Office of the President

Profile
The vice president for information technology and chief information  officer oversees the full spectrum of technology issues at the University and provides strategic direction and cohesion to the various parts of ITS  - see the ITS website for details.

Biography
David Baird joined Wesleyan in 2012. He holds a PhD in geophysics from Cornell University and obtained his undergraduate degree in geology and physics from the University of New Brunswick (Canada).  He has over 20 years of leadership experience using technology to improve education, and worked previously at Colgate and Lawrence universities.

Profile
The vice president for equity and inclusion sets Wesleyan’s E&I objectives and leads the effort to meet them. The approach is data-informed and sensitive to the multiplicity and inter-relatedness of differences as well as the systemic inequities facing members of the Wesleyan community. The goal is to promote a thriving community predicated on respect for others.

Biography
Willette Burnham-Williams, Ph.D. is an experienced executive leader in higher education with a career that spans over 30 years at four distinct institutions of higher education - Williamsburg Technical College, The Citadel Military College of SC, The College of Charleston, and the Medical University of SC. Her tenure at each organization contributed to developing and strengthening her expertise in higher administration, organizational strategic planning & assessment, and intentional practices of inclusion.  

Profile
The chair of the faculty consults regularly with the provost and senior vice president for academic affairs and with the president; coordinates the work of the University's standing committees; establishes the agenda for and presides over the faculty meetings; convenes and presides over the Faculty Executive Committee; is the faculty representative to the Finance Committee of the Board of Trustees; and serves on the Budget Priorities Committee.

Biography
Lisa Dombrowski '92 returned to Wesleyan in 2001 as a professor of East Asian studies. She earned her MA and PhD from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Lisa's research focuses on postwar and contemporary American independent cinema and East Asian cinema. Her work utilizes archival research to reveal the range of forces that impact the production, distribution, and exhibition of films and that shape our viewing experiences. She offers courses in American independent cinema, East Asian cinema, Hong Kong cinema, and global art cinema and is a recipient of the Binswanger Prize for Excellence in Teaching. 

Lisa is the author of The Films of Samuel Fuller: If You Die, I’ll Kill You! (2008), the editor of Kazan Revisited (2011), and the co-editor with Justin Wyatt of ReFocus: The Later Works and Legacy of Robert Altman (2022). She has contributed book chapters to Contemporary Asian Popular Culture Vol. 2: Cultural Dynamics and Global Impact (2024); Screening American Independent Film (2023); Resetting the Scene: Classical Hollywood Revisited (2021); United Artists (2020); Independent Female Filmmakers: A Chronicle Through Interviews, Profiles, and Manifestos (2018); Silent Features: The Development of Silent Feature Films, 1914–1934 (2018); Cinematography (2014); and Widescreen Worldwide (2010). Her articles have also appeared in Film History, Film Quarterly, Film Comment, The Velvet Light Trap, The New York Times, and the Criterion Collection, among others. She is currently researching and developing a digital humanities project on Chinese-language movie theaters and moviegoing in North America. 

Profile
The vice president and dean of admission and financial aid supervises the Admission and Financial Aid offices, directs all aspects of admission, and provides general supervision in the area of financial aid. The 26-member admission staff is responsible for the recruitment and selection of all full-time undergraduates: a first-year class of roughly 810 and 50 new transfers each year. The financial aid staff of eleven administers more than $90 million of grant assistance in a need-based program and counsels families on matters related to affording a Wesleyan education.

Biography
Amin Abdul-Malik Gonzalez '96 returned to Wesleyan in 2019. His higher education admission experience spans 20 years at three highly selective colleges and universities: Yale, Wesleyan and Swarthmore. Prior to his most recent return to Wesleyan, he served as director of admission at Choate Rosemary Hall for three years. Before leading the Choate Admission Office, he served as associate director of undergraduate admission and co-director of multicultural recruitment at Yale University for eight years. In every professional role he has occupied, he has been a strong advocate for underrepresented students, especially those of first-gen and/or extremely modest backgrounds. As a student at Wesleyan, he was a Mellon Mays Undergraduate Fellow, studied abroad in Egypt, and earned his bachelor’s degree in history.

Profile
As chief academic officer, the provost and senior vice president for academic affairs (SVP) oversees: the University curriculum and new curricular initiatives; faculty hiring and promotion; support for faculty research and teaching; and the administration of all academic departments, interdisciplinary and certificate programs, centers, colleges, graduate programs, study-abroad programs, the Athletics Department, Olin Library, the Office of the Registrar, and the Office of Institutional Research. The provost and SVP is a core participant in the University's budget development and strategic planning and has bottom-line responsibility for meeting budget targets for faculty compensation and for academic departments and programs, as well as athletics and the library.

Biography
Nicole Stanton joined the Wesleyan faculty in 2007.  She received her Bachelor’s Degree from Antioch College and her M.F.A. in Choreography from the Ohio State University. As an artist and an educator, Nicole’s work explores the intersections between personal, cultural, and physical experiences with an eye towards celebrating the complexities of black cultures and creating platforms that cultivate community. Her artistic practice emphasizes collaboration, including work with historians, scientists, anthropologists, musicians and media artists.

Recently, her choreographic work was featured as a part of the New England Dance on Tour project and she was a featured speaker at Rutgers University’s Clemet E. Price Institute on Ethnicity, Culture and the Modern Experience series on Healing Movement. Awards for her choreographic works include an Artist's Fellowship from the Connecticut Office of the Arts, a Threads interdisciplinary artist's residency from the Albers Foundation, and a New England Choreographer's grant from the New England Foundation for the Arts. Find out more at:  http://nicolestanton.net/.

Profile
The senior vice president, chief administrative officer and treasurer is the chief administrative officer of the University providing leadership for managing the institution's financial resources and achieving its overall strategic goals. The SVP is responsible for operations including, finance, budget, legal, risk management, human resources, facilities, and auxiliary services. Reporting directly to the president and as a member of the cabinet, the SVP serves as Wesleyan’s treasurer, an appointment conferred by the Board of Trustees.

Biography
Prior to joining Wesleyan in 2004 as a major gift officer in University Relations, Andrew Tanaka worked for the consulting firm Towers Perrin and then as a national accounts executive at Aetna. He most recently served in the Office of the President as vice president and chief of staff. A Freeman Scholar, he graduated from Wesleyan with a BA in economics and earned his MBA through the executive program at Cornell University. Andrew serves on the boards of the Connecticut Science Museum, Middlesex YMCA, the Middlesex County Chamber of Commerce, and the Community Foundation of Middlesex County.

Profile
The vice president for student affairs supervises a large and complex office and works with the senior vice president for academic affairs to develop programs that connect faculty and students outside the classroom in a variety of co-curricular activities. The vice president supervises the offices of the Dean of Students, Academic Advancement (class deans), Public Safety, and Graduate Student Affairs. The vice president collaborates with Academic Affairs on strengthening faculty advising as well as reviewing academic polices that impact students. The Student Affairs team initiates and facilitates various co-curricular programs that contribute to the intellectual life of the campus. In consultation with various faculty and student committees, the vice president is responsible for a wide range of policies and issues affecting students’ academic and co-curricular experiences.

Biography
“Dean Mike,” as he is known among students, was appointed vice president for student affairs in February, 2008. A native of upstate New York, he holds a BS in microbiology from Cornell University and a MS in counseling and higher education from Central Connecticut State University. He joined Wesleyan as dean of students in 1997 and served in that role until he was promoted to vice president. He has worked with students and faculty in numerous capacities to enhance co-curricular learning as well as students’ campus life experience. As a FGLI undergraduate himself, he has been dedicated to improving FGLI student support and success. Throughout his tenure he has been a strong advocate for social justice, effective student governance, and active student participation in institutional decision-making. He proudly works with Wesleyan’s veteran students and also serves as team mentor for both Men’s Soccer and Men’s Lacrosse.

Profile
The vice president for advancement cultivates lifelong relationships with alumni, parents, and friends; grows pride in the Wesleyan community; and develops support for University initiatives. To accomplish these objectives, the vice president directs a team that conceives, plans, and administers Wesleyan’s outreach activities, including development/fundraising; alumni and parent relations; and events, including Homecoming/Family Weekend and Reunion/Commencement. A principal component of these responsibilities is oversight of the University’s comprehensive development campaigns to increase gift and volunteer support to Wesleyan. The THIS IS WHY campaign concluded in 2016 having raised over $480 million.

Biography
Frantz Williams has worked in alumni relations at Wesleyan since 1999. He was part of the leadership team during the THIS IS WHY fundraising campaign and was a member of the development team during the Wesleyan Campaign. He has acted as liaison with the Admission Office while also volunteering as a mentor to students. Frantz has served as co-chair of AFCA (Administrators and Faculty of Color) and chair of the board of MARC Community Resources (an organization that serves children and adults with developmental disabilities) and currently serves on the board of the Community Foundation of Middlesex County.

Profile
The general counsel represents Wesleyan University, its trustees, officers, faculty and staff, in their official capacities, on all issues impacting the University. The general counsel supports the University in its strategic efforts as well as its operational functions in finance, human resources, real estate, policy and procedure, contracting, student affairs, academic affairs, risk management and dispute resolution/litigation.

Biography
Prior to serving as General Counsel, David was assistant general counsel and vice president for business development for The Stanley Works, now Stanley Black and Decker. At Stanley, David was responsible for general legal advice for all of Stanley’s business units, corporate governance, mergers and acquisitions and business reorganizations. Prior to Stanley, David practiced corporate and commercial law at Murtha Cullina, LLP in Hartford, CT after serving as a commissioned officer in the United States Army. He holds a BA from The Ohio State University and a JD from The University of Connecticut School of Law.

Profile
The vice president for communications provides strategic direction for Wesleyan’s communications and marketing activities, develops a clear vision for branding and messaging in all tactics and media, and serves as the institution’s senior marketing and communications advisor.

Biography
Renell Wynn joined Wesleyan in 2019. She has deep experience in higher education, including leading efforts to elevate institutional reputation, playing a critical role in successful fundraising campaigns, and serving as a trusted senior advisor at institutions such as the University of Denver, George Mason University, and the College of William & Mary. She holds a BA in English and mass communication from Spelman College, and an MBA from William Woods University. In addition to her work in higher education, she recently served as executive board committee chair of the Public Relations Society of America, Counselors to Higher Education.