ACE Women's Network Executive Council

Who We Are

​​​The ACE Women's Network Executive Council (WNEC) supports state networks through mentorship, leadership development and as a liaison between the network and the American Council on Education (ACE). The Council advises ACE on issues pertaining to the overall functioning of the ACE Women's Network and women's leadership needs in higher education. Members also serve as speakers and facilitators at ACE and state network events.

The Women's Executive Council stands in front of a backdrop for a group photo in 2023

2023 Women's Network Executive Council | left-to-right: Jann Joseph, Luoluo Hong, Marsha Krotseng, Maria Gallo, Madlyn Hanes, Mary Churchill, Ardis Eschenberg, and Gailda Davis (ACE).

Our Regions


History

The name of the WNEC has changed, however they have largely functioned under the same mission. The WNEC started out in 1979 as the Senior Associates of National Identification Program (NIP). Associates were past presidents and served as mentors for women within the NIP program. The group was originally funded by the Fund for the Improvement of Post-Secondary Education. In 1991 they were named the National Executive Board of NIP and their mission was established to “promote cross fertilization among the state programs and increase the available support of their efforts" (Shavlik, 1991). The leadership of the WNEC helped to establish initiatives such as Moving the Needle and the Women's Leadership Legacy Fund.

Members

Sheila Amin Gutiérrez de Piñeres
Dean of the Burnett Honors College and Professor of Public Administration
University of Central Florida
407-823-2076 | sheila@ucf.edu
Assistant: Joey Asti (Joey.Asti@ucf.edu)

Kelli Brown
Chancellor
Western Carolina University
 828-227-7176 | kbrown@wcu.edu
Assistant: Jessica Wood (jmwoods@wcu.edu)

Mary Churchill
Associate Dean of Strategic Initiatives and Community Engagement in the Wheelock College of Education and Human Development
Boston University
617-353-2128 | machurch@bu.edu

Arezu Corella
Senior Associate Vice President, Enrollment Management and Associate Dean, Undergraduate Admissions
University of Arizona
520-621-7782 | arezu@arizona.edu

Ardis Eschenberg (Vice Chair)
Chancellor
Windward Community College
 808-235-7402 | ardise@hawaii.edu
Assistant: Christine Pang (cmlpang@hawaii.edu)

Kelly Ferris Lester​
Associate Provost for Faculty Success
The University of Southern Mississippi
601-266-4476| kelly.lester@usm.edu

Maria Gallo (Past Chair)
Former Chancellor
University of Wisconsin-River Falls
352-278-3965| mariagallo53@aol.com​

Lily Hsu
President
Laboure College
617-322-3500 | lily_hsu@laboure.edu
Assistant: Megan Currivan (megan_currivan@laboure.edu)

Jann Joseph (Chair)
President
Georgia Gwinnett College
678-407-5009 | jljoseph@ggc.edu
Assistant: Cheryl Casimir (ccasimir@ggc.edu)

Mirta Martin
President
Fairmont State University
304-367-4151| mmartin82@comcast.net
Assistant: Serena Scully (Serena.Scully@fairmontstate.edu)

Lori Messinger
Dean
University of Tennessee
865-974-6693| lmessing@tennessee.edu

Judy K. Sakaki 
President Emeritus
Sonoma State University 
judy.sakaki@sonoma.edu​​​​

Eileen Strempel
Dean of UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music and Professor in Education and Information Studies
UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music
310-825-4761 | strempel@schoolofmusic.ucla.edu
Assistant: Robert Pekic (ropekic@schoolofmusic.ucla.edu)

Falecia Williams
President
Prince George's Community College
301-546-7422 | president@pgcc.edu

Jewell Winn
Executive Director/Senior International Officer/Chief Diversity Officer
Tennessee State University
615-963-7406 | jwinn@tnstate.edu

Madlyn Hanes
Senior Vice President and Executive Chancellor for Campuses Emerita
Penn State University
814-863-0327 | Mqh3@psu.edu
Assistant: Melanie Ekdahl (mse1@psu.edu)

Luoluo Hong
Vice President of Student Engagement and Well-Being
Georgia Institute of Technology
404-894-2000 | luoluo.hong@gatech.edu

Marsha V. Krotseng
Trustee
HACC, Central Pennsylvania's Community College
717.254.6293 | mkrotseng@comcast.net

Karen Schuster Webb
President 
Union Institute and University 
513-784-1217 | karen.webb@myunion.edu
Assistant: Susan Grace (susan.grace@myunion.edu)​

Nominate

​The Women's Network Executive Council serves in an advisory capacity to the American Council on Education (ACE) on issues pertaining to the ACE Women's Network and women's leadership in higher education. The WNEC supports the state networks by serving as liaisons to the state network chairs and by providing guidance and advice for strengthening state planning boards and the overall vitality of the state network. Nominations are currently closed.

 
 
​Return to the
ACE Women's Network

Women's Network Executive Council Bylaws

Bylaws and governance​ upheld by ACE Women's Network and WNEC.

WNEC Byla​ws (PDF)

Connecting with Your State Network

ACE encourages faculty and women administrators from across the country to join and participate in their respective state network events. ​

State Networks Directory