Annual Meeting of Presidents and Chief Academic Officers

Annual Meeting of Presidents and Chief Academic Officers

Hosted by West Virginia Wesleyan College

Buckhannon, WV

June 11-12, 2012

2012 Keynote Speakers

Dr. Kent John Chabotar

Kent John Chabotar has been president and professor of political science at Guilford College since 2002. From 1991 to 2002, Kent was vice president for finance and administration and treasurer at Bowdoin College in Brunswick, Maine, and senior lecturer in the Department of Government and Legal Studies. Previously, Kent was on the Faculty of Education at the Harvard Graduate School of Education, associate professor of management at the University of Massachusetts and assistant professor of political science and coordinator of Public Administration Programs at Michigan State University.

Kent received the Fussa Distinguished Teaching Award at Harvard and the Distinguished Educator Award for teaching excellence at Michigan State University. When he left Bowdoin College, the trustees elected him vice president and treasurer emeritus, students endowed a scholarship in his name, and the alumni board named him an honorary alumnus.

Kent is the author of many books, monographs and articles. Recent publications include a book on Strategic Finance for the Association of Governing Boards of Universities and Colleges (2006), and commentaries on the financial strategy and campus decision making in Inside Higher Ed (2009), The Chronicle of Higher Education (2009), and Change (2010). Kent has spoken on the economic crisis at conferences and events sponsored by the American Council on Education, Council of Independent Colleges, National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities, TIAA-CREF Institute, and elsewhere. Since 1983, he has been a faculty member at the Harvard Institutes for Higher Education, including the Harvard Seminar for New Presidents.

Dr. Estela López

Estela López brings significant campus and organizational experience to her position of Senior Program Associate at Excelenciain Education. Senior administrative roles at the Inter American University of Puerto Rico, Northeastern Illinois State University and the Connecticut State University System and positions with leading national higher educational associations have shaped her leadership skills and made her an effective change agent for student success. Her portfolio at Excelencia includes the Growing What Works initiative supported by the Walmart Foundation and Kresge Foundation.
Dr. López currently serves on the Connecticut State Board of Education. She is the recipient of numerous honors including the Illinois Latino Council in Higher Education Distinguished Service Award and Connecticut General Assembly's Latino and Puerto Rican Affairs Commission 2006 Latina Citizen of the Year.

Ms. Andrea Pactor

As Associate Director of the Women’s Philanthropy Institute, Andrea is responsible for operations and coordinating educational services. She has been connected to the Center on Philanthropy since 2001 first as a graduate student in the MA program and as Student Services Coordinator. She joined the staff in 2005 to manage the symposium on women and philanthropy and became Program Manager, Philanthropic Services later that year. Andrea became Assistant Director in 2008.

Andrea has served arts, education, and faith-based organizations as a professional and volunteer for more than 25 years. She served as Director of Development at the Jewish Community Center in Indianapolis, Director of Publicity and Grants at the Herron School of Art, and Visual Arts & Museum Coordinator at the Indiana Arts Commission. She was local and regional president of her faith-based women’s group. Andrea was a United Way allocations committee member for ten years and contributed many volunteer hours to public education projects.

Andrea has a BA in history and literature from The American University in Washington, DC; an MA in museum practice from the University of Michigan; and an MA in Philanthropic Studies from Indiana University.

Dr. Belle S. Wheelan, Ph.D.

Dr. Wheelan currently serves as President of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges and is the first African American and the first woman to serve in this capacity. Her career spans over 30 years and includes the roles of faculty member, chief student services officer, campus provost, college president and Secretary of Education. In several of those roles she was the first African American and/or woman to serve in those capacities.