Dear members of the Bates community,

As we announced in November 2024, Bates has begun an intensive and broadly collaborative process of strategic planning. A steering committee began its work last semester, and over the summer—after soliciting nominations and expressions of interest from the campus community—we developed five working committees. Their leadership and rosters are as follows:

Liberal Arts for the Future Working Committee 

• Clarisa Pérez-Armendáriz, Professor of Politics (Committee Co-Chair)
• Joanne Roberts, Vice President for Academic Affairs and Dean of the Faculty (Committee Co-Chair)
• Matt Duvall, Assistant Dean of Strategy and Analysis (Committee Staffer)

• Cat Balco, Professor of Art & Visual Culture
• Molly Brown, Admission Counselor
• Eric Foushee P’22, P’26, Vice President for College Advancement
• Lindsey Hamilton ’05, Director of the Center for Inclusive Teaching & Learning and Visiting Lecturer
• Morgan Kinney, Associate Director of Community-Engaged Research and Learning
• Geneva Laurita, Associate Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry
• Barry Lawson, Colony Family Professor of Digital and Computational Studies (Steering Committee liaison)
• Thomas McGuinness, Director of Institutional Research, Analysis, and Planning
• Ben Peck ’05, Associate College Librarian for Research Services
• Michael Sargent, Associate Professor of Psychology
• Beverly Vari, Associate Director for Employer Engagement and Internships
• Student Members TBD (Fall 2025)

Strengthening Community & Well-Being Working Committee

• Rosanna Ferro, Vice President for Student Affairs (Committee Co-Chair)
• Michael Rocque, Associate Dean of Faculty and Professor of Sociology (Committee Co-Chair)
• Nora Molloy, Assistant to the Vice President for Student Affairs (Committee Staffer)

• Tonya Bailey, Associate Dean and Director of the Student Center for Belonging and Community
• Sandy Brooks, Custodian
• Stacey Bunting P’29, Director of Athletics
• Brenna Callahan ’15, Director of Health Services and Student Wellbeing
• Yun Garrison, Assistant Professor of Psychology
• Dri Huber, Senior Associate Dean of Students and Director of Operations
• Kristen Lainsbury, Vice President for Communications and Marketing (Steering Committee liaison)
• Todd McCollough, Assistant Catering Manager and Campus Life Liaison
• Michael Milliken, Manager of Community Wellness & Coordinator of Club Sports
• Andrew Mountcastle, Associate Professor of Biology
• Patty Rooney, Assistant Vice President for Human Resources
• Chris Streifel, Director of Capital Planning and Construction
  Student Members TBD (Fall 2025)

Place, Partnerships & Purpose Working Committee

• Alexandre Dauge-Roth, Professor of French and Francophone Studies (Committee Co-Chair)
• Patricia Schoknecht, Vice President for Information and Library Services (Committee Co-Chair)
• Nate Menifield, Equity and Inclusion Program Manager (Committee Staffer)

• Andee Bucciarelli, Assistant Dean of Community Standards & Deputy Title IX Coordinator
• Sarah Cameron, Senior Director of Alumni Engagement
• Allen Delong, Senior Associate Dean and Director of the Center for Purposeful Work
  Darren Gallant, Associate Dean and Director of the Center for Global Education
• Justin Hulbert, Associate Professor of Neuroscience
• Elena Maker Castro, Assistant Professor of Psychology
• Darby Ray, Director of HCCP and Donald W. and Ann M. Harward Professor of Civic Engagement
• Samantha Sigmon, Assistant Curator
• Leigh Weisenburger, Vice President for Institutional Affairs and Secretary to the Board of Trustees (Steering Committee liaison)
• Rachel Wray, Senior Director of Corporate and Foundation Relations
• Student Members TBD (Fall 2025)

Advancing Access, Opportunity & Success Working Committee

• Leana Amáez, Vice President for Equity and Inclusion (Committee Co-Chair)
• Gwen Lexow, Associate Vice President for Title IX and Civil Rights Compliance (Committee Co-Chair)
• Krystie Wilfong, Associate College Librarian for Collections and Scholarly Communications (Committee Staffer)

• Misa Beltran-Guzman, Director of First-Generation Programs
• CeCe Camacho, Assistant Dean of Admission
• Wendy Glass P’20, Director of Student Financial Services
• April Horton, Wagener Family Professor of Equity and Inclusion in STEM (Steering Committee liaison)
• Danielle Miller, Associate Director of Residential Operations
• Ornella Nibasumba, Commons Associate Service
• Anamika Sen, Assistant Professor of Economics
• Adrienne Shibles ’91, P’26, Associate Director of Athletics
• Courtney Smith, Associate Professor of Theater
• Kika Stump, Assistant Director of Institutional Research
• Student Members TBD (Fall 2025)

Responsible Stewardship & Institutional Sustainability Working Committee

• Katy Ott, Professor of Mathematics and Thomas Sowell Professor of Economics and Mathematics (Committee Co-Chair)
• Geoffrey Swift P’28, Vice President for Finance and Administration and Treasurer (Committee Co-Chair, Steering Committee liaison)
• Nicholas O’Brien, Senior Director of Marketing Operations (Committee Staffer)

• Ryan Bavis P’28, Helen A. Papaioanou Professor of Biological Sciences
• John Harvey ’09, Leadership Gift Officer
• Tristan Koepke, Assistant Professor of Dance
• Scott Lehmann, Associate Director of Athletics
• Molly Newton ’11, Senior Associate Dean of Students
• Tim Pratt, Director of Facility Services Operations
• Christine Schwartz, Associate Vice President for Dining, Conferences and Campus Events
• Tom Twist, Assistant Director of Sustainability
• Darryl Uy, Director of Admission
• Student Members TBD (Fall 2025)

We are working with the BCSG Committee Selection Board to seat the student membership on each committee right now. As soon as student membership is known, we will share that news with the community.

Interest in the strategic planning process has been robust, which is tremendously encouraging—but also means that we were not able to include everyone who expressed a desire to participate in this capacity. We encourage you to stay engaged and to take part in the many opportunities for input and feedback that will be offered in the coming months. 

The working committees will commence their work immediately and will work through May of 2026—developing detailed plans, programs, and metrics, all in collaboration with colleagues across the institution.

Additionally, I wanted to let you know that there have been some membership changes on the Strategic Planning Steering Committee. Joanne Roberts and Barry Lawson have joined the committee, succeeding (respectively) Malcolm Hill and Tyler Harper. Carolina González Valencia has stepped down from the steering committee to focus on other pressing professional commitments. 

For more information about strategic planning, please visit the Strategic Planning Website. 

Thank you so much for your interest in this important institutional process. I am looking forward to working with all of you.

Warmly,

   Garry

Strategic Planning Steering Committee

• Garry Jenkins, President (Chair)

• Leana Amáez, Vice President for Equity and Inclusion
• Timothy Dugan, Associate Professor of Theater
• Erin Foster Zsiga, Associate Vice President and Dean of Students
• Carolina González Valencia, Associate Professor of Art and Visual Culture*
• April Horton, Wagener Family Professor of Equity and Inclusion in STEM
• Kristen Lainsbury, Vice President for Communications and Marketing
• Barry Lawson, Colony Family Professor of Digital and Computational Studies
• Joanne Roberts, Vice President for Academic Affairs and Dean of the Faculty 
• Michelle Rosenberg ’94, P’29, Trustee
• Geoffrey Swift P’28, Vice President for Finance and Administration and Treasurer
• Mara Tieken, Associate Professor of Education
• Leigh Weisenburger, Vice President for Institutional Affairs and Secretary to the Board of Trustees

*served on the Strategic Planning Steering Committee January – August 2025