Academic Advising
College of Arts & Science
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Alumni Advisory Board
The Arts and Science Alumni Advisory Board was formed in 2002 to provide advice, counsel, and assistance to the leadership of the college. Members of the board represent a wide range of careers and professions. They offer their expertise, experience and wisdom in order to enhance the quality of programs offered by the college and to enrich the quality of teaching and research.
Todd Bailey (BA '73, Political Science)
Todd earned his JD from Duke University. He is an attorney for White, Getgey & Meyer in Cincinnati and the Markley Visiting Professor in the Miami University's Department of Finance.
Dean Banks (BA '98, Speech Communication)
Dean is the CEO of Connective Orthopaedics, a development stage company focused soft tissue repair in the field of sport medicine. Dean has been an entrepreneur, investor and operator in medical device companies, including Highland Capital Partners, Cytyc Corporation (now Hologic), Cambridge Endoscopic Devices and Ethicon Endo-surgery. He attended Miami University from 1995 to 1998, after serving four years with the United States Marine Corps, and has an MBA from Harvard University.
Howard Biel (BA '69, Geography)
As senior managing director of Faison, a national shopping center owner, Howard is responsible for all real estate acquisitions and development for the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic region. He formerly served as chief development officer at Federal Realty Investment Trust and as president of Palisades Realty & Development, his own privately held entity that merged with Faison to launch the Washington, DC office. After earning MA and PhD degrees in economic geography from The Ohio State University, Howard taught at Case Western Reserve University, the University of Vermont, and Middlebury College. He is a member of the Association of American Geographers, International Council of Shopping Centers, and Urban Land Institute.
David Dafoe (BA '84, Zoology)
David earned his MBA from Bellarmine University. He is the founder and technical director of Pro-Liquitech International in Louisville, KY.
Peter Davis (BA '64, Political Science)
Peter joined the State Department's foreign assistance program after graduation. He worked throughout Latin America and developed an award-winning system to monitor and evaluate its programs. During the War on Poverty, Peter managed the Vista program. He then co-founded Development Associates, a well-respected international consulting firm. In 2008, Mr. Davis accepted an offer to reenergize the monitoring and evaluation of the US Foreign Assistance Program, including all programs in USAID and the State Department. He is also responsible for coordination with such international groups as OECD, UN, and World Bank. Peter is grateful to Miami for awarding him a graduate assistantship to teach international politics.
Maude Divittis (BA '86, Political Science)
Maude received her MBA from Columbia University. She is president and founder of ExecOnBoard LLC in New York.
Scott Glaser (BA '90, Economics/French)
Scott is Vice President-CFO at Lane Bryant, a $1B retailer of women's apparel based in Columbus, OH. His responsibilities include finance and accounting, IT, e-commerce, building services, and community involvement. He joined Lane Bryant in 1994 after starting his career at Procter & Gamble in Cincinnati. A native of Cleveland, Scott studied in France in high school and college. He graduated from Miami with degrees in economics, French, and international studies. Scott serves on the board of the American Red Cross of Greater Columbus and chairs the Governing Board at First Community Church.
Lewis Greenblatt (BA '66, Political Science)
Lewis earned his JD from the University of Illinois-Chicago. He is an attorney at law for Sachnoff & Weaver, Ltd, in Chicago.
Sue Henry (BA '73, Political Science)
Sue is currently retired. She formerly served as Of Counsel for Ogletree, Deakins, Nash, Smoak, & Stewart, PC. Ms. Henry also served as an Assistant Professor of Law at the University of Illinois. She earned her JD from Northwestern University in 1977.
Doris Holzheimer (BA '67, American Studies)
Doris is co-owner of Vintner Select, Importer and Distributer of Fine Wines operating in Ohio and Kentucky. She worked for 20 years at Procter and Gamble and is a Partner of The Partnering Group, a consulting firm leading value added practices in the consumer products industries. Her volunteer activities include board president of Women Helping Women in Hamilton County, OH, and a commissioner and officer of Captiva Erosion Prevention District in Captiva, Florida.
Cheryl Hughes (BA '69, Speech Communication)
Cheryl and her husband are founders/co-owners of Hughes Family Vineyards, a certified organic vineyard in Glen Ellen, CA. Before establishing the winery, Cheryl was a clinical and consulting psychologist who worked with children, adolescents, and their families in private practice. Cheryl earned MA degrees in communication from Northwestern University and in clinical psychology from Southern Methodist University; she also earned a PhD in psychology from SMU. Dr. Hughes serves on the Sonoma Valley Mentoring Alliance Board of Directors and the Sonoma Valley Museum of Art. She has published research on ways to improve health by controlling stress and has been a guest speaker about parenting issues, school problems, and the mind-body connection.
Michael Jacoby (BA '79, Economics)
Michael earned his MBA from Northwestern University. He is managing director for private wealth management for the Global Family Office Group of Deutsche Bank in Chicago. Additionally, Mike is responsible for Deutsche Bank's Private Wealth Management's offices in Chicago and Boston.
Jennie Johnson (BA '69, Political Science)
Jennie is executive director of Liberty Fellowship in Greenville, SC. She has served as president of Liberty Insurance Services, executive vice president of RBC Liberty Insurance, and president of Pierce National Life Insurance Company. Jennie also earned her MA in public administration from the University of Virginia and her MBA from Wake Forest University. An active civic leader, Ms. Johnson chairs the Greenville Humane Society and serves as area commissioner for Greenville Technical College. She served on the board of the Peace Center for the Performing Arts, chaired the South Carolina Research Authority, and was a member of the board of visitors of Wake Forest University's Graduate Business School.
Patrick Jones (BA '90, Economics)
As Vice President of Black Turtle Media, Patrick is an award-winning indie film producer and new media executive with a strong understanding of the online media, social networks and technology ecosystem. For more than ten years he has successfully delivered strategies that have resulted in significant audience engagement and participation–both online and offline--for a wide breadth of consumer markets and diverse companies, including Coca-Cola, Coleman, Krispy Kreme, VW, General Mills, Hilton Hotels, Turner Entertainment, Hallmark Entertainment & AtomFilms (MTV Networks). Patrick received his MBA from Duke University and is an investor and board member for Kaleidacare Management Solutions, a board member of the Georgia Public Policy Foundation, and a member of the Artemis Guild of the Fernbank Museum of Natural History.
Jeanne Matson (BA '73, English Literature)
Jeanne earned her MBA from Xavier University. She is president and CEO of StarNet Commercial Flooring Cooperative. She resides in Darien, CT.
Elizabeth McNellie (BPhil '86, Interdisciplinary Studies)
Beth is a Partner at Baker & Hostetler, LLP working in the firm's Columbus office. She focuses her practice on litigating disputes between motor vehicle manufacturers and their dealers. Her litigation experience also includes a variety of areas including class actions, insurance, tax, and contract disputes. Ms. McNellie received her BPhil in Interdisciplinary Studies from Miami University in 1986 and her JD in 1989 from Columbia University School of Law.
Andrew Strickman (BA '91, English/Journalism, Political Science)
Andrew is Managing Director and VP-Creative at Ammo Marketing, a global Influencer and word-of-mouth marketing agency based in San Francisco, working with brands as varied as Yahoo!, Philips Electronics, Brown-Forman, Volvo, Cadbury Schweppes and TiVo. Prior to Ammo, Andrew worked as a content developer and lead creative for some of the sturdiest brands in product marketing including Disney and Microsoft, and led the creative team that developed and launched Orbitz.com. Hours 24-27 each day, allows the opportunity to teach workshops, fundraise and tutor students at 826 Valencia, a San Francisco writing center for children, while continuing work as an award-winning entertainment and pop culture journalist for such magazines as Rolling Stone, Details and ReadyMade.
Woodrow Stroud (BA '63, Political Science)
Woody is Miami Class Agent for the Class of 1963. He is retired president of Merchants Capital Management Corporation, retired senior vice president of National City Indiana, and retired lieutenant colonel, United States Air Force/Air National Guard. Woody believes in Miami's philosophy of community engagement and so continues to participate in civic activities. He currently serves, or has served, on the Greene County Transit Board; Dayton VA Medical Center Veteran Advisory Board; Greater Dayton Area Hospital Association VA Medical Center Task Force; Dayton Development Coalition 2010/2020 Committee; president and trustee, Miami Valley Military Affairs Association; chair, Dayton Area Chamber of Commerce (DACC) Military and Federal Government Affairs Committee; DACC Board of Directors; interim chair, Ohio Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve; president and trustee Greater Dayton Jaycee Housing.
Martin Vogtsberger (BA '70, Political Science)
Martin is managing director and head of institutional brokerage for Fifth Third Securities, Inc., in Columbus, OH. He is responsible for the day-to-day management and supervision of the capital markets division and the public finance department. He serves on the firm's governing board and risk management committee with responsibility for oversight of retail sales and capital markets compliance and operations. Martin earned a Master of City Planning from The Ohio State University's School of Engineering and is a graduate of the University of Michigan's Public Finance Institute. He is also a member of the Board of Directors for the Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board.
Gregory Walker (BA '77, Political Science)
Gregory is a senior marketing and marketing communications professional, with over 30 years experience across a broad range of industries. He serves as Vice President, Agency Relations and Membership, Southern Region for the American Association of Advertising Agencies. In this capacity, he provides leadership, advocacy and guidance to the advertising community. A native of Akron, OH, Greg worked with Eastman Kodak for 17 years in a variety of senior marketing communications and product management positions, including divisional VP for Brand and Market Development, Presence and Alliance Marketing and Multicultural Marketing. Greg currently lives and works in Atlanta and is a Miami Merger, married to Sharon E. (Brown) Walker ('77).
William Wendling (BA '67, English Literature)
Bill is president of Wendling Communications, a Cleveland-based public relations firm that specializes in issues of urban education. His clients include the Ohio 8 Coalition, a strategic alliance of superintendents and union presidents from Ohio's big-city school districts. He has served as executive director of the coalition since 2001 and regularly serves as media spokesman for the urban districts. Previously, he was chief communications officer for the Cleveland public schools, where his responsibilities included crisis management and media relations. He is accredited by the Public Relations Society of America and has been elected to its prestigious College of Fellows.