CBO Speaks

Clayton Gibson is vice president for finance and administration and CFO at the University of North Texas in Denton, Texas. In this episode, Gibson joins our host Donna Schiele to talk about his educational journey, his transition from corporate to higher ed, and the importance of mentorship.   "Focus on your career and technical skill sets, but you also want to be involved in the community," Gibson says, recounting valuable advice he received from a mentor at Ernst & Young early in his career about the value of that connection to your community when you’re working to move into more prominent roles. He goes on to talk about how he has maintained involvement with non-profits throughout his career journey, recognizing the importance of community engagement for leadership roles.   Join us for a conversation with Gibson as he shares insightful leadership lessons, discusses addressing workforce challenges in higher ed, and offers his perspective on the future of the industry and his own career.   Links

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• • Career Conversations
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Ann Bordelon is executive vice chancellor for finance and administration at the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville, Arkansas. In this episode, Bordelon joins our host Donna Schiele to talk about her career journey, mentorship, and leadership through change in higher education.   “I look back on my career and there have been a handful of people who have really been instrumental,” Bordelon says. She goes on to emphasize the importance of mentors and sponsors who invested in her growth and advancement throughout her career.   Join us for a conversation with Bordelon as she talks about transitioning from corporate roles to higher education leadership, guiding her institution through challenges like the COVID-19 pandemic and an ERP system implementation, and keeping students at the heart of every decision.   Links

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Peter Elliott is vice president for administrative services at South Florida State College in Avon Park, Florida. In this episode, Elliott joins host Donna Schiele to talk about his career path, challenges in higher education, and the importance of community colleges.   “I like to say when I introduce myself: I'm here because usually when a student gets to my office, they're not happy, and the odds are pretty good I'm not going to make them happy,” he says. Elliott explains that teaching as an adjunct allows him to interact positively with students and connect back to the mission of higher education. “So in a classroom I get to interact with students in a positive way, and it connects me back to what we're doing,” he continues. Teaching accounting reminds Elliott that the focus should be on changing students' lives.   Join us for a conversation with Elliott as he talks about transitioning from auditor to higher education administrator, solving hiring challenges, and why community colleges are often overlooked in the national media.   Links

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Rob Cramer is vice chancellor for finance and administration at the University of Wisconsin-Madison in Madison, WI. In this episode, Cramer joins host Donna Schiele to discuss learning from mentors, overcoming challenges, and being optimistic for higher education.   "How do we get to ‘yes’ when being asked to help solve problems?" Cramer reflects. Despite challenges, he remains focused on understanding needs and finding solutions—a mentality that fuels his optimism for higher ed's future. "That's still something that really sticks with me today," Cramer says.   Join us as Rob Cramer recounts his journey from state government to higher ed leadership. He shares insights on managing risks, fostering student success, and supporting today's evolving workforce. Even amidst challenges, Cramer remains optimistic about the critical value of higher education.   Links

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Samuel Sudhakar is vice president and chief financial officer at California State University, San Bernardino in San Bernardino, CA. In this episode, Sudhakar joins host Donna Schiele to talk about his career journey, the importance of developing leaders, and how higher education needs to adapt.   “The effectiveness of a leader comes from developing a number two and succession plan,” he says. Sudhakar emphasizes grooming leaders within his team and providing opportunities for growth. “Over the years, we had developed a strong infrastructure in IT. So when I moved over, taking over this division, I had very strong people supporting me on the IT side." He goes on to discuss the importance of empowering others.   Join us for a conversation with Sudhakar as he talks about supporting student success, advancing diversity, equity and inclusion efforts, and preparing for the future of higher education with AI.   Links

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Molly Mercer is chief financial officer at the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education (PASSHE) in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. In this episode, Mercer joins host Donna Schiele to discuss navigating a career in higher education finance, embracing shared governance, and growing as a leader through mentorship.   “I can't say enough about the importance of mentoring,” Mercer emphasizes. She describes the value of having a mentor you can be vulnerable with and gain perspective from. Mercer stresses the immense value she found in formal mentorship programs for developing leadership skills.   Join us as Mercer shares lessons learned from her varied career path leading to higher ed finance. She talks about transitioning from the corporate world, participating in mentorship, and driving transformation through a focus on people and communication.   Links

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Andrea Young is vice president for finance and administration and associate professor of mathematical sciences at DePauw University in Greencastle, Indiana. In this episode, Young joins host Donna Schiele to discuss her career journey in higher education administration, the importance of shared governance, and building consortium relationships.   "I think that oftentimes, particularly if one is new to higher education, shared governance can really be a big culture shift and can seem as though it is antithetical to change, that it's a barrier to getting work done," she says. Young goes on to explain how she sees shared governance as an opportunity for collaboration and sustainable change, not an obstacle.   Join us for a conversation with Andrea Young as she talks about leveraging the CFO's role as a strategic advisor, tackling impostor syndrome, and using consortiums to provide better student mental health services.   Links

• Andrea Young on LinkedIn
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Jeffrey DeWitt is chief financial officer and executive vice chancellor for finance at the University of Kansas in Lawrence, Kansas. In this episode, DeWitt joins our host Donna Schiele to talk about the challenges facing higher education, the importance of strategic alignment, and the bright future ahead for universities.   “The future of higher ed, which is what we're working on at KU, is the economic engine of Kansas,” he says. DeWitt emphasizes how universities drive innovation and research that spur economic growth. “We are providing the research that spurs new technology that brings jobs into your state,” he explains.   Join us for a conversation with DeWitt as he talks about the need for shared governance, how national events affect campus, and why he is optimistic about the future of higher education.   Links

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John Coppola is vice president for finance and administration at Loyola University Maryland in Baltimore. In this episode, Coppola joins host Donna Schiele to talk about finding mentors in higher education, investing in initiatives that support student success, and participating in professional associations like NACUBO and EACUBO.   “There’s no better opportunity to really get your finger on the pulse of what’s going on in higher education than joining these associations and coming to the workshops or the annual meetings or whatever it might be,” he says. Coppola emphasizes the value of networking and learning from peers at similar institutions through groups like NACUBO and EACUBO. He goes on to highlight the mentoring opportunities these organizations provide for emerging leaders and aspiring CBOs.   Join us for a conversation with John Coppola as he talks about adapting to meet the evolving needs of today's workforce, forging partnerships to expand academic program offerings, and preparing for record incoming-freshman classes.   Links

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• • Career Conversations
  • NACUBO in Brief

Lisa Frace is senior vice president, chief financial officer, and treasurer at Michigan State University in East Lansing, Michigan. In this episode, Frace joins host Donna Schiele to discuss her career path, lessons learned, and insights on the future of higher education finance.   "I think mentorship evolves over time. I can think about each organization I was in and how even if it wasn't a formal mentorship relationship, there was always an ability to learn. And sometimes it was formal and sometimes it was informal," she says. Frace explains how she has benefited from mentors throughout her career, both through formal programs and informal relationships. She emphasizes the importance of identifying qualities to develop professionally and finding people who exhibit those qualities to provide guidance.   Join us for a conversation with Frace as she talks about transitioning from corporate roles to higher education, the complexity of university finances, shared governance, mentoring the next generation of leaders, and innovating in areas like blockchain technology.   Links

• Check out NACUBO’s other podcasts!
• • Career Conversations (brand new!)
  • NACUBO in Brief