Meetings Archives - LGBTQ Leaders in Higher Education

2025 Board Elections

By Jim Berg / September 24, 2025

The Annual Meeting of the LGBTQ Leaders in Higher Education will take place on October 15, 2025, at 3:00 pm (Central) at the Leadership Institute in Milwaukee. Members will have the opportunity to vote on a slate of new (and renewing) board members.

The new candidates are Brian Cain, Endicott College; George F. Kacenga, William Paterson University; Michelle Fischthal, San Diego Community College District; Susan Henking, Wells College; and Jonathan Herbert, The Julliard School. Standing for renewed terms are Kevin Leonard, Southern Illinois University, Edwardsville; Luca Lewis, Ventura College; and Daniel Lopez, Harold Washington College.

Brian Cain is Interim President at Endicott College. He is drawn to the mission of LGBTQ Leaders in Higher Education, as it resonates with his personal and professional values. He writes, “Throughout my career, I have been an advocate for creating inclusive spaces where everyone, regardless of their background or identity, can thrive. I believe that my experience in strategic leadership, market development, and collaborative engagement will enable me to contribute meaningfully to the Board’s efforts in advancing LGBTQ leadership in higher education.”

Michelle Fischthal is Vice Chancellor of Institutional Innovation and Effectiveness at the San Diego Community College District. She writes, “For the past two years, I have served on the Institute Planning Committee for LGBTQ Leaders in Higher Education, helping to design programming that fosters leadership development and connection among LGBTQ+ professionals, and I am currently serving on the programming and membership committee. As a queer higher education executive, I am committed to being visibly present both within and beyond LGBTQ+ spaces and offering representation, advocacy, and a point of connection for others navigating leadership roles.”

George F. Kacenga is Vice President for Enrollment Management at William Paterson University in Wayne, NJ. He was previously with M Square Media (MSM), where he served as assistant vice president in the global marketing office. In this role, he worked with universities on enrollment management, prospect engagement, student recruitment, and new student on-boarding. He also served as executive director of undergraduate admissions and executive director of global engagement at Purdue University Northwest, and at University of Colorado Denver as director of international enrollment management.

Susan Henking has been a leader in higher education for decades, as faculty member and administrator at Hobart and William Smith, as president at Shimer College, Salem Academy and College, and Wells College. A passionate advocate of liberal arts education and religious studies, Susan was a co-founder of what was then called LGB Studies at HWS and taught and published regularly at the intersection of religious studies and LGBTQ studies, including the landmark co-edited book QUEERYING RELIGION. She lives in the Finger Lakes region of New York with her partner Betty Bayer and their dog Bunty (soon to be joined by a sister named Frankie).

Jonathan Herbert is Associate Provost for Admissions at the Julliard School. His previous experience has included the Manhattan School of Music, where he oversaw the management of over $50 million of institutional and federal funds, and The New School. He joined the Finance Committee of the LGBTQ Leaders in December 2024.

Richard Helldobler currently serves as Past-President of the Board and President at William Paterson University. He is a candidate for the position of Chair of the Council of Presidents. The Chair of the Council of Presidents serves as a member of the Board of Directors.

Board officers for 2025-26 will also be selected. Kristin Esterberg will move from Board President to Past-President, while Joe Bertolino will move from President-elect to President. Members will vote on whether to approve Jonathan Herbert as Treasurer (two year term), Daniel Lopez, as secretary (two year term), and George Kacenga as President-elect (one year term, to become President in 2026-27).

Membership Elects New Board Members and Officers, Approves Strategic Plan

By Jim Berg / October 23, 2024

The Annual Meeting of the LGBTQ Leaders in Higher Education was held in Bothell, Washington, on October 16, 2024 at 3:15 pm. Members voted on a slate of candidates for positions on the Board of Directors and approved the 2025-27 Strategic Plan.

The Governance and Nominations Committee forwarded a slate of candidates for open board seats. The following were elected on a voice vote:

Joe Bertolino, President, Stockton University (NJ)
Merrill Irving, Jr., Senior Executive of Advisory Services, Ferrilli
Gillian McKnight-Tutein, Chief Educational Equity Officer at the Colorado Department of Higher Education (CDHE)
Manny Velasquez-Paredes, Director of Career Education at the University of North Florida

Bertolino was also elected to serve as President-Elect for the 2024-25 term. Board treasurer, Dick Senese, and Board Secretary, Daniel Lopez, were re-elected to those positions. Kristin Esterberg assumed the position of President for the 2024-25 year, and Richard Helldobler assumed the position of Past-President; they will each serve in those roles until the 2025 Annual Meeting.

LGBTQ Leaders in Higher Education advances effective leadership in post-secondary education, supports professional development of LGBTQ leaders, and provides education and advocacy regarding LGBTQ issues within the global academy and for the public at large.

2024 Board Elections

By Jim Berg / September 16, 2024

The Annual Meeting of the LGBTQ Leaders in Higher Education will take place on October 16, 3:15 pm at the Leadership Institute. Members will have the opportunity to vote on a strategic plan, recently endorsed by the Board of Directors. The draft strategic plan, which will guide the organization through 2027, is available below. We will have a free virtual discussion on Zoom for feedback and questions on September 30 at 2 pm Eastern, 11 am Pacific. See more information and register here.

Members will also be asked to ratify a slate of candidates for Board membership that includes Joe Bertolino, President of Stockton University; Manny Velasquez, Director, Career Education at University of North Florida; and Gillian McKnight-Tutein, Chief Educational Equity Officer for the Colorado Department of Higher Education.

With over 30 years in higher education, Joe Bertolino has led initiatives that expand LGBTQ+ support and promote social justice. As President at Stockton University and other institutions, his leadership reflects a deep commitment to equity, fostering inclusive campus environments. Nationally recognized for his work, he has spoken across the country on LGBTQ+ rights, emphasizing dignity, kindness, respect, compassion, and civility.

Gillian McKnight-Tutein says “being accepted to the Board would mean a profound opportunity to advocate for inclusive policies, support other LGBTQ+ leaders and impact educational environments in additionally meaningful ways.”

Manuel Velasquez-Paredes says, “I am honored to be considered to join the Board of LGBTQ Leaders in Higher Education, and I bring a deep commitment to advancing LGBTQ+ inclusion and equity within our academic communities. My work in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion has focused on creating spaces where all voices are heard, and I am passionate about championing the needs of LGBTQ+ youth, faculty, and staff. I look forward to collaborating with fellow leaders to foster environments where everyone can thrive, both personally and professionally.”

Voter Education Webinar

By Jim Berg / August 29, 2024

LGBTQ Leaders in Higher Education has joined a coalition of nonpartisan LGBTQ+ organizations to shape discussions on public policy, fight for equality and advance LGBTQ+ rights through voting. Recently, we offered a webinar to help LGBTQ+ college and university students learn about election issues and voting rights. If you missed the live session, you can see the recording here. Passcode: Fgt@Pq3G.

Learn about how you can get involved in the election this year through a nonpartisan civic engagement program focused on voter registration entitled Pride to the Polls. The 2024 election is pivotal for LGBTQ+ rights. Our initiative focuses on voter registration and turnout, crucial for a vibrant democracy that represents LGBTQ+ interests. Participants in our pledge to vote are guided through essential steps: checking voter registration status, registering for mail-in or absentee ballots, accessing voting resources, engaging friends and family in the voting process, and voting between early voting and Election Day. Pride to the Polls is powered by the Human Rights Campaign Foundation.

Learn more at PridetothePolls.com.

Strategic Plan, 2025-27

By Jim Berg / August 23, 2024

At their August meeting, the Board of Directors of the LGBTQ Leaders in Higher Education accepted a draft of a strategic plan that would guide the organization’s development over the next three years. The plan was recommended to the membership, and was approved at the Annual Meeting on October 16 in Bothell, Washington.

The plan covers several major areas: strategic direction, membership, programming, sustainability, as well as reputation and influence building.

Strategic Plan for review Download

See above to review the plan.

Annual Members Meeting

By Jim Berg / October 3, 2023

Four nominated for open board positions

The Annual Meeting of the LGBTQ Leaders in Higher Education will take place in New Haven, CT, on October 19, 2023 at 4:30 pm. Members will have the opportunity to hear about the activities of the organization, and vote on a slate of candidates for positions on the Board of Directors. The meeting will also include an interactive session to focus on how we best meet the needs, aspirations and expectations of our members. We will co-create and explore design principles and priorities that ideally situate LGBTQ Leaders in Higher Education to have a meaningful impact on our mission, “...advancing effective leadership in the realm of post-secondary education, supports professional development of LGBTQ leaders in that sector, and provides education and advocacy regarding LGBTQ issues within the global academy and for the public at large.”

The Governance and Nominations Committee has forwarded a slate of candidates for open board seats. The candidates are:

Lori W. Ciccomascolo, Associate Vice President, Student Services, University of Rhode Island
Kenro Kusume, Dean of Natural Sciences, Arizona State University
Nancy P. Kropf, Professor and former Senior Vice President, Georgia State University
Christina Royal, President (ret.), Holyoke Community College

The Annual Meeting is scheduled as the final session of the Leadership Institute and will be held in the Adanti Student Center at Southern Connecticut State University. Registered participants at the Leadership Institute are invited to attend and participate, but only members of the association (as recorded on October 12, 2023) will be allowed to vote. To join, click here.

Members may be Individual Members, at the $100 annual rate, or they may be designees of Institutional Members. Members need not be registered for the Leadership Institute to attend, but attendance in person (or by proxy) is required to vote.

Announcing LGBTQ Leaders in Higher Education

By Jim Berg / April 3, 2023

The LGBTQ Presidents in Higher Education is now the LGBTQ Leaders in Higher Education. The nonprofit organization, incorporated in 2012 by a group of out LGBTQ college and university presidents, adopted a new mission to go along with its new name. The changes were approved at a meeting of the organization’s membership on March 27, 2023 in Chicago.

The mission of the new organization is “to advance effective leadership, create support networks and advocate for LGBTQ issues in the post-secondary academic sector.”

“The new name and mission reflect the broader goals of the organization,” said Richard Helldobler, newly-elected President of the LGBTQ Leaders and President of William Paterson University. “Our membership is now reflective of many levels of LGBTQ leadership, and we are committed to celebrating, advancing and increasing LGBTQ leadership across American higher education.”

Other officers elected are: Erika Endrijonas, Pasadena City College, Past-President; Kristin Esterberg, University of Washington, Bothell, President-Elect; Daniel Lopez, Harold Washington College, Secretary; Dick Senese, Capella University, Treasurer. A full list of board members is available here.

The LGBTQ Leadership Institute, the organization’s marquee event, is hosted by and will take place at Southern Connecticut State University in New Haven on October 18 and 19th, 2023. For more information, see the Events page.

LGBTQ Leaders in Higher Education began in 2010 as a networking group of out LGBTQ presidents and chancellors. The organization incorporated in 2012 as LGBTQ Presidents in Higher Education. Membership is open to leaders at all levels of responsibility at colleges and universities, and associated higher education organizations, in the United States.

Special Membership Meeting

By Media and Communication Assistant / January 16, 2023

LGBTQ Presidents and Leaders in Higher Education will hold an important in person meeting of the membership on March 27 at 10:00 (CST) in Chicago.

The purpose of this meeting is to review and consider changes to the Association’s bylaws. One of the changes will allow bylaws to be adopted in a virtual meeting. The current bylaws do not allow for that. You will have the option to attend the meeting via a Zoom webinar, but only members attending in person will be allowed to vote on the bylaws changes.

NOTE: Once the bylaws have been adopted, even members attending remotely will be able to vote on other actions that day, including a slate of candidates to the board who will serve until the next Annual Meeting (in October 2023).

There will be a free webinar to discuss the bylaws changes and the plans we have for the Association if those changes are adopted. The webinar will be held on Zoom on March 7 at 3:00 (Eastern), Noon (Pacific). That event was recorded: see the recording here. Enter passcode: v0Sm+FkU.

Our new website has space set aside for members-only content. To access the members area, all you need to do is claim your account: click on “log in” at the top of the page. Enter the email address associated with your membership and click “forgot password” to reset your password.