Goodwin University Cabinet Membership

Mark Scheinberg
President

Mark E. Scheinberg is the founding president of Goodwin University in East Hartford, Connecticut, where he has provided the foresight, inspiration, and leadership that have transformed a small, career-focused business school into a nationally recognized, community-based, nonprofit organization of higher education, dedicated to serving those whom he calls “the undiscovered students” — working adults, first-generation college students, and learners from diverse backgrounds pursuing emerging careers.

A native of West Babylon, New York, he earned a bachelor’s degree in Environmental Studies and Elementary Education from Vassar College (1978), and attended graduate education courses at Dowling College (1979) and the University of Hartford (1986).

Mark has dedicated himself to enriching the broader community through a number of leadership roles. He has served on leadership committees of the Accrediting Commission of Independent Colleges and Schools (1997 Evaluator of the Year Award); the Capital Region Workforce Development Board; the Connecticut Employment and Training Commission; the Legislative Task Force on Allied Health; the Legislative Task Force on Teachers’ Professional Standards; the MetroHartford Alliance; and the Standing Advisory Committee to the Connecticut Board of Governors for Higher Education.

He has served on the boards of the Connecticut Council of Independent Colleges (executive board and treasurer); Connecticut Hospice (member); the East Hartford Chamber of Commerce (president); the Hartford Consortium for Higher Education (chair); Hartford Promise (member); the New England Board of Higher Education (member); ReadyCT (secretary and treasurer); the Young Presidents Organization’s International Board (International Forum chair). In 2018, he was appointed by the State of Connecticut to the New England Board of Higher Education. Mark has organized and presented at international leadership seminars in Johannesburg, London, Paris, Tibet, and Washington.

Mark’s work has been recognized by a wide range of community, educational, and entrepreneurial organizations. Among the honors he has received are the East Hartford Chamber of Commerce Distinguished Service Award (1997); East Hartford Rotary Club Vocational Service Award (2007); Brazilian Alliance recognition for outreach to the Brazilian American community (2008); Hartford Magazine Greater Hartford’s 50 Most Influential People (2009 and 2010), My Sister’s Place Dream Makers Award (2009), Young Presidents Organization International Legacy Honor Award (2009); East Hartford Rotary Club Paul Harris Award (2011); East Hartford Chamber of Commerce Chairman’s Award (2012); Hartford Business Journal Lifetime Achievement Award (2012); Connecticut Conference on Natural Resources Outstanding Environmental Leadership Award (2013), Urban League of Greater Hartford Business Excellence Award (2013); Connecticut Building Trades Public Service Award (2014), National Conference for Community and Justice Human Relations Award (2014); East Hartford St. Patrick’s Day Committee Irishman of the Year (2016), Junior Achievement Business Hall of Fame Laureate (2016), Young Presidents Organization Inclusive Business and Community Award (2016); Connecticut River Valley Chamber of Commerce Business Person of the Year (2017), Hartford Courant Top Workplaces Outstanding Leadership Award (2017); Center for Children’s Advocacy Champion of Children Award (2019), Charter Oak Cultural Center Jewish Heritage Award (2019); Hartford Business Journal Power 50 Leader (2020 and 2021).

Mark has five children and 12 grandchildren, who together form the center of his life.

Todd Andrews
Senior Vice President for Economic and Strategic Development
Goodwin Foundation, Director and Secretary
Goodwin University Magnet Schools, Director
University of Bridgeport, Trustee and Designated Representative for Goodwin University

Todd Andrews has been with Goodwin University since 2005, when he was initially responsible for securing grant and other funding for the establishment of the River Campus. He was also responsible for the conception and implementation of the Goodwin University Magnet School System, the Goodwin Foundation, the Communications Department, and External Affairs.

In his current role of Senior Vice President, Todd oversees governance, facilitates management of the Board of Trustees, and serves as a director on other affiliated entity boards. Todd guides strategic planning for the organization and a variety of special projects. He is involved with industry workforce development initiatives, real estate development, and master planning, and oversees the Goodwin Foundation and grant operations. He is responsible for community and government relations, and is in charge of overseeing the Goodwin University public magnet schools.

Todd represents Goodwin University as a trustee on the University of Bridgeport board. He also serves on a variety of community boards including Capital Workforce Partners. He previously served on the Hartford Innovation Places Launc[H] founding board of directors, as founding chairman of Integrated Health Services, and as board chairman for the Governor’s Coalition for Youth with Disabilities.

Todd holds a master’s degree in Management from the University of Saint Joseph and a B.S. in Business Administration from Eastern Connecticut State University. Todd is an East Hartford native.

Ann Clark
Provost Emerita

Ann Clark served as Goodwin’s Executive Vice President and Provost from the University’s 1999 inception until 2019, when she was named Provost Emerita. Before joining Goodwin, her career experience included more than 25 years in leadership and faculty roles in the private occupational business sector plus several years as a public high school English teacher. Ann holds a BA in English Education from the University of Connecticut and an MBA from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. She served as a member of the Advisory Committee on Accreditation for the State of Connecticut from 2010 to 2013 and was a 2014 class member of Leadership Greater Hartford’s Summit Program for Advanced Leaders. In 2017, Ann won the Women in Business Leadership Award from the Hartford Business Journal. In 2019, she received the Honorary Alumna Award for leadership and unparalleled dedication to student success. Ann served on the Winding Trails Board of Directors from 2016-2019 and was elected Board President in 2019. Upon Ann’s retirement from Goodwin, the University added to her legacy by naming the Ann B. Clark Transitions Food Pantry in recognition of her years of support and dedication to this critical outreach program. The Food Pantry serves members of the Goodwin community facing food insecurity with support that is anonymous, accessible, and respectful.

Robert M. DeCrecenzo
General Counsel

Robert M. DeCrescenzo has been engaged in the private practice of law since 1987 except for the period between 1993 and 1997 when he served as Mayor of the Town of East Hartford. Upon his return to practice, Mr. DeCrescenzo has focused on the areas of municipal representation and commercial litigation.

Mr. DeCrescenzo has extensive experience in the representation of municipalities before public agencies and enjoys a statewide reputation in the areas of municipal advocacy, municipal tax appeals, economic development, housing, neighborhood revitalization and downtown revitalization. He has represented many of Connecticut’s municipalities, including Simsbury where he has been Town Counsel since 1998, Middletown, East Hartford, New Britain, Bridgeport and Manchester on matters ranging from interpretation of town ordinances and municipal employment issues, to matters of land use and zoning. He represents a number of clients with subsidized housing complexes including East Hartford, Manchester, Meriden and East Windsor. He also has substantial experience in municipal taxation issues including the methodology of assessing income restricted housing subject to government regulatory agreements. His knowledge of municipal law is applied to the many issues that arise in the course of representation of regulated industries (utilities) and companies in the fuel cell and alternative energy industry. Mr. DeCrescenzo is also General Counsel to the Capital Region Council of Governments.

Mr. DeCrescenzo is a former Majority Leader and member of the Glastonbury Town Council. He has served as Assistant Corporation Counsel for the Town of Wethersfield, and, in that capacity, he handled the town’s tax foreclosures, health and building code appeals and defended more than fifty municipal tax appeals (a dozen of which went to trial and decision). He also is a former member of the East Hartford Board of Education.

Mr. DeCrescenzo is actively involved in various professional and community associations where he has been recognized for his leadership role. He is the recipient of the Rotary Club International Paul Harris Fellow Award, the Anti- Defamation League Distinguished Community Service Award and the Capitol Region Council of Governments Distinguished Service Award. He served as a member of the East Hartford Board of Education and is Past Chairman of the Old State House. Currently, he is Vice Chair of Riverfront Recapture, Inc., President of the East Hartford Interfaith Ministries and the Manchester Community Technical College Foundation, Inc. He is a member of the Board of Trustees of the Main Street Plus, Inc. and the Science Center of Connecticut, Inc. He serves as a Fellow of the American Leadership Forum and is a member of the Connecticut and Hartford County Bar Associations.

Mr. DeCrescenzo received his J.D., with honors, from the University of Connecticut School of Law in Hartford, his M.A. in Public Affairs, with distinction and his B.A. in Political Science from the University of Connecticut in Storrs.

Bryant Harrell
Senior Vice President for Facilities, IT, and Security

Serving as Senior Vice President of Facilities, Information Technology, and Security at Goodwin University and University of Bridgeport, Bryant has been a member of both Senior Cabinets since 2021 when Goodwin acquired UB.

Responsible for the design, development, construction, and operation of the campus facilities, his work with master planning incorporates programmatic and academic needs with building design and operations.

Having begun his career with Goodwin in 1990, when it was known as the Data Institute Business School, Bryant initially worked in the Facilities Department. As the University has grown, Bryant has played an important role in many initiatives including the transition from a business school, to a two-year college, to a baccalaureate and master’s degree-granting university.

During Bryant’s 35-year career, he has been involved in more than 500,000 square feet of development with Goodwin University’s expansion projects, totaling over $140 million of new construction.

In his personal life, Bryant gives back to his local community by serving as a volunteer firefighter and communication officer for the Haddam Neck Fire Department. He is the proud Pappa of four amazing grandchildren with whom he spends the majority of his free time.

Salvatore Menzo, Ed.D.
Superintendent of Goodwin Magnet Schools

Dr. Menzo completed his undergraduate degree at Connecticut College and the University of Sydney, and his master’s degree in Curriculum and his 6th year in Administration at the University of Connecticut. In 2008, he received his doctorate from the University of Connecticut. He started his career as an eighth grade language arts teacher in Willimantic. After completing his master’s degree, he was appointed assistant principal and principal of Silas Deane Middle School in Wethersfield. He was named Superintendent of the Marlborough Public School District in Connecticut in 2005 and Superintendent in the Wallingford Public School District in 2009. Dr. Menzo is committed to engaging the community and staff in the development of a mastery-based learning approach for all students. Most notable among the accomplishments under his leadership are the 21st Century Innovation Team — a sabbatical program for teachers fully funded by local businesses — STEM Town Wallingford, and the employment pipeline programs. Key to Dr. Menzo’s success have been his community partnerships and his passion for improving learning opportunities for students, staff, and parents. In his role as Superintendent of the Goodwin University Magnet School System, he is committed to providing rigorous, high-quality, integrated educational experiences for all scholars. He is proud of his team and the system’s focus on diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging. He looks forward to the continued growth of the system in the years to come.

Edwin J. Meyer, Jr.
Vice President for Finance

Edwin Meyer, Jr. CPA, holds a master’s degree in Accounting and a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from Fairfield University. With more than 14 years’ experience in the finance arena, Edwin has served as a Corporate Lending and Investment Grade product controller for UBS AG as well as an assurance auditor at PricewaterhouseCoopers within their Registered Investment Companies and Alternative Asset Management divisions. As Chief Financial Officer at Goodwin University, Edwin oversees a team of finance professionals, accounting specialists, and financial aid representatives. Edwin currently lives in Wethersfield with his wife, Kathryn, and his four young daughters. He joined Goodwin in 2013.

Dan Noonan
Senior Vice President for Enrollment and Marketing and Communications

Dan Noonan is a native of Waterbury, Connecticut, and the youngest of five children. He is a graduate of Charter Oak State College and completed his Master of Science degree in Management at the University of St. Joseph.

Currently serving as the Senior Vice President for Enrollment and Marketing and Communications, Dan began his career with the University in May 1996 when it was known as the Data Institute Business School. Initially working with the Career Services department, he understands the importance of helping our students find employment and believes that helping students and graduates find work is one of the main outcomes of a Goodwin education. Since the summer of 1997, Dan has focused his work on admissions and marketing. Having been invited to speak about Goodwin’s enrollment success nationally, Dan frequently shares how the high-touch enrollment process is one of the keys to the University’s success. A highlight of each semester is when Dan engages with our students in his Social Media Marketing and Interpersonal Communications classes.

As the University has grown, Dan has played an important role in many change initiatives — transitioning from a business school to a two-year college, through the accreditation process with the New England Association of Schools and Colleges, transitioning to a baccalaureate and master’s degree-granting institution of higher education, and the implementation of three student information systems, as well as moving to our current campus location.

Dan led the on-ground transition efforts during the acquisition of University of Bridgeport (UB) and later served as Chief Administrative Officer of UB for the 2021-22 academic year. He now leads the enrollment, marketing and communication departments for both Universities.

Michael J. Pardales, Ph.D.
Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs

Dr. Pardales has served the needs of adult learners in higher education for more than 20 years in various leadership capacities. He was Associate Professor and Chair of the Education Department at the University of Michigan—Flint; Dean of the School of Education and Human Services at Canisius College; and Vice President and Chief Learning Officer at Saint Joseph’s College of Maine, where he introduced Universal Design for Learning principles into online course design. As Vice President for Academic Affairs at Goodwin, Dr. Pardales oversees all academic and student life program areas. He received his doctorate in Educational Psychology from Michigan State University in 2001, and also has degrees in Philosophy and Education. He has published articles in the areas of critical literacy, constructivist teaching and learning, and most recently as a member of a multi-author, scientific study of wastewater testing during the pandemic.

Melissa Quinlan, Ph.D.
Vice President for Institutional Effectiveness

Dr. Melissa “Missy” Quinlan joined Goodwin in 2016 and was appointed Vice President of Institutional Effectiveness in 2020. Missy brings a diverse array of experience as a researcher, data analyst, and educator. Her primary responsibilities include providing oversight to the Office of Institutional Effectiveness, Enterprise Systems, and Instructional Design. In addition, she ensures compliance with all state and federal regulatory agencies, including the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System, the National Clearinghouse, Connecticut Office of Higher Education, and the Department of Education. Missy is responsible for guiding the institution in upholding accreditation standards at the regional and programmatic levels. Further, Missy has extensive expertise in the area of assessment, having improved Goodwin’s procedures through multiple innovations under her direction.

Missy holds a doctoral degree in Pedagogy and Teaching Administration from Springfield College. In addition, she holds a master’s degree in Education in Instruction and Curriculum and baccalaureate degrees in Exercise Science and Kinesiology, both from Southern Nazarene University.

Missy is a strong advocate for using data to inform decisions and strives to make complex information understandable and useable. Her research interests include youth development and higher education. Dr. Quinlan resides in southern Massachusetts with her wife and their two young children.

Jean White
Senior Vice President for Human Resources and Community Culture

Jean joined Goodwin University in 2010. In her current role, she oversees the strategic planning and execution of all human resource management activities at Goodwin as well as University of Bridgeport. Her responsibilities at the Universities include the office of diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging, and the office of civil rights compliance. Through this work, she strives to foster a climate of safety, inclusion, and growth for faculty, staff, and students.

Prior to joining the organization, Jean served in human resources and business operation roles in a variety of industries including healthcare and financial services, where she developed a passion for leadership development and organizational culture. Jean holds a master’s degree in organizational psychology and a bachelor’s degree in English literature. In addition to her full-time duties, she also serves as adjunct faculty.

Vivienne Friday, Ed.D., MSN, RN, MSOL
Dean of the School of Nursing and Health Professions

Dr. Vivienne Friday serves as the Dean of Nursing and Health Professions at Goodwin University. In her role, she combines her expertise in clinical nursing, nursing education, research, and administration to advance the future of healthcare.

With more than four decades of experience as a clinical and academic practitioner, Dr. Friday is well positioned to promote excellence in education for the School of Nursing and Health Professions. Prior to her role as dean, she practiced nursing across the lifespan in the Caribbean and in several locations in the United States of America. Her teaching experiences span long-term care to acute care settings and include certified nurse’s aide (CNA), licensed practical nurse (LPN), and undergraduate and graduate nursing students. She held leadership positions within academia, including associate program director, program director, and Interim Dean of Nursing.

Dr. Friday’s passion for innovation in healthcare education has motivated her to engage in initiatives that integrate open educational resources (OER) and the Universal Design for Learning (UDL) framework into the curriculum. She is determined to prepare the next generation of healthcare professionals to meet the evolving needs of a diverse patient population. Consequently, she spearheads interprofessional teaching and learning activities across programs.

As a scholar, Dr. Friday has published several articles in peer-reviewed journals and presented at national and international conferences on topics specific to her research areas of gerontology, diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), and mentoring.

Outside of her professional endeavors, Dr. Friday is committed to community service and is involved in various committees at the institution that are designed to promote effective governance, foster collaboration, and maintain integrity and quality. In addition, Dr. Friday serves on the advisory board of organizations dedicated to advocating for policies that improve healthcare access and equity.

As the Dean of Nursing and Health Professions, Dr. Friday is committed to fostering a culture of excellence, meaningful innovation, inclusivity, belonging, and empowering students, faculty, and staff to make a meaningful impact on healthcare delivery and outcomes. Her leadership inspires collaboration and drives transformative changes within the institution and beyond.

Diana LaRocco, Ed.D.
Dean of the School of Applied Liberal Arts and Social Sciences

Dr. Diana J. LaRocco is the Associate Provost for Learning and Teaching, Dean of the School of Applied Liberal Arts and Social Sciences, and directs the Goodwin University Institute for Learning Innovation.

Before coming to Goodwin in 2016, she held a full-time faculty position in the Doctoral Program in Educational Leadership at the University of Hartford for more than 12 years. There, she served as the principal advisor for 50 completed dissertations examining issues in K-20 education. Among other doctoral-level courses, she instructed children, families, and communities; strategic planning; research methods; and instructional design. Diana also taught undergraduate courses in early childhood and 6th-year courses in school administration.

While at the University of Hartford, Diana was the Director of the Center for Leadership in Education and Health in the Institute for Translational Research in the College of Education, Nursing and Health Professions. She also served as Coordinator of Assessment. In service to the university, Diana was a member of the Human Subjects Committee and the college’s academic standing and promotion and tenure committees.

Before the University of Hartford, Diana was the Director of Research and Grants at the Connecticut Department of Developmental Services (formerly the Department of Mental Retardation). Diana has over 29 years of experience working in the field of developmental disabilities. She has extensive experience as a special education teacher working with infants and toddlers with disabilities and their families and administered a birth-to-three program in the Northwest area of Connecticut. Diana was an active member of the International Division for Early Childhood (DEC) of the Council for Exceptional Children for many years and held several positions in DEC Governance. She is a past president.

Diana’s current areas of interest and expertise focus on applying the Universal Design for Learning Framework in the higher education classroom and professional learning models for higher education faculty. Her research interests center on new forms of shared leadership and cover three related areas of study: leveraging personal power, advocating, and collaborating. This type of leadership is not related to formal positions of power or authority, and it spans a variety of organizational settings, including schools (K-12), institutions of higher education, and public and not-for-profit human services organizations.

Diana earned her doctoral degree in Education from the University of Hartford. She also has a BS in Psychology, an MS in Elementary Special Education from Central Connecticut State University, and a 6th year in Administration and Supervision from the University of Hartford.

Nicholas Lentino
Assistant Vice President for Enrollment

Nick has been with Goodwin University in the Admissions Department since 2002. The spirit of the Goodwin community and the students the University serves are the biggest reasons why he finds Goodwin to be such a big part of his life.

Nick grew up in Longmeadow, Massachusetts, and graduated from Providence College in 1996. He started interning for a local morning radio show shortly after graduation, becoming a producer of two morning shows at Radio 104 in Hartford. As exciting as it was to prepare a show to make the morning commute a more enjoyable drive for some in the greater Hartford area, after five years it was time to move on to and find something more rewarding.

Since then, Nick has worked as an Admissions Officer, Senior Admissions Officer, Assistant Director of Enrollment, Director of High School Admissions, and now Assistant Vice President for Enrollment and Director of Admissions at the University. Nick got married in October of 2010 to his wife, Jennifer, and has a son and daughter.

Kim McGinnis, Ed.D.
Dean of Students

With more than 25 years of educational and administrative experience in higher education, Dr. Kim McGinnis serves as Goodwin’s Dean of Students. Previously, she served as the Dean of Student Services at Housatonic Community College in Bridgeport, Connecticut; Interim Vice President of Student Support Services at Long Beach City College; Vice President of Student Services at Monterey Peninsula College; and Dean of Student Services at Miami Dade College Medical Campus. Prior to that, she was Williamsburg Technical College’s eighth president and the College’s first woman president in Kingstree, SC. Other previous positions include Vice President of Continuing Education at James Sprunt Community College in Kenansville, NC; Director of Occupational Extension Training, Corporate and Community Education with Carteret Community College in Morehead City, NC; Dean of Technical and Vocational Programs at Mayland Community College in Spruce Pine, NC; and Horticulture Programs Department Head and Instructor also at Mayland.

Dr. McGinnis is a graduate of Leadership Greater Bridgeport and serves on multiple boards including CT ACE Women’s Network, NASPA CT, and as president of the Rotary Club of Bridgeport. She is an adjunct Professor of Education at University of Bridgeport and CT State - Housatonic. She is a certified yoga and meditation teacher and is a Certified Brain Longevity Specialist through the Alzheimer’s Research & Prevention Foundation. Dr. McGinnis has received the Excellence in Teaching Award from the North Carolina State Board of Community Colleges and was recognized as the Outstanding Faculty Member at Mayland Community College. She was selected as the Dallas Herring Fellow for the Future President’s Institute representing the North Carolina Community College System. She is past president of the American Association of Women in Community Colleges, NC Chapter, and received the Glass Ceiling Award from South Carolina’s Chapter of Women in Higher Education.

She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in landscape horticulture from North Carolina State University in Raleigh, NC; a Master of Arts degree in education from Western Carolina University in Cullowhee, NC; a Master of Science in Psychology from Capella University; a Master of Science in Education Law from NOVA Southeastern University, and a Doctorate in educational leadership and policy analysis from East Tennessee State University.

Clifford Thermer, Ed.D.
Assistant Vice President for Strategy and Business Development and Dean of the School of Business, Technology, and Advanced Manufacturing

Dr. Cliff Thermer currently serves as the Dean of the School of Business, Technology, and Advanced Manufacturing and is the Assistant Vice President for Strategy and Business Development at Goodwin University. In addition to the administrative oversight of an academic school, Dr. Thermer serves on the President’s Cabinet and the Academic Affairs Committee.

Dr. Thermer joined Goodwin University in 2010 as the program director for Business and Management. In 2011, Dr. Thermer became Chair of the Department of Social Science, Business and Education. In 2015, the Department added the manufacturing programs and later split off to become the Department of Business, Management, and Advanced Manufacturing. In 2017, the University’s first master degree program in Organizational Leadership was approved. In 2019, the School of Business, Technology, and Advanced Manufacturing was formed and Dr. Thermer was appointed its first dean.

“I never let my schooling interfere with my education.”

Since 1998, Dr. Thermer has taught at all levels of higher education, holding adjunct positions at Middlesex Community College, University of Hartford, Quinnipiac University, and Albertus Magus College. He was also a visiting assistant professor of the Doctoral Program in Educational Leadership at the University of Hartford and Associate Director of the Organizational Leadership Program at Quinnipiac University.

In addition to his academic career, Dr. Thermer is a 24-year veteran who has served both in municipal and state police forces in a wide variety of patrol and administrative functions, which included K-9 handler, field supervisor, Troop Executive Officer, Department Education Officer, and Unit Commanding Officer. He spent 15 years developing training at the recruit, incumbent, supervisory, and management levels and served 10 years at the Emergency Operations Center in Hartford in a variety of roles including the DPS Executive Officer at the EOC. He also held a variety of positions and responsibilities for six years at Rentschler Field and was part of a team that developed the security planning during construction of the facility. He retired from state service in 2009 as the Commandant of the Connecticut State Police Training Academy.

In his spare time, Dr. Thermer serves as Vice President and Operations Manager for the Connecticut State Police Academy Alumni Educational Foundation, Inc., a non-profit organization where he has held a variety of roles since 1997.

“It’s different here.”

Sandra Ward
Assistant Vice President for Advancement

Sandra Ward has served as the Director of Grants for Goodwin University since 2018. In this role, she and the grants team partner with all areas of the University to secure resources that promote the institution’s mission. The grants department manages over $8 million of federal, state, and private foundation funding. This role is Sandra’s second at Goodwin, having worked over a decade ago as the founding director of the Human Services Program. She brings to her role 25+ years of experience in nonprofit and public-sector environments; including youth training and employment and positive youth development programs, K-12 and higher education, psychiatric treatment settings, and cultural arts programs. She has expertise in partnership development and strategic planning at the organizational and systems-level. Over the course of her career, Sandra has led and collaborated on the design and launch of several innovative community-based and culturally relevant initiatives in the Greater Hartford area including community schools, youth violence intervention programs, and training institutes for youth development professionals and middle-management human service professionals. She holds a BA in English Literature and African American Studies from Trinity College, an MA in Cultural Anthropology from Temple University and an MSW from the University of Connecticut with a focus on Policy and Planning and Administration. Sandra and her husband Fredd call East Hartford home, where they live with their children Nathaniel and Cassidy, and dogs Jackson and Billie Jean.

Sandra Ward first came to Goodwin in 2006 as the founding director of the Human Services program. After spending a decade in public education and youth services in Hartford, she returned to Goodwin in a development role in 2018. As Assistant Vice President for Advancement, Sandra oversees the grants departments at both Goodwin University and University of Bridgeport, as well as the Goodwin Foundation. In this role, she and the Advancement team partner with all areas of the Universities to secure resources that promote the institution’s mission and support our students. The grants department manages over $9 million of federal, state, and private foundation funding and the Foundation raises funds for over $450,000 in student scholarships that are awarded each year. Sandra brings an expertise in partnership development and strategic planning at the organizational and systems level. Over the course of her career, she has led and collaborated on the design and launch of several innovative community-based and culturally relevant initiatives in the Greater Hartford area including community schools, youth violence intervention programs, and training institutes for youth development professionals and middle-management human service professionals. She holds a BA in English Literature and African American Studies from Trinity College, an MA in Cultural Anthropology from Temple University, and an MSW from the University of Connecticut with a focus on Policy and Planning and Administration. Sandra and her husband Fredd call Windsor home, and are grateful to have two amazing adult children, Nathaniel and Cassidy, and two lovable dogs, Jackson and Billie Jean.