Elliott Dawes is the inaugural vice president for institutional excellence at the State University of New York at Old Westbury. Dawes most recently served as the executive chief diversity office for the City University of New York’s Baruch College. Earlier, he was the inaugural chief diversity officer for equity and inclusion at SUNY’s Empire State College. His career in higher education also includes roles at the CUNY Black Male Initiative, the Hofstra University College of Law, and CUNY’s John Jay College of Criminal Justice.
Dawes is a graduate of Cornell University in Ithaca, New York, where he earned his bachelor’s degree in government and Africana studies. He holds a juris doctorate from the New York University School of Law and a master of laws degree from Columbia Law School.
Ayinde Rochon is the new advisor for the African American Male Education Network and Development (A2MEND) program and director of the Men of Color Center at Fullerton College in California. Before his new role, Dr. Rochon was interim student services coordinator at the School of Continuing Education of Santa Ana College in California. He previously served as a senior research associate with the Office of Community College Research and Leadership at the University of Illinois.
Dr. Rochon is a graduate of Indiana University, where he majored in political science and minored in African American and African diaspora studies. He holds a Ph.D. in education policy, organization, and leadership from the University of Illinois.
Tani A. Saintfleur has been appointed vice president for compliance, policy, privacy services, and civil rights compliance at Drexel University in Philadelphia. Saintfleur joins the university with more than two decades of experience across higher education, healthcare, and global organizations. Within academia, she has previously held leadership roles with New York University, Weill Cornell Medicine, and Columbia University.
A graduate of Stony Brook University in New York, Saintfleur earned her master of public administration degree from New York University and her juris doctorate from Pace Law School in New York.
Valerie Wilson-Wilbert is executive director of admissions and records at Mississippi Delta Community College. Wilson-Wilbert most recently served as the college’s director of admissions. Before that, she was assistant director of admissions. In her new role, she will provide leadership for admissions processing, registration, academic records, graduate certification, compliance, and enrollment reporting.
Wilson-Wilbert received her bachelor’s degree from Mississippi Valley State University, where she majored in criminal justice. She earned a master’s degree in education from the University of Arizona.
Rod Isom is the new chief audit officer at North Carolina A&T State University. Isom comes to the HBCU from Winston-Salem State University, where he has served as chief audit officer for the past three years. He worked for WSSU for 12 years, serving as an internal auditor, audit manager, and risk and compliance officer. Isom has also served as chief audit officer for the University of North Carolina School of the Arts.
Isom received his bachelor’s degree in business administration with a concentration in accounting from Presbyterian College in Clinton, South Carolina. He holds a master of accountancy degree from Liberty University in Lynchburg, Virginia.
Enku Gelaye was appointed senior vice provost for student experience strategy at the University of Pittsburgh. For the past five years, Gelaye has served as the senior vice president and dean of campus life at Emory University in Atlanta. Before that, she spent two years as vice president. Before joining Emory, Gelaye was vice chancellor of student affairs and campus life at the University of Massachusetts Amherst.
Gelaye holds a bachelor’s degree in print journalism from the University of Tennessee and a law degree from the University of Georgia.
David V. Jones was named the inaugural associate vice president for professional readiness and experiential programs at Young Harris College in Georgia. Dr. Jones comes to his new role with 26 years of higher education experience in admissions, enrollment management, academic advising, transfer and career advising, career services, and industry partnerships. Most recently, he was the inaugural director of career services and industry partnerships at Morehouse School of Medicine in Atlanta.
Dr. Jones is a graduate of Talladega College in Alabama, where he majored in education. He holds a master’s degree in cross-cultural studies from the University of Houston-Clear Lake and a doctorate in higher education administration from Texas Tech University.
Bomani H. Spell was appointed associate provost and vice chancellor for student development and engagement at Winston-Salem State University in North Carolina. Spell has been serving as vice president for student affairs and dean of students at Florida A&M University. His background in higher education includes prior roles with Jarvis Christian University in Hawkins, Texas, Tuskegee University in Alabama, and Westminster College in Missouri.
Spell holds a bachelor’s degree in history, master’s degrees in history and higher education student personnel, and a doctorate in higher education administration, all from Southern Illinois University Carbondale.
MarQuita L. Danzy is director of alumni relations at Cheyney University of Pennsylvania. Danzy previously served as the university’s director of campus amenities and internal events. Throughout her career, she has gained more than 26 years of administrative and leadership experience spanning international ministry, community services, and organizational development.
Danzy is an alumna of Cheyney University of Pennsylvania, where she majored in social relations with a minor in vocal music. She holds a master’s degree in administration of justice from Shippensburg University in Pennsylvania.
Brandi Wells-Stone has been named executive director for student support in the division of student affairs at the University of New Mexico. Dr. Wells-Stone has been with the university for the past 11 years, most recently serving as director of African American student services and special advisor to the president on African American affairs. In addition to her administrative work, Dr. Wells-Stone conducts research on Black cultural center leadership and the ways institutional structures and campus environments influence belonging in higher education.
Dr. Wells-Stone received her bachelor’s degree in political science and her master of public administration degree from the University of New Mexico. She holds a doctorate in higher education leadership and administration from New Mexico State University.
