People : Office of the Provost : UMass Amherst

Senior Vice Provosts

Michelle Budig

Senior Vice Provost for Faculty & Academic Affairs

Michelle J. Budig is Senior Vice Provost for Faculty Academic Affairs and Professor of Sociology. As Sr. Vice Provost, Budig works closely with the Provost and campus leadership to support faculty career progression from recruitment to retirement. Budig collaborates with deans, department heads and chairs, the Office of Faculty Development, and other partners in faculty support to offer programming that supports inclusive excellence and faculty success. Budig's scholarly interests include labor market inequalities, wage penalties for paid and unpaid caregiving, work-family policy, and nonstandard employment. Her research has appeared in the American Sociological Review, Social Forces, Social Problems, Journal of Marriage and the Family, and numerous other professional journals

Farshid Hajir

Senior Vice Provost and Dean of Undergraduate Education

Farshid Hajir serves as Senior Vice Provost and Dean of Undergraduate Education at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. He received his undergraduate degree with high honors from Princeton in 1988 and his PhD at MIT in 1993, both in Mathematics. Following appointments as Olga and John Taussky-Todd Instructor at Caltech, and as a National Science Foundation Postdoctoral Fellow at UCLA, he held an assistant professorship at the California State University, San Marcos. Following a one-year appointment as Visiting Assistant Professor at UNC Chapel Hill, Hajir joined the Department of Mathematics and Statistics at UMass Amherst in 2002 as Assistant Professor. He was promoted to Associate Professor with tenure and Professor in 2006 and 2012, respectively.

Wilmore Webley

Senior Vice Provost for Equity & Inclusion

Dr. Webley is a Professor of Microbiology and Senior Vice Provost of Equity and Inclusion at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. Webley was born in Dry Hill District, Bellas Gate P.O, St. Catherine, Jamaica and was the first in his family to attend high school (Old Harbour Hight School) and college. He completed a Bachelor of Science degree in Medical Technology at Northern Caribbean University. Webley then earned the M.Sc. and Ph.D. in Microbiology at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, with expertise in Immunology, Infectious Disease, Host-pathogen interactions, and a concentration in vaccine development.

Dr. Webley is a Fulbright Scholar, a recipient of the Manning Prize for Excellence in Teaching, and the Distinguished Teaching Award in recognition for outstanding teaching accomplishments

John Wells

Senior Vice Provost for Lifelong Learning

John D. Wells is Senior Vice Provost for Lifelong Learning at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. John received his B.B.A. degree in Management from the University of Oklahoma and M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in Management Information Systems from Texas A&M University. As Senior Vice Provost for Lifelong Learning, Dr. Wells oversees the strategic integration of online learning into the overarching educational mission at UMass Amherst. In this role, Dr. Wells’ primary responsibility is to provide instructors with the tools and techniques that are conducive to online learning, guide online program growth and development, and enhance the online/off-campus student experience.

Tilman Wolf

Senior Vice Provost and Deputy Chancellor for Operational and Organizational Strategies

Provost's Office Staff

Jo Allen-Oleet

Chief of Staff

Jo Allen-Oleet is the Chief of Staff.

Nikia Burdick

Communications & Events Manager for Equity and Inclusion

Nikia Burdick is the Communication and Events Manager for Equity and Inclusion in the Office of the Provost. She oversees the communication needs and event management for the Faculty Diversity team, as well as provides calendar support for Senior Vice Provost Wilmore Webley. Nikia collaborates with leadership and faculty across the UMass campus to promote community building and foster an inclusive approach to faculty development, advancement, recruitment, and retention.

Megan Eischen

Director of Communications

Megan Eischen is the Director of Communications for the Provost’s Office. She works with leadership and communicators across the UMass campus to promote academic initiatives, strategy, and cohesive messaging. Her previous roles have included on-air broadcasting, marketing and communication leadership positions, and in-classroom instruction for digital communication tactics.

Stephanie Nichols

Executive Assistant

Executive Assistant who supports multiple members of provost's leadership team with calendar management, travel coordination, project execution and most importantly, lunch for working meetings. She worked in public education as the administrative assistant to the principal for 5 years prior to UMass.

Academic Administration and Finance

Deborah Gould

Vice Provost for Administration and Finance

Deborah Gould is Vice Provost for Administration & Finance at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. She is a financial professional with nearly 30 years of experience in university administration. Gould earned an M.B.A. from the University of California at Berkeley, and holds a B.A. degree in economics from Wesleyan University in Middletown, CT. In her years at the university, Gould’s responsibilities have ranged from budgetary oversight and administration to financial and cost analysis to implementation and support of administrative applications. In her current position, Gould has led efforts to ensure a strong financial position in Academic Affairs through efficient allocation and stewardship of resources, creation of alternative revenue streams, and strategic growth.

Lucas Iain

Executive Director for Financial Planning and Operations

Lucas Iain is an Executive Director of Financial Planning and Operations at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. Lucas holds an Ed.S. from the University of Massachusetts Amherst, an MBA from Nichols College, and a B.A. from the University of Massachusetts Amherst. As Executive Director, Lucas is responsible for oversight of the following units: Flexible Education; University Without Walls; Instructional Design, Engagement, and Support; Center for Teaching and Learning; Campus Makerspace(s); University Analytics and Institutional Research; and the Office of Academic Planning and Assessment.

In his prior roles, Lucas has served as the Assistant Dean of Finance and Planning in the College of Education and the Director of Finance and Administration in the Graduate School, among others. With over a decade of experience in educational leadership, Lucas is dedicated to ensuring that budgets strategically align with student-centered curricula while also focusing on improving the overall student experience through careful and appropriate resource allocation.

Katy Maher

Executive Director for Financial Planning and Operations

Katy Maher is the Executive Director of Financial Planning and Operations

Sarina Poy

Finance Manager

Sarina Poy supports the Provost’s Office as the Finance Manager. She is primarily responsible for overseeing financial transaction processing and coordinating reporting processes across the unit. She provides user support for finance-related activities including non-sponsored, restricted, and unrestricted funds, administers training for faculty, staff, and students on various business operations, and serves as a key member of the finance team that supports the Flexible Education division, Instructional Design, Engagement, and Support, the Center for Teaching and Learning, University Analytics and Institutional Research, and the Office of Assessment, Survey, and Effectiveness Research.

Mindy Rivera

HR Specialist

Mindy Rivera supports the Provost’s Office as the Human Resources Specialist. She serves as an advisor and consultant on staff-related human resources management, personnel policies, and procedures for Academic Affairs.

Amy Stout

Senior Assistant Provost for Administration and Finance

Amy Stout has made her career at UMass Amherst over the past 30+ years, working in areas across campus from the Controller’s Office and areas throughout Academic Affairs. Currently serving as Senior Assistant Provost for Administration Finance, Stout is a voice and advocate for staff, a mentor, and a champion for continued growth and professional development for staff at all levels

Academic HR

Michael Eagen

Associate Provost for Academic Human Resources

Michael Eagen is Associate Provost for Academic Human Resources. Michael leads the Academic HR team and provides strategic leadership and direction for all academic HR and labor relations matters on behalf of the Chancellor and Provost. Prior to joining UMASS, Michael served as the Director of Faculty and Staff Labor Relations for the University of Connecticut Department of Human Resources. He also had a joint appointment as labor counsel in UConn’s Office of the General Counsel. Eagen received his B.A. in Economics from the University of Connecticut and his J.D., Cum Laude, from Western New England University School of Law.

Kristen Gibbons

Communication, Events, and Labor Relations Coordinator

Kristen first began her career while earning her undergraduate degree at UMass-Amherst in 2001 working for the ARPE unit at the UMass Donahue Institute. Her role included oversight of large-scale data collection for research and evaluation projects focused on education initiatives, public policy, public health and government programs. She left for a short time before returning to UMass in 2023. Kristen’s current role now resides in Academic Human Resources within the Office of the Provost. She serves as a labor relations coordinator providing administrative and logistical support to the administrative bargaining teams for MSP, GEO and PRO. She also disseminates communications for her team by sending out focused communications to the on-campus community to announce news related to bargaining, or to share dates and deadlines for academic personnel actions. Kristen provides calendar support for both Michael Eagen and Jocelyn Tedisky in the Academic Human Resources office.

Jocelyn Tedisky

Assistant Provost & Senior Director of Academic Human Resources

Jocelyn Tedisky is the Assistant Provost and Senior Director of Academic Human Resources at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. She works closely with senior leadership, deans, directors, and department chairs on all aspects of academic workforce personnel administration. Jocelyn provides strategic leadership on HR matters, oversees tenure-track faculty hiring, personnel actions, and system improvements, and ensures compliance with policies and union contracts. She leads the development of academic personnel policies, training, and resources, while managing and enhancing workflow systems and databases.
Jocelyn holds a Master of Public Administration and a Bachelor of Science in Business (Finance) from the University of Connecticut. She is also certified in Contract Administration from Cornell University’s Industrial and Labor Relations School and a SHRM Certified Professional (SHRM-CP).

Jessica Sadowski

Director of Academic Personnel

A UMass Amherst alumnus earning her bachelor’s degree in Hospitality and Tourism Management, Jessica began working at the university in 2007 within the former College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics. She remained with the newly formed College of Natural Sciences for ten years holding various roles in Human Resources before transitioning to the Office of the Provost in August 2017. Jessica collaborates with senior leadership and college personnel to guide academic HR activities, ensuring compliance with university policies and union agreements. Her responsibilities include advising on faculty personnel actions, overseeing academic personnel tracking and reporting, handling MSP faculty benefits, and addressing complex academic employee issues in coordination with HR partners.

Analytics and Assessment

Elizabeth (Liz) Williams

Associate Provost for Analytics and Assessment

Dr. Williams is a higher education researcher with more than thirty years of experience leading and contributing to institutional research at UMass Amherst. Liz manages two companion offices that support data-informed decision making throughout the university: Assessment, Survey, and Effectiveness Research (ASER; previously OAPA) and University Analytics and Institutional Research (UAIR).

Enrollment Management

James Roche

Vice Provost for Enrollment Management

James Roche is the vice provost for enrollment management at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, where he is responsible for the Offices of Undergraduate Admissions and Financial Aid Services.

Faculty Development and Faculty Diversity

Michelle Budig

Senior Vice Provost for Faculty & Academic Affairs

Michelle J. Budig is Senior Vice Provost for Faculty Academic Affairs and Professor of Sociology. As Sr. Vice Provost, Budig works closely with the Provost and campus leadership to support faculty career progression from recruitment to retirement. Budig collaborates with deans, department heads and chairs, the Office of Faculty Development, and other partners in faculty support to offer programming that supports inclusive excellence and faculty success. Budig's scholarly interests include labor market inequalities, wage penalties for paid and unpaid caregiving, work-family policy, and nonstandard employment. Her research has appeared in the American Sociological Review, Social Forces, Social Problems, Journal of Marriage and the Family, and numerous other professional journals

Angela de Oliveira

Associate Provost for Faculty Development

Dr. Angela C.M. de Oliveira provides vision and leadership for the Office of Faculty Development, focusing especially on leadership development, mentoring, mid-career, awards and recognition, as well as community, inclusion, and wellness programs to support healthy, equitable, thriving faculty and departments.

Wilmore Webley

Senior Vice Provost for Equity & Inclusion

Dr. Webley is a Professor of Microbiology and Senior Vice Provost of Equity and Inclusion at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. Webley was born in Dry Hill District, Bellas Gate P.O, St. Catherine, Jamaica and was the first in his family to attend high school (Old Harbour Hight School) and college. He completed a Bachelor of Science degree in Medical Technology at Northern Caribbean University. Webley then earned the M.Sc. and Ph.D. in Microbiology at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, with expertise in Immunology, Infectious Disease, Host-pathogen interactions, and a concentration in vaccine development.

Dr. Webley is a Fulbright Scholar, a recipient of the Manning Prize for Excellence in Teaching, and the Distinguished Teaching Award in recognition for outstanding teaching accomplishments

Fine Arts Center

Jamilla Deria

Director of Fine Arts Center

Jamilla Deria is a US based arts administrator committed to connecting innovative artists with adventurous audiences. Currently, the Director of The Fine Arts Center at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, Ms. Deria is focused on supporting the development of new work and partnering with world-class artists to inspire creative practice and arts-based research that explore the intersection of the arts, teaching and wellbeing. Prior to serving in her current capacity, Ms. Deria enjoyed a successful career at the Apollo Theater Foundation, Inc. bringing arts and civic experiences to American audiences including premiering and producing the Women of the World festival (WOW) in partnership with London’s Southbank Centre. In previous roles, she worked with some of the country's most renowned performing arts centers including: The Apollo Theater, Radio City Music Hall, and The Beacon Theater.

Interdisciplinary Studies

TBD

Associate Provost for Interdisciplinary Studies

TBD

Global Affairs

Kalpen Trivedi

Vice Provost for Global Affairs

Kalpen Trivedi is Vice Provost for Global Affairs, responsible for leading campus-wide initiatives for global engagement and he directs the International Programs Office. He also serves as a Senior Advisor on Global Strategies in the University of Massachusetts President’s Office.

Research and Engagement

Laura Vandenberg

Associate Vice Chancellor and Vice Provost for Research and Engagement

Laura Vandenberg is Associate Vice Chancellor and Vice Provost for Research and Engagement and Professor of Environmental Health Sciences. She previously served as interim/acting vice chancellor for research and engagement. In her current role, Dr. Vandenberg provides administrative oversight for UMass Amherst centers and institutes, works to advance community engaged research programs, and is engaged with the university’s federal and international research strategies.

Student Success and Career Development

Carolyn Bassett

Associate Provost for Student Success 

Carolyn Bassett is the Associate Provost for Student Success at UMass Amherst. She has led the central Undergraduate Student Success unit since 2018 creating a range of campus-wide infrastructures, programs, and collaborations designed to increase student persistence and thriving and build a more equitable student experience.

Cheryl Brooks

Associate Provost for Career and Professional Development

Dr. Cheryl Brooks is Associate Provost for Career and Professional Development. In this role, she oversees the strategic direction for Career Services campus-wide and leads a team of career professionals who provide self-assessments, skills training, and employer recruitment opportunities to UMass students. With two decades of experience in student professional development, corporate engagement, teaching, and program evaluation, she brings a holistic, student-first approach to career development. Cheryl is passionate about bridging academic theory with hands-on experiences such a internships, projects, and civic engagement, and helping students build professional connections with alumni and employers. Brooks earned a Ph.D. in education policy, research and administration from UMass Amherst and a M.S. in interdisciplinary studies/environmental science and B.A. in chemistry from the University of North Texas.

Teaching and Learning & Instructional Design and Technology

Claire Hamilton

Associate Provost and Director Center for Teaching and Learning

Claire E. Hamilton serves as the Associate Provost and Director of the Center for Teaching and Learning. In this role, Claire oversees the professional development resources and programs provided to faculty to enhance their teaching and instructional practices. As associate professor in teacher education and curriculum studies, Claire holds a B.A. and M.Ed. in Education from the University of Massachusetts and a Ph.D. in Educational Psychology from UCLA. With scholarly interests in literacy and reading, the social contexts of learning, general education curriculum, and flexible teaching and learning Claire is dedicated to supporting faculty and instructors in their growth as teachers, fostering a culture of recognition for teaching excellence, and enhancing the learning experiences for our students.