cohort will have opportunities to gain new leadership perspectives that will enable them to support the work of their nominating institutions. We aim to elevate them as bold and capable leaders.”