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EDUCATION
LaVerne Harmon
Wilmington University
In 2017, LaVerne Harmon became president of Wilmington University after decades of service to the school, holding major roles in the university’s internal operations like director of human resources, director of student affairs and alumni relations and
vice president of student affairs. She was the first woman of color to lead
a university in Delaware history. During her tenure she established
the University’s Leadership Institute, established its offices of Student Affairs and Disability Services, and advanced the University’s athletics from NAIA
to NCAA Division II. In 2022, she
also launched the School of Law, the university’s biggest program addition in its history.
ALMA MATERS:
BOARDS:
Paul Herdman
The Rodel Foundation of Delaware
The Rodel Foundation of Delaware is
a nonprofit organization that partners with Delawareans and educational innovators from around the world
to transform public education in the First State. In 2004, Rodel named Paul Herdman as its president and CEO.
He came to Rodel after a career at
New American Schools and consulted with the Brookings Institution, RAND, and The World Bank on education policy. He co-founded an expedition learning-based school in New York City and helped Massachusetts on
its public education overhaul. In Delaware, Herdman has helped leaders conceptualize public education reform over several administrations.
ALMA MATERS:
BOARDS:
Q&A:
Colleen Perry Keith
Goldey-Beacom College
Colleen Perry Keith is the 14th president of Goldey-Beacom College as well as its first female president. Perry Keith spent about two decades working in higher education or education- focused nonprofit work in Ohio, and later transitioned to lead Spartanburg Methodist University andPfeiffer University in the Carolinas. At Goldey- Beacom, a private four-year university in Pike Creek, she has led through the pandemic, opened new online degree programs and instituted a bottom-up review of the college and its services.
In 2022, GBC broke into the annual U.S. News & World Report Best Colleges list for the first time.
ALMA MATERS:
BOARDS:
Q&A:
Levi Thompson
University of Delaware, College of Engineering
As the University of Delaware’s Engineering Degree continues to rank among the top in the country per the U.S. News & World Report’s annual rankings, its dean, Levi Thompson, has been guiding the program’s success
at a dynamic time. A UD alumni who has completed research on nanoscale materials for catalytic and energy storage applications, Thompson has been leading the department since 2018. The College of Engineering is at the heart of UD’s future, as it is involved with the FinTech Innovation Hub and the National Institute for Innovation
in Manufacturing Biopharmaceuticals, both located on the STAR Campus.
ALMA MATERS:
46 DELAWARE 222 | DelawareBusinessTimes.com
