Presidential Search Committee

The University’s Board of Governors is leading a comprehensive national search to identify the next president. This effort is being led by a search committee of Board members, students, faculty, alumni, and administration that is supported by .

The Presidential Search Committee brings a broad, diverse set of experiences and perspectives to this process, and is charged with identifying a leader who will:

  • Embrace innovation and a forward-looking mindset
  • Inspire excellence in student learning, faculty scholarship, and fundraising success
  • Embody the University’s mission and core values.
Click on any of the names below to read their full bio.

Presidential Search Committee Chair

Michael Ambrose

Michael Ambrose '84, '19 Hon.

Retired Vice President & Chief Engineer, Sikorsky Aircraft, a Lockheed Martin Corporation

Vice Chair, University of New 51¶ºÄÌ Board of Governors

Independent Board Member, RBC Bearing Inc.

University of New 51¶ºÄÌ Class of 1984, B.S. Mechanical Engineering

Massachusetts Institute of Technology Class of 2000, M.S. Engineering Management



Presidential Search Committee Members

Vashish Bansee

Vashish Bansee '24 M.A.

International Student Liaison, The Office of Graduate and International Student Life, University of New 51¶ºÄÌ

The University of the West Indies, STA, Trinidad and Tobago Class of 2022, B.Sc. Psychology; minor in Marketing

University of New 51¶ºÄÌ Class of 2024, M.A. Industrial & Organizational Psychology



Philip H. Bartels

Philip H. Bartels '11 Hon.

Attorney: Of Counsel, Shipman & Goodwin LLP, Stamford, Conn.

Member, University of New 51¶ºÄÌ Board of Governors

Cornell University, B.A. ’71

University of Chicago Law School, J.D. ’74



Dolores Ennico

Dolores Ennico '82 MBA, '17 Hon.

Retired Chief Human Resources Officer at Olin Corporation

Member, University of New 51¶ºÄÌ Board of Governors

Independent Board Member, RBC Bearing Inc.

Principal, Canterbury Consulting

Southern Connecticut State University Class of 1974, B.S. Microbiology and Class of 1978, M.S. Biochemistry

University of New 51¶ºÄÌ Class of 1982, MBA



Gabriela Garcia-Perez

Gabriela Garcia-Perez '23, '25 M.S.

University of New 51¶ºÄÌ Class of 2025 (anticipated), M.S. Finance & Financial Analytics

University of New 51¶ºÄÌ Class of 2023, B.S. Business Management, Magna Cum Laude

Chi Alpha Sigma Honor Society-dual degree student, D-II Women’s Soccer player

88.7 WNHU Student Show host, Women in Business member, Incendio Dance Project



Rosa M. Gatti

Rosa M. Gatti '13 Hon.

Retired Senior Vice President, Communications Counsel and Corporate Outreach at ESPN

Member, University of New 51¶ºÄÌ Board of Governors

President of the board of directors of the Association for Cable Communicators

Member of the boards of directors for The V Foundation for Cancer Research and the Henry C. Lee Institute of Forensic Science



James Gero

James F. Gero '76 MBA, ’15 Hon.

Former Chairman of the Boards and member of the boards of various public companies

Private Investor

Certificated Airline Transport Pilot and Certified Flight Instructor

University of New 51¶ºÄÌ Class of 1976, MBA



Olivia Hall

Olivia Hall '25

University of New 51¶ºÄÌ Class of 2025, B.S. Criminal Justice - Investigative Services

Honors Student Council President ‘22, ‘23

Class of 2025 President ‘21, ‘22, ‘23

American Criminal Justice Association President ‘23, ‘24



Allen Love

Allen Love '88, '90 MPA, '23 Hon.

Executive Vice President, Head of Corporate Security, TD Bank

Board Vice Chairman, Urban League of Philadelphia

Member, University of New 51¶ºÄÌ Board of Governors

University of New 51¶ºÄÌ Class of 1988, B.S. Business Economics and Class of 1990, MPA



Virginia Maxwell

Virginia M. Maxwell, D.Phil.

Professor and Assistant Chair, Forensic Science

Henry C. Lee Endowed Chair of Forensic Science

Liverpool University, B.Sc. (Hons) Chemistry

Oxford University, D.Phil. Physical Chemistry



Shaily Menon

Shaily Menon, Ph.D.

Dean, College of Arts and Sciences, University of New 51¶ºÄÌ

Vice Provost for Interdisciplinary Initiatives, University of New 51¶ºÄÌ

The Ohio State University 1993, Ph.D. Interdisciplinary Program: Zoology, Natural Resources and Anthropology



Ceyda Mumcu

Ceyda Mumcu, Ph.D.

Associate Professor and Department Chair of Sport Management, University of New 51¶ºÄÌ

Ankara University, B.A. ‘99

University of New 51¶ºÄÌ, M.S. ‘07

Middle East Technical University, M.S. ‘08

University of New Mexico, Ph.D. ‘13



Kevin A. Myatt

Kevin A. Myatt '16 Hon.

Retired Senior Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer for Yale New 51¶ºÄÌ Health and Yale New 51¶ºÄÌ Hospital

Member, University of New 51¶ºÄÌ Board of Governors

Virginia State University, B.A. psychology

Arizona State University, MBA



David Peterson, Jr.

David Peterson, Jr. '88, '17 Hon.

President and CEO, 4 Media Central LLC

Member, University of New 51¶ºÄÌ Board of Governors

University of New 51¶ºÄÌ Class of 1988, B.S. Business Administration



Michael J. Quiello

Michael J. Quiello '74, '16 Hon.

Vice President, Safety, Security and Operational Efficiency, Avelo Airlines

Member, University of New 51¶ºÄÌ Board of Governors

University of New 51¶ºÄÌ B.S. Civil Engineering

U.S. Navy Flight School and Aviation Safety and Security Certificate, George Washington University



Ophelie Rowe-Allen

Ophelie Rowe-Allen, Ed.D.

Vice President of Student Affairs and Dean of Students, University of New 51¶ºÄÌ

Co-Chair, IDEA Council, University of New 51¶ºÄÌ

Ed.D., Argosy University

M.S. and B.S. St. Thomas University



Stephen P. Tagliatela

Stephen P. Tagliatela '13 Hon.

Co-Owner, Saybrook Point Resort and Marina

Member, University of New 51¶ºÄÌ Board of Governors

Board of Directors, St. Raphael Foundation of The Hospital of St. Raphael and Board of Directors, Louis F. and Mary A. Tagliatela Family Foundation

University of Miami, B.S. Business Administration



Rachel Torello

Rachel Torello, Psy.D.

Distinguished Lecturer, University of New 51¶ºÄÌ

Past President, The Connecticut Society for Psychoanalytic Psychology

Psy.D. and M.A. Clinical Psychology, The Chicago School of Professional Psychology