Women Leaders are Recognized at UMass Amherst

May 17, 2019

Honoring the accomplishments of women at UMass Amherst was the focus of “A Celebration of Women Leaders” reception held on May 17th at the Old Chapel.  The program included the announcement of the new and largest cohort of 2019-2020 HERS (Higher Education Resource Services) Institute participants.  HERS is an organization focused on leadership development of women in higher education. They hold trainings throughout the country.  

Provost John McCarthy spoke of the important contributions of many women leaders on campus and the university’s significant investment in the HERS program.   UMass Amherst has been sponsoring women to participate at a HERS institute since 2009. This support will continue to ensure that HERS training is widely available. As Provost McCarthy commented, “HERS has a stunning record of preparing women to advance into leadership positions, contributing to a pipeline of future leaders for our campus.”

Vice Provost for Faculty Development and 2018-19 HERS alumna, Michelle Budig, spoke about the remarkable success of this program.  “UMass has considerable talent, and clearly a strong desire among rising faculty and staff to step up to the plate and lead. The high participation in HERS is a testament to this rich pool of talent and ambition, and to our campus commitment to investing in the future women leaders of UMass and the broader higher education industry.”

Budig went on to announce this new cohort for 2019-20. The diverse group is comprised of seven faculty members and six professional staff members, representing six colleges (Engineering; Natural Sciences; Information and Computer Sciences; Social and Behavioral Sciences; Humanities and Fine Arts; and Management/Business) and four administrative branches (Student Affairs, Academic Affairs, Information Technology, and Research and Engagement) across our campus:

  1. Attending the Bryn Mawr Institute:
    1. Cheryl Brooks, the incoming Associate Provost for Career and Professional Development
    2. Rebecca Dingo, Director of the University Writing Program and Associate Professor of English
    3. Marla Miller, Director of the Public History Program, Associate Department Chair, and Professor of History
  2. Attending the Denver Institute:
    1. Teri Delude, Executive Financial Officer for Information Technology
    2. Lynne McLandsborough, Undergraduate Program Director and Professor of Food Science
  3. Attending the Wellesley Institute:
    1. Sonja Atalay, Undergraduate Program Director and Associate Professor of Anthropology
    2. Elizabeth Connor, Associate Dean for Undergraduate Education and Development in the College of Natural Sciences and Associate Professor of Biology
    3. Jennifer Donais, Assistant Vice Chancellor for Compliance and Support Services
    4. Donna Falcetti, Assistant Dean of Finance and Administration, College of Information and Computer Science
    5. Deb Gould, Associate Provost for Administration and Finance
    6. Traci Hess, PhD Coordinator and Berthiaume Professor of Systems Operation and Information Management
    7. Shelly Perdomo, Assistant Vice Chancellor for Advocacy, Inclusion, and Support
    8. Melissa Wooten, Associate Professor of Sociology and Chancellor’s Leadership Fellow

Jennifer Ross, Professor of Physics and HERS alumnae of 2018, welcomed the new cohort, stating “It is exciting to see so many amazing women from UMass going to represent our university at HERS, and who will come back with outstanding knowledge from the program.”. Her remarks were followed by a welcome message from Ray Burgman, Director of the HERS national organization, via teleconference.  

Karen Helfer, chair of Department of Communication Disorders and HERS alumna 2018, also spoke at the event. She remarked that at the HERS institute, “I learned many skills at HERS, but one of the best parts of it for me was the time to really think intentionally about what I might or might not want to do with my career”.

Barbara Krauthamer, dean of Graduate School, spoke about her 2016 HERS Institute experience and the importance of her mentor Joye Bowman, HERS alumna and associate dean of the College of Humanities and Fine Arts. “Joye first encouraged my leadership in our department and then helped me navigate the transition into university administration.”

HERS is a catalyst for change within UMass and represents a collaborative effort from across campus. The significant investment that UMass makes in sending women to HERS pays off in the energy, knowledge, and skills the participants bring back with them to the campus.