Christopher Blakely has been appointed assistant vice chancellor for student engagement and leadership at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. He comes to his new role from Florida Gulf Coast University, where he served as assistant vice president for campus life. Earlier in his tenure, he served as director of the Multicultural and Leadership Development Center and dean of students.
Dr. Blakely is a graduate of the University of Mount Union in Alliance, Ohio, where he majored in sports management. He holds an MBA from the University of Phoenix and a doctorate in educational leadership and policy studies from Eastern Kentucky University.
Alana Dais Manga is the inaugural dean of student success and registrar at Paris College of Art, an international college in Paris, France, with U.S. degree-granting authority. Manga first joined the college in 2016, most recently serving as director of student success. Earlier in her career, she held a variety of academic and administrative roles at the State University of New York and the City University of New York.
Manga holds a bachelor’s degree in biology and chemistry from Mount St. Mary College in New York and a master’s degree in education from the University of Phoenix. She has also completed graduate studies in school psychology and educational administration from the State University of New York.
LaDaniel Gatling II is the new vice chancellor for university advancement at Elizabeth City State University in North Carolina. He has extensive experience leading fundraising and alumni relations initiatives in higher education, including prior leadership roles with Guilford College, Bennett College, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and the Elon University School of Law. Gatling is also the founder of GLK Philanthropic Consulting, a Greensboro-based firm that supports organizations’ fundraising campaigns.
An HBCU graduate, Gatling earned his bachelor’s degree in architectural engineering from North Carolina A&T State University. He holds a master’s degree in philanthropic studies from Indiana University, where he currently serves as chair of the alumni board for the university’s Lilly Family School of Philanthropy.
