The three-day Presidential Conclave will bring together approximately 40 prominent... presidents and rectors, leaders of major national and international organizations,...

The three-day Presidential Conclave will bring together approximately 40 prominent... presidents and rectors, leaders of major national and international organizations,...

The three-day Presidential Conclave will bring together approximately 40 prominent university
presidents and rectors, leaders of major national and international organizations, and world
leaders committed to higher education. These Presidential Conclave members will meet to develop
global proclamations on the future of higher education. The Conclave will address critical
worldwide issues in higher education and will advance an agenda for higher-education opportunity,
access, and excellence. The published Presidential Conclave proclamations will ensure that the
conversation begun during the Conclave continues and that the agenda outlined in each
proclamation is implemented.
Conference attendees will have opportunities to interact with these leaders from different countries
and universities throughout the conference.
West Chester University President Greg R. Weisenstein, Conference Cochair
Greg R. Weisenstein is the 14th president of West Chester University. Before
coming to WCU in March 2009, Dr. Weisenstein was the provost and vice
president for academic affairs at the University of North Dakota. Among his
extensive national and international experience, he served on advisory
committees under Presidents Jimmy Carter, Ronald Reagan, and George H. W.
Bush. For the U.S. Department of State, he led the restructuring of higher
education in the Republic of Moldova. His work has included serving as the chief negotiator for
international agreements in South America and Europe and holding direct talks with former Soviet
President Mikhail Gorbachev. Since coming to WCU, President Weisenstein has been appointed to
the U.S. Army Committee on Education and the NCAA Division II Baseball Rules Committee. He
continues to raise WCU’s reputation on the international level by leading the University in the
development of collaborations with the American College of Norway, Moss, Norway, and the
Universidad Nacional, Heredia, Costa Rica. Dr. Weisenstein has made tremendous strides in
elevating the recognition of West Chester University as one of the top regional comprehensive
universities in the country. Greg Weisenstein earned his bachelor's degree in history and geology
and master's degree in special education from the University of Washington and earned his
doctorate in administration and special education from the University of Kansas. He is the author
of four books and more than 65 publications and has given more than 100 keynote presentations at
national and international conferences. His numerous honors include State Educator of the Year,
Best Program of the Year, and the Teaching and Advising Excellence Award.
Universidad Nacional Rectora Sandra León Coto, Conference Co-chair
Sandra León Coto has been the rector of the Universidad Nacional (UNA), Costa
Rica, since 2010. Before becoming rector, she was the university’s vice rector
for academic affairs and a member of the University Council. She also has long
service as a professor in UNA’s Department of Chemistry. Her academic
specialty is industrial chemistry, including the areas of water quality, soil
chemistry, and research methods. Throughout her career at UNA, Rectora León
has held a number of leadership positions. Among these, she has served as
dean of the Faculty of Natural Sciences, research coordinator for the Department of Chemistry, and
coordinator for UNA’s Laboratory of Marine Chemistry. Rectora León was instrumental in
developing the university’s program in science education with an emphasis on chemistry,
undergraduate degree program in industrial chemistry, and master’s-degree program in
management and environmental studies. The courses she has taught have helped to prepare
students for careers in science education, veterinary medicine, forestry, agricultural sciences, and
the biological sciences. In addition, she has made major contributions through university extension
work for the coastal communities of the Gulf of Nicoya region. Rectora León’s research has been
extensively published in national and international scholarly journals, and she has organized and
participated in numerous international conferences, seminars, and other academic events. She is a
member of the International Ocean Institute Steering Committee and has long service as a member
of the Board of the American Association of Marine Sciences. The Costa Rican Ministry of Science
and Technology has recognized Rectora León for her contributions in the field of science and
technology; other honors recognize her important work on behalf of the environment.
Oscar Avila is the cultural affairs officer for the Embassy of the United States, San José, Costa Rica.
Hector Alejandro Barceló has been the rector of the Instituto Universitario de
Ciencias de Salud, Argentina, since 1992 and is a professor in the university’s
Department of Pathology within the Faculty of Medicine. He is also the president
of the Hector A. Barceló Foundation for the Development of Biomedical Science
Argentina. The Barceló Foundation, created in 1991, is a nonprofit organization
whose main objective is to support and contribute to the growth and
development of and participation in the biomedical sciences in Argentina. In his
studies at the Medical University of Buenos Aires, Dr. Barceló specialized in
rheumatology and pathology. He also holds a Ph.D. in education. He has been a
member of the Argentina Association of Medicine since 1984. Among the honors he has received
are the Albert Schweitzer Gold Medal from the Academy of Medicine of Poland and full membership
in the Albert Schweitzer World Academy of Medicine. Dr. Barceló is the author of numerous
scientific publications.
J. A. Roy Bodden, JP is president of the University College of the Cayman
Islands (UCCI), a position he has held since 2008. Previously he was a lecturer
at UCCI, served as a member of the Legislative Assembly of the Cayman Islands,
and was a justice of the peace and the Cayman Islands minister of education,
human resources, and culture. A highly regarded community activist and
cultural historian, President Bodden is the author of such notable books as The
Cayman Islands in Transition: The Politics, History, and Sociology of a Changing
Society; Patronage, Personalities, and Parties: Caymanian Politics from 19502000; and the 2012 publication Political Revolution of the Cayman Islands: From
the Vestry to the Premier. He is the 2011 recipient of the Trent University,
Canada, Distinguished Alumnus Award. His graduate studies in educational administration were at
Queen’s University.
Olman Segura Bonilla has been the executive president of the National
Institute of Learning of Costa Rica since 2010. Prior to his nomination to that
position, he served as president of the Universidad Nacional (UNA). During
his tenure at UNA, he was elected general secretary of the web of MacroUniversities of Latin America and the Caribbean. Among his other notable
leadership positions, he served as president of the University Executive
Council of America and as director of the International Center of Economic
Politics for the Sustainable Development of Universidad Nacional. Dr. Segura
was also a professor for UNA’s graduate programs in Economic Politics for
Central America and the Caribbean and in International Commerce. Dr.
Segura earned his PhD in economics, with an emphasis on innovation and technological change,
from the University of Aalborg, Denmark. He holds a master’s degree in economics from the
University of London and baccalaureate degrees from UNA and the University of Wisconsin, United
States.
John Cavanaugh became chancellor of the Pennsylvania State System of
Higher Education in 2008. Previously he served as president of the
University of West Florida, where he created the Academic Technology
Center and was one of the original proponents of the Vince Whibbs
Community Maritime Park, the largest public-private partnership in
Pensacola history. From 1999 to 2002, he served as provost and vice
chancellor for academic affairs at the University of North Carolina at
Wilmington. He also held various positions at the University of Delaware,
including vice provost for academic programs and planning and associate
provost for graduate studies. Dr. Cavanaugh earned a bachelor’s degree in
psychology with high honors from the University of Delaware and his master’s degree and
doctorate from the University of Notre Dame. He was a postdoctoral fellow at the University of
Minnesota’s Center for Research in Human Learning and the Institute of Child Development and
served as a Fellow with the American Council on Education, American Psychological Association,
and Gerontological Society of America. In addition, he was a Charter Fellow of the Association for
Psychological Science.
Javier Cevallos was appointed president of Kutztown University in 2002.
He began his career in education in 1981 as an assistant professor of
Spanish at the University of Maine at Orono. In 1984, he moved to the
University of Massachusetts at Amherst, where he became an associate
professor and then full professor. In 1994, he was asked to serve as faculty
advisor to the provost. In 1996, he was selected as a Fellow by the
American Council on Education and spent his fellowship with the president
of Wesleyan University. Upon his return to UMass, Dr. Cevallos became
chair of the Department of Spanish and Portuguese. Soon after, he was
appointed vice chancellor for student affairs, a position he held until joining Kutztown University as
its president. Born in Cuenca, Ecuador, he earned his bachelor’s degree at the University of Puerto
Rico at Mayagüez and his master’s and doctoral degrees from the University of Illinois at Urbana.
Gary Hagen has been the president of Mayville State University, North
Dakota, since 2006. During his earlier career at Mayville State University,
he served as a professor of business and computing, as chairperson of the
Business Division, as the institution’s chief information officer, and as vice
president for academic affairs. Beyond his university, he is an active
leader in planning, technology, and economic-development commissions,
boards, and committees. Dr. Hagen’s undergraduate degree in business
administration and his master’s degree and doctorate in business and
vocational education are from the University of North Dakota.
David Holveck is the president, the chief executive officer, and a director of
Endo Pharmaceuticals, a specialty healthcare-solutions company. Before
joining Endo Pharmaceuticals in 2008, Mr. Holveck was the president of
Johnson & Johnson Development Corporation. He joined Johnson & Johnson, a
diversified healthcare company, as a company group chairman in 1999
following Johnson & Johnson’s acquisition of the biotechnology company
Centocor, Inc. Mr. Holveck was the chief executive officer of Centocor at the
time of the acquisition. He joined Centocor in 1983 and held several executive
positions. In 1992, he assumed the role of president and chief operating
officer; later that year he was named president and chief executive officer. Prior to joining
Centocor, he held positions at General Electric Company, Corning Glass Works, and Abbott
Laboratories. He has also served on the boards of directors of several organizations. David Holveck
was instrumental in the creation of West Chester University’s groundbreaking Pharmaceutical
Product Development baccalaureate program.
Muriel Howard became president of the American Association of State Colleges
and Universities in 2009 following a 13-year tenure as president of Buffalo
State College. Earlier she was vice president for public service and urban affairs
at the University of Buffalo, where she had served in a number of leadership
capacities for more than 23 years. During her time in western New York, Dr.
Howard served on a number of civic, educational, and cultural organizations,
including the New York State Department of Education Commissioner’s Council
on Higher Education, the New York State Blue Ribbon Commission on Youth Leadership, and the
State University of New York (SUNY) Advisory Council on Teacher Education. She also served on
the SUNY board of directors for the Center for Russia and co-chaired the SUNY Provost’s Advisory
Task Force on General Education, establishing guidelines for instituting general-education curricula
throughout the SUNY system.
Vladimir Laptev is vice rector for research at the Alexander I. Herzen State
Pedagogical University of Russia, a post he has held since 1990. He is also a
professor of physics teaching methods. A leading figure in higher education in
Russia, Dr. Laptev is chairman of the Dissertation Council, which oversees the
awarding of doctorates in education, computer science, and mathematics. In
1998, a Russian presidential decree honored his great contributions to
science, and in 2000, he was elected a full member of the State Academy of
Sciences. In 2004 and 2005, Dr. Laptev received the highest awards given by
the Ministry of Education and Science. In addition, in 2007, the St. Petersburg
government recognized his outstanding achievements in the field of higher and secondary
vocational education. Vice Rector Laptev holds a doctorate and post-doctorate in physics.
Krista Lauritzen is the administrative director of the American College of
Norway, a position she has held since the college’s founding in 1991. She was
instrumental in developing the framework for the American College of Norway
program and for instituting curricula that serve the international student
body. She is an active leader in encouraging international education and student
mobility. Krista Lauritzen has participated in many national and international
committees. She is currently a member of the U.S. Task Force on Education,
which is spearheaded by the U.S. Embassy in Oslo, Norway, and is a committee
member for the upcoming conference Working Forum on Children’s Rights. She
is also a board member of Campus Moss—furthering higher education in Moss, Norway. Krista
Lauritzen formerly served as vice president of Worldview Global University Norway/Sri Lanka. She
received her higher education at Augsburg College. During her career, she has received awards for
her leadership and contributions to humanitarian and educational programs.
Luis Guillermo Carpio Malavassi is the rector of the Universidad
Estatal a Distancia (UNED), where he previously served as
executive vice rector. UNED was created in 1977 and was the first
institution of its kind in Costa Rica. Rector Carpio holds graduate
degrees in strategic management from UNED and in business
administration from the Universidad Internacional de las
Americas. His bachelor’s degree in business administration with an
emphasis in human resources is from the Instituto Tecnológico of Costa Rica (ITCR). Earlier in
his career with UNED, Rector Carpio headed the Office of Accounting and Finance and served
as the university’s chief financial officer. He has taught in the ITCR School of Management and
also served as executive director of the Costa Rican Foundation for Distance Education.
Muhammad Mukhtar holds the positions of vice chancellor and professor at
the Islamia University of Bahawalpur, Pakistan. Dr. Mukhtar earned his
doctorate in biosciences at Drexel University, Philadelphia. He also holds
specialized certificates in research management, public health, and
bioinformatics. In the U.S., he served in a number of academic and
administrative positions. Then in 2007, he joined the Pir Mehr Ali Shah Arid
Agriculture University, Rawalpindi, Pakistan, as a professor of
biochemistry. Dr. Mukhtar’s research laboratory has studied the mechanisms
of viral entry into the brain and their implications for antiretroviral therapy
and explored the role of cholesterol-depleting drugs in HIV-related neuronal
injury. Dr. Mukhtar and his laboratory have received several awards from the U.S. National
Institutes of Health, Pfizer Pharmaceuticals, and the Higher Education Commission of
Pakistan. He serves as the managing editor of Frontiers in Bioscience, is on the editorial board of
several national and International journals, and has numerous scholarly publications to his
credit.
In 1989, Steinar Opstad founded the American College of Norway, in Moss,
Norway. He is the retired vice president of the Confederation of Norwegian
Business and Industry. He is also among Norway's leading communication
experts, scientists, and humanitarians. In 2010, the king of Norway awarded Dr.
Opstad the Gold Medal of Merit. In addition to authoring several journal articles,
he has written ten textbooks on leadership and related topics, six books on
management, three books on communication, two works of fiction, and one
volume on education. Dr. Opstad has helped developing countries strengthen
their economies and their social-welfare and educational systems. Much of his
work has been in Asia, where he partnered with the United Nations and other international
organizations on a variety of projects. Worldview International Foundation, which he cofounded in
1979 and chaired, has brought communication technologies to 31 developing countries and
millions of people. Dr. Opstad earned his BA and M.Ed. from University of Bergen, Norway and has a
doctorate in communication technology from Columbia Pacific University of San Rafael and is
honored with a Hon. Litt. D. from University of North Dakota.
James Ptaszynski is the senior director of Microsoft Corporation’s World Wide
Higher Education Strategy. He joined Microsoft in 1995 after spending 16
years in higher education. For six years prior to joining the company, he was
the associate dean at the Graduate School of Management at Wake Forest
University, where he was responsible for a number of administrative and
academic areas, including the school’s strategic planning and its adoption and
integration of technology. He also taught graduate-level marketing and
conducted research into trends and driving forces for change in education. In
addition to consulting for a number of businesses and not-for-profit organizations,
Dr. Ptaszynski has served on the U.S. Secretary of Education’s Commission on the Future of Higher
Education (the Spellings Commission), on the Middle East Institute for Higher Education, and as an
advisor on the Council of Senior Advisors for the International Association of University
Presidents. Dr. Ptaszynski received his undergraduate and doctoral degrees from the University of
North Carolina at Chapel Hill and a master’s degree from Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania.
David Raney MD – Chief Executive Officer Nuventive
David Raney has provided strategic and operational leadership for Nuventive
since its inception in 2000. Nuventive is the leading provider of software
solutions for institutional effectiveness in higher education with almost 400
college/university customers worldwide. He has been involved in business
creation since completing formal medical training. This includes founding
two innovative programs at the Children’s Hospital of Denver and leading the
creation of numerous new programs/business units at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center.
Dr. Raney left academic medicine in 1999 to become an entrepreneur. In addition to serving as the
CEO of Nuventive, Dr. Raney is a founder of a software company focused in health care. Dr. Raney is
a board certified child psychiatrist and holds an MD degree from Vanderbilt University.
Betty Siegel is Distinguished Chair of the Siegel Institute for Leadership, Ethics
& Character and President Emeritus at Kennesaw State University. Dr. Siegel
was the first woman to head an institution in the 35-unit University System of
Georgia and was the longest-serving woman president of a public university in
the nation. Under her administration, Kennesaw State grew from 4,000 students
with 15 baccalaureate-degree programs to an 18,000-student university with 55
baccalaureate- and graduate-degree programs. Dr. Siegel is a longtime member
and former chair of the Board of Directors of the American Association of State
Colleges and Universities (AASCU). She serves on the Commission on Women in Higher Education
as well as on numerous corporate and community boards. Since her retirement from Kennesaw
State, Dr. Siegel has implemented many global initiatives that have taken her worldwide to spread
the message of leadership, ethics, and character. Her signature program is the Oxford Conclave on
Global Ethics, an initiative launched to renew higher education's commitment to the development
of ethical leadership and to explore education’s role as a change agent for social responsibility.
Tadeusz Truskolaski, Ph.D. in economic sciences, is the mayor of the city of
Białystok, Poland, a position he has held since December 2006. He is also a
professor at the University of Białystok and the author of more than 80
scientific publications. Dr. Truskolaski is a former advisor to the Polish
Minister of Regional Development and worked in the Government Center for
Strategic Studies on national development strategy and on the operational
program development of eastern Poland. In the years 2001 -2003, Dr.
Truskolaski became the head of the Regional Policy Department in the
Marshal’s Office of the Podlaskie Region, where he contributed successfully to
the implementation of the PHARE Program. The professional team he created was able to gain
substantial European Union funding for the benefit of the Białystok and Podlaskie Regions.
Sun Weiguo is the vice president of the Xi’an Conservatory of Music, where he
began working in January 1981 after his graduation from the conservatory. He
has held the position of vice president since September 1999. In addition, he
serves as vice deputy in the International Liaison Department of the Chinese
Musicians Association.