GSU Welcomes New Administrators

Governors State University welcomes ten new administrators into the fold for the Fall 2012 semester.  The new administrators will impact the university in various areas, from The Center of Performing Arts to Recruitment and Outreach. 

One new professor, Dr. Andrae Marak, looks forward to helping GSU accomplish the goals stated in the school's mission statement.Dr. Marak comes to GSU as Chair of the Division of Humanities and Social Sciences, and as a Professor of History and Political Science.  He cites the desire to be closer to family, as well as the opportunity for growth that GSU provides, as reasons he wanted to come to GSU.

"This is an exciting place to be," said Dr. Marak.  "This school has so much potential for growth."         

Before coming to GSU, Dr. Marak was the Head of the Division of Liberal Arts at Indiana University- Purdue University Columbus.  He was also an associate of the Center for Latin American and Caribbean Studies at Indiana University. He is also the author of two books, "From Many, One: Indians, Peasants, Borders, and Education in Callista Mexico, 1924-1935"and "Smugglers, Brothels, and Twine: Historical Perspectives on Contraband and Vice in North America's Borderlands." 

In addition to Dr. Marak, GSU has added several new administrators and chair people.  New administrators include Rhonda Brown as Vice-President of Marketing and Communications, Will Davis as Interim Chief Development Officer, Melinda Gieseke as Controller, Kristy Goodwin as Director of Recruitment and Outreach, Jonathan Lee as Director of the Office of International Services, Dr. Lori Montalbano as Chair of the Division of Communication, Visual, and Performing Arts, Lana Rogachevskaya as Executive Director of the Center for Performing Arts, Dr. Aurelio Valente as Dean of Students and Associate Vice President of Academic Affairs, and James Zumerchik as Project Specialist in the area of Facilities Development and Management.

Prior to coming to GSU, Rhonda Brown served as Vice President of Development for the Joffrey Ballet. In her role as Vice-President of Marketing and Communications at GSU, Brown will be responsible for institutional marketing and internal and external communications.  Brown is the mother of two sons, and is also an exhibiting visual artist.

In his role as Interim Chief Development Officer, Will Davis will lead GSU in developing holistic corporate partnership, internal and external constituent management, as well as leading the Governors State University Foundation, the university's chief fundraising division. Davis' past experience includes a role as Senior Corporate Relations Officer for the American Cancer Society.

Melinda Geiseke previously held the role of Controller at Jackson Community College in Michigan. She also spent five years in Guatemala as the Finance Director at Christian Academy of Guatemala. Gieseke will work with the accounting staff in Financial Services department, as well as assist other school departments with their budgets.

Kristy Goodwin spent 13 years at Rush University in Chicago, as Coordinator for the Office of International Services and Senior Admissions Counselor and Recruiter for the College of Medicine, College of Nursing, Graduate College, and the College of Health Sciences. She currently sits on the African American Advisory Committee for Cook County State's Attorney Anita Alvarez.

Jonathan Lee has worked at the University of Illinois at Chicago, Prairie State College, Purdue University Calumet, and Valparaiso University. He has worked in different areas of international education, including international campus programing, international student and scholar advising, study abroad, exchange programs, summer programs, teaching English as a second language, and assisting students with cultural adjustment.

Dr. Lori L. Montalbano served as the Chair of the Department of Performing Arts at Indiana University Northwest, and Artistic Director of Theatre Northwest, prior to coming to GSU. She has a Doctorate degree in Performance Studies from Southern Illinois University. Montalbano wrote "Taking Narrative Risk: The Empowerment of Abuse Survivors" and also co-authored the textbook "Public Speaking and Responsibility in a Changing World."

Lana Rogachevskaya was the managing director as the Brooklyn Center for the Performing Arts. Rogachevskaya emigrated to the United States from Ukraine with her family in 1998. Rogachevskaya has a Master's degree in Performing Arts Management from Brooklyn College, and a Bachelor's Degree in Multimedia Communications from Bernard M. Baruch College.

Dr. Aurélio Valente served as Associate Dean of Student Development at Philadelphia University before coming to GSU . Dr. Valente has 20 years of experience in student affairs.  He has experience in the areas of functional and leadership responsibilities in residence life, student conduct, leadership development, service-learning, orientation, first-year experience, diversity initiatives, and spiritual development. Valente also has experience in student development in the first year of college and institutional efforts to promote student success and engagement.

James Zumerchik, a licensed architect, previously has served as a Project Manager specializing in higher education projects. He has degrees in Urban/Regional Planning and Architectural Science from the University of Illinois Champaign-Urbana.