Antioch University’s leadership is comprised of a Chancellor, University Leadership Council, and a Board of Governors who work together to further the University’s mission and support faculty and students in all our programs. Together they are focused on creating a culture that fosters collaboration and shared responsibility across the University.
Chancellor
William R. Groves, JD
Chancellor
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William R. Groves, JD is the 22nd “President” or “Chancellor” of Antioch University. He has served as Chancellor since April, 2016. Chancellor Groves was hired in 2010 to establish the first Office of General Counsel for the University and served as Vice Chancellor and General Counsel for the University from 2010 to 2016. Prior to that, Groves was engaged as outside University Counsel for Antioch from 1979 to 2010 providing services to all its operating units, including Antioch College. He led the legal affairs of the University through the closure of the Antioch College campus in Yellow Springs, Ohio, and the eventual sale of assets to a new alumni-supported corporation which took over the college operations in 2009.
He is an honors graduate from Ohio University, Phi Beta Kappa, in 1976, and The Ohio State University College of Law in 1979. He also attended the Institute of Education Management (IEM) program of Harvard University, Graduate School of Education in 2013.
Executive Officers
Dr. Allan Gozum joined Antioch University in January 2016 and is the Vice Chancellor/CFO and Treasurer of the corporation. He oversees general and regional accounting, budget and planning, information technology, facilities planning, strategic partnerships, and in the interim, institutional advancement.
Prior to Antioch, Gozum was employed at Benedictine University based in Lisle, Illinois for 15 years and served as vice president of finance and chief financial officer. Earlier in his career, he held supervisory positions at companies that included KPMG, Trans Union, and Deloitte.
Gozum is a registered CPA in Illinois and earned a bachelor’s degree in accounting from Northern Illinois University, an MBA with concentrations in finance and economics from the University of Chicago, and an EdD in higher education management from the University of Pennsylvania.
Chet Haskell, DPA
Vice Chancellor of Academic Affairs
Dr. Chester (Chet) Haskell has served as Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs and University Provost since August 2019. He has had extensive experience in university leadership in the United States, having served in several senior positions over 13 years at Harvard University, including as executive director of the Center for International Affairs, special assistant to the Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences, associate dean of the Harvard Kennedy School of Government and as founding executive director of the Harvard Academy for International and Area Studies. He later served as Dean of the College at Simmons College (Boston) and was president for more than a decade at the Monterey Institute of International Studies (Monterey, California) and at Cogswell Polytechnical College (Silicon Valley). He also is a member of the Board of Governors of Al Ghurair University in Dubai.
Chet earned DPA and MPA degrees at the University of Southern California, as well as an MA from the University of Virginia and the AB from Harvard University.
Craig Maslowsky, MBA
Vice Chancellor for Enrollment Management
Craig Maslowsky serves as Vice Chancellor for Enrollment Management for Antioch University. He is responsible for leading admissions, marketing, and financial aid efforts across the university.
Craig’s experience includes many years of leadership in higher education and education technology entrepreneurship. Prior to joining Antioch, Craig was Vice President for EXPLORE Student Pathfinder solutions at DIGARC, a higher education software company. He joined DIGARC after their acquisition of new|ed, an education-focused enrollment software company Craig founded and served as CEO until it was acquired. Before starting new|ed, Craig served in enrollment and marketing leadership roles at several institutions. He was Vice President for Enrollment Management and Marketing for Excelsior College, Director of Enrollment Operations for The College of Westchester, National Director of Recruitment with Lesley University, and Director of Business Development at University of Phoenix-Massachusetts Campuses.
Craig earned a BS in Business Administration from SUNY Geneseo, an MBA from Clarkson University, and is currently working on his dissertation for a Doctor of Education in Higher Education Administration at Northeastern University.
Maria-Judith Rodriguez Herrera, MA/MBA
Vice Chancellor for Human Resources
Maria-Judith serves as the Vice Chancellor for Human Resources at Antioch University. In this role, she oversees all aspects of the HR function and sets the strategic direction and efforts in alignment with the institution’s mission and growth directions.
Prior to Antioch, she served as Chief HR Officer and Title IX deputy Coordinator at Amherst College for a decade and earlier headed HR at the Puerto Rico-based Arecibo Observatory, a research center managed by Cornell University. She has a diverse professional background, which includes experiences within a variety of industries including education, consulting, pharmaceutical and manufacturing. She holds her MA in Industrial Organizational Psychology from the InterAmerican University of Puerto Rico and her MBA in Human Resources Management from the University of Phoenix.
Maria-Judith reports directly to the Chancellor and serves on the Chancellor’s Executive Team. She believes HR plays a critical strategic role in key areas of institutional success by fostering individual and organizational development, leading strategic efforts, and nurturing a work culture that embraces diversity and inclusion. She also believes in the importance of being an active citizen through community work, both professionally and personally.
Laurien Alexandre, PhD
Provost, Graduate School of Leadership and Change
Special Assistant to Chancellor
Dr. Laurien Alexandre serves as Special Assistant to the Chancellor and is the Provost and CEO of Antioch University’s Graduate School of Leadership and Change. During her almost 30 years at Antioch University, Laurien has served as Vice Chancellor of Academic Affairs, and prior to that, as the Academic Dean of the two California campuses. She is the founding Director of the PhD in Leadership & Change and the Provost of the Graduate School of Leadership and Change, which now includes the newly launched Master of Leadership Practice. Prior to coming to Antioch University, Laurien worked at Immaculate Heart College Center, an ecumenical institute devoted to research and training on peace, justice, and global concerns, where she directed a teaching training (K-16) program on international and multicultural classrooms. Dr. Alexandre also taught for over 10 years at California State University, Northridge, in the Department of Mass Communications/Journalism where her focus was on graduate courses in media analysis. Her published work has focused on media studies, international politics and gender studies, and most recently higher education experimentation and graduate studies.
Rebecca Todd, JD
General Counsel
Rebecca began working in the Office of University Counsel in 2010 and has served as the General Counsel for the University and Secretary of the Corporation since 2016. Her office is located at Antioch University New England, where she has also taught School Law, Alternative Dispute Resolution and Environmental Law.
Rebecca is a graduate of Dartmouth College and Cornell Law School. She was awarded a Fulbright Visiting Lectureship in Law in 2007 and also serves as Distinguished Visiting Professor at Symbiosis Law School in India. Among a wide variety of community volunteer work, Rebecca is currently the elected Moderator for the Town of Chesterfield.
Rebecca’s intellect, sense of humor, calm and insightful demeanor, strong sense of ethical responsibility, and generous spirit are invaluable to Antioch.
Ben Pryor, PhD
Provost, Antioch University Seattle
Ben Pryor joined Antioch University in 2015 as the Provost and CEO of Antioch University Seattle. Originally from Southern California, Pryor earned a Ph.D. in Philosophy from Penn State University in 1997 and taught at the University of Toledo in Toledo, Ohio, until 2013. His interest in law, politics and ethics led to the creation of an interdisciplinary program in Law and Social Thought in 2004. Pryor served as a Department Chair, Associate Vice Provost, and Dean before moving in 2013 to Phoenix, Arizona to become the Provost at Western International University. Ben is married to Tracy Young, a highly regarded playwright and theater director, and has one son, a senior hockey player at Nazareth College in Rochester, New York.
Shawn Fitzgerald, PhD
Provost, Antioch University New England
Dr. Shawn Fitzgerald currently serves as Provost and CEO of Antioch University New England, a position he has held since 2018.
Prior to joining Antioch, Shawn served in multiple positions at Widener University including Assistant Provost for Graduate Studies and Extended Learning and Dean for the School of Education, Innovation, and Continuing Studies. Additional leadership appointments while at Widener included serving as the Chair of the Pennsylvania Education Deans’ Forum, President of the Eastern Educational Research Association, and Chair of the Board of Trustees for Widener’s Charter School—Pennsylvania’s first university-based charter school.
Shawn also spent 17 years as a faculty member and administrator at Kent State University. During his tenure, he was the recipient of the Giovanna Jackson Faculty Award for International Culture; served as an Invited Lecturer for Sichuan University in Chengdu, China; hosted and mentored numerous visiting scholars from around the world; and was recognized by the American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education for innovative program development.
Mark Hower, PhD
Provost, Antioch University Los Angeles
Dr. Mark Hower is the Provost and CEO of Antioch University Los Angeles. He has been Provost for the Los Angeles campus since June 2017.
Mark joined the faculty of Antioch University Seattle in January 2000 as an affiliate faculty. Throughout his time in Seattle, he served in a variety of roles, including chair of the Graduate Management Program, special assistant to the president, interim president, and core faculty in the Center for Creative Change.
Mark’s professional experience includes several staff positions in the U. S. Peace Corps, including Peace Corps Country Director in Tonga, and Country Desk Officer for South Pacific Programs and later for startup programs in Ukraine, Russia and the Baltic States. He and his wife, Kelly, were Peace Corps Volunteers in Sierra Leone, West Africa.
Mark has a BA from Whitman College, and an MS and PhD in Leadership and Change from Antioch.
Barbara Lipinski, JD, PhD
Provost, Antioch University Santa Barbara
Barbara Lipinski, JD, PhD, is Provost and CEO of Antioch University Santa Barbara. Her extensive career in higher education includes over twelve years of service at AUSB. She earned her PhD from the University of Southern California, Jurist Doctorate from the Southern California Institute of Law, MA from University of California, and BSW from the Jane Addams School of Social Work. She is dedicated to advancing social justice and committed to providing access to education for all.
Barbara’s interests bridge the areas of law and psychology, specifically in forensic psychology, police psychology, therapeutic jurisprudence, restorative justice, and conflict resolution. In addition to developing and conducting diversion programs, her grant work centered on juvenile justice, recidivism reduction for mentally ill offenders, and the prevention of violence against women.
Barbara is a clinical member of the American Psychological Association (APA), life fellow of the American College of Forensic Examiners (ACFE), lifetime clinical member of the California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists (CAMFT), diplomate and board-certified forensic examiner with the American Board of Forensic Examiners, and associate member of the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP). She served as an expert forensic witness for the Attorney General’s Office from 1991-2012, was a founding board member of the Restorative Justice Neighborhood Initiative, and volunteered as an arbitrator for twenty years. She is also a Licensed Psychologist.
Terry Ratcliff, EdD
Provost, Distance and Extended Education
Dr. Terry Ratcliff joined Antioch University in 2019 as Executive Dean for Online Learning and University Programs. During his career in higher education, he has served as assistant dean of students, director of enrollment, dean of adult and continuing education, director of online learning, and chief academic officer. Dr. Ratcliff has contributed to higher education as a consultant, providing insight to improve student retention, online teaching and learning, and faculty development. He is active in the Association for Continuing Higher Education, including an elected term as a Director at Large on the organization’s board of directors in 2014-16. Dr. Ratcliff is also active in higher education accreditation, serving as a volunteer site visitor for the Western Association of Schools and Colleges.
Melissa A. Kirk
Associate Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs
Melissa A. Kirk brings tremendous professional experience to Antioch University, having served as a member of Academic and Student Affairs leadership teams at two City University of New York (CUNY) institutions for more than seventeen years: Bronx Community College and Lehman College. Most recently, she served six years as the Chief of Staff in the Office of the Provost and Senior Vice President of Academic Affairs and Student Success at Lehman College.
As Associate Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, she will work closely with the provosts, and other senior staff to oversee the full range of integrated components of student affairs and support. She also will work directly with the Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs and University Provost on Academic Affairs projects.
Kirk holds a BA in Sociology from the State University of New York at Cortland, and an MA in Special Education with K-12 certification, from Fairfield University. She is currently ABD in Higher Education Policy and Administration in the College of Education and Human Development at the University of Minnesota, with plans to defend her dissertation on first-year community college students and intercultural competence in the coming months.
Michelle Koppitz
Assoc VC Strategic Partnerships & Extension Sites
Michelle Koppitz Michelle serves Antioch University as the Associate Vice Chancellor of Strategic Initiatives and Extension Sites. In this role, she oversees multi-campus and multi-modality strategic initiatives that expand Antioch University program delivery to include off-campus partnerships and extension sites. She began her career in 1993 with the Institute for Professional Development. She then served Benedictine University’s nontraditional programs beginning in 1999, most recently as the Vice President for the School of Graduate, Adult and Professional Education since 2013 and oversaw a division of approximately 2800 students. Her responsibility included strategic oversight of Enrollment Management, Online Initiatives, Strategic Partnership Initiatives and Marketing, Academic Development and Redesign, Adjunct Faculty Training and Management and Nontraditional Operations units.
Michelle has a graduate degree in Organizational Leadership and an undergraduate degree in Management. Her most important accomplishment, however, is her marriage of 25 years to Ken and being mom to Sam (19) and Jonah (17).
Michael Greizer
University Dir Real Estate/Strategic Initiatives
Michael Greitzer currently serves as the University Director for Real Estate and Special Initiatives, a position that he has held since 2019.
Michael is the retired Dayton Market President and Partner of Miller-Valentine Group, a national commercial real estate development concern with offices in the Midwest and Atlantic coast. Over more than a 20-year career, he has led teams working with some of the nation’s largest corporations, providing the thought leadership for transactions ranging from; confidential relocation/site selection processes, development of large scale corporate campuses, complex sale lease-back transactions, brownfield redevelopment, and multi-jurisdictional public-private partnerships.
In addition to providing the operational management of the University’s owned and leased portfolio of real estate, he is a resource to the Chancellor for special projects and initiatives across the University.
Suzette Castonguay
Chief Human Resources Officer
Suzette Castonguay, Chief Human Resources Officer is responsible for the overall administration and management of human resources, payroll and benefits administration, working closely with legal counsel and the campus human resources associates. Suzette ensures that Antioch is compliant with federal, state and local law as it pertains to employment, payroll and benefits administration. She also serves on the University’s Retirement Oversight Committee as the Plan Administrator, oversees recruitment, contracts and administers the various health and welfare benefit plans for the University, and serves on the Property and Casualty Insurance Committee.
Suzette has a BA in Business Administration and an MA in Management. She is a member of the College and University Professional Association for Human Resources (CUPA-HR), the Ohio CUPA-HR association and the Springfield Human Resources Association (SHRMA).