The Kirwan Center this month welcomes five new members to its Advisory Board. The Board, chaired by Chancellor Emeritus William E. “Brit” Kirwan, is comprised of esteemed thought leaders in the fields of education, research, and policy from both within and outside of the University System of Maryland (USM). The Advisory Board plays an critical role in shaping the Kirwan Center’s agenda and developing the long-range plan to sustain the Center’s mission and initiatives. The new members are:
- Michael Feldstein, Chief Accountability Officer for e-Literate;
- Phil Long, Special Advisor, Arizona State University and Senior Scholar, Center for New Designs in Learning and Scholarship, Georgetown University;
- KerryAnn O’Meara, Professor of Higher Education, Associate Dean in the College of Education, and Director of the ADVANCE Program at the University of Maryland, College Park;
- Ellen Wagner, Research Faculty, Institute for Training and Simulation, University of Central Florida and Affiliate Faculty, College of Education and the College of Performing and Visual Arts, George Mason University; and
- Sam Zappas, Business Consultant and long-time Director of the USM Foundation Board
The five new members join six continuing board members representing national associations and organizations, consulting and research groups, and regional business interests.
MJ Bishop, director of the Kirwan Center, welcomed the new board members, citing the value of their leadership and scholarship particularly during this moment of educational disruption. “I’m very excited to have Michael, Phil, KerryAnn, Ellen, and Sam be part of the Kirwan Center Advisory Board,” Bishop said. “They represent deep expertise in technology innovation, change management, faculty affairs, and sustainability of initiatives, which we need more than ever during this unprecedented crisis. I look forward to working with them to advance the Kirwan Center’s mission of helping USM institutions—and higher education across the state of Maryland—to increase educational access, affordability, and achievement as critical factors in student success.”