Contact: Thonnia Lee, Office of Communications, Public Relations and Marketing
During my staff assessment, I have been introduced to extraordinarily talented Tuskegee University faculty and staff who are driving the work needed to support our students. I have been quite impressed with the dedication I’ve seen on campus and look forward to engaging with everyone more in depth in the near future.
As I mentioned during the All University Conference, there are a few staffing changes of note that I would like to share:
- Dr. Kellei Samuels, who has served as Vice President of Institutional Effectiveness, has been named Chief of Staff. In addition to her current responsibilities leading the team that drives our accreditation process, she will support me and serve as a secondary person on campus in my absence.
- Dr. Van B. Sapp, who previously served as dean and professor at Saint Augustine’s University, and a former Senior Vice President at PepsiCo, will join us Sept. 3 as Vice President of External Affairs. This Tuskegee alum will bring his years of experience and dedication to the university to support our government relations efforts, manage our industry partnerships and corporate and investor relationships in the best interest of the university. Attorney Crystal James will continue to serve as Vice President for Legal Affairs and General Counsel where she leads compliance efforts and our contract management support.
- Barbara Dunn-Harrington, as previously announced, is serving as interim Development leader for the next few months as we begin the search for a permanent Vice President of Development. Barbara, who graduated from Tuskegee, is skilled in relationship building and has experience that includes being the Executive Director of the Tom Joyner Foundation fundraising for HBCUs. Her work with the Tom Joyner Foundation supported HBCUs and their students throughout the country. Barbara joined the team Monday, Aug. 12.
Navigating the needs of the university with a “Student First” focus will be an ongoing process. There is much work to be done and I will continue to rely on your expertise to help serve our students in the most efficient manner possible.
My goal is to operate in a transparent environment and keep our students, faculty and staff informed of decisions being made to enhance their experience and improve our ability to operate most effectively. Additional communications will be shared as needed.
Best regards,
Dr. Mark Brown
President and CEO
Tuskegee University
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