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Search Committee

Chairs

John L. Bennett, Ph.D.

John L. Bennett, Ph.D.

Dr. John Bennett is a Professor of Business & Behavioral Science and the Director of the Graduate Programs at the McColl School of Business, Queens University of Charlotte. He holds the Wayland H. Cato, Jr. Chair of Leadership. He is the former director of graduate programs for the McColl School of Business and was the founding director of the first MS in executive coaching program in the US. John is president of Lawton Associates, a consulting and executive coaching firm focused on helping individuals, teams, and organizations prepare for, excel through, and improve from change.

He has more than 30 years of progressively challenging and successful experience creating, leading, and participating in change in various industries. John was CEO of the American Red Cross biomedical services divisions, where he led pharmaceutical manufacturing and distribution operations and developed and delivered essential human services. John has also led mergers and turnarounds, new product development, marketing, and technology system designs and integrations. He served as Senior Vice President and Talent Solutions Director for Lee Hecht Harrison, and he was the CEO of the Foundation of Coaching, a project of the Harnisch Family Foundation.

John is the author or co-author of five books, including Coaching for Change (Routledge) and The Manager’s Guide to Coaching for Change (de Gruyter). He served as co-editor of three special issues of OD Review. He serves on the editorial board of the Journal of Applied Behavioral Science.

John earned a B.S. from Mars Hill College, an MPA from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, and an M.A. and Ph.D. in human and Organizational Systems from Fielding Graduate University (2006). He also earned the Professional Certified Coach (PCC) credential through the International Coach Federation (ICF) and the Board Certified Coach (BCC) credential through the Center for Credentialing & Education. In 2010, he was named a charter Fellow in The Lewin Center and a Founding Fellow of the Institute of Coaching affiliated with McLean Hospital, Harvard Medical School. In 2023, he was named a Nobel Fellow at Queens University of Charlotte. Joining the Fielding Graduate University Board of Trustees in 2019, he chairs the Academic Affairs Committee and serves on the Executive Committees. He chaired the 2021/22 task force on the Re-imagination & Re-invention of the University.

Karen Smith Bogart, Ph.D.

Karen Smith Bogart, Ph.D.

Karen Smith Bogart, Ph.D., is President of Smith Bogart Consulting, Inc., a business advisory firm based in Santa Barbara. She works with firms on business growth, marketing, commercialization, and organizational effectiveness.

Karen was a Senior Vice President of Eastman Kodak Company. She was the Chairman and President of Greater Asia, located in Shanghai, China, responsible for Kodak’s Asian businesses and related operations. Prior to that, she managed the firm’s global Professional Imaging business, paper business, camera and battery businesses, and cardiology business.

Dr. Bogart has been a director of ten companies. She currently is a director of Mohawk Industries (MHK); a NYSE listed floor firm and Michelman, Inc., a private specialty chemicals company. She also serves as a Fielding Graduate University Trustee.

She holds a PhD in Human and Organizational Systems from Fielding Graduate University, a Master of Arts in Human and Organizational Systems from Fielding Graduate University, a Master of Business Administration from the University of Rochester, Master in Industrial and Labor Relations from Cornell University, and a B.A. in Political Science from the State University of New York at Geneseo.

Committee Members

Dr. Michael Ali

Michael Ali, Ph.D.

Dr. Michael Ali is the SVP of Engineering Operations for Saratech, an engineering services company located in Mission Viejo, California.  His department is responsible for management, analysis and design, and implementation client projects.  Services ranging from product research and development to implementation and deployment of CAD, CAE, and PLM systems.

Prior to Saratech, Dr. Ali served as CTO and/or CIO for Omega Engineering, Grainger, Harman, and Jaguar and Land Rover, as well as SVP of Applications for US Foods.  Prior to these roles, he held various positions in Ford IT in Dearborn, Michigan: Manager of Deskside Services, Manager of Vehicle Line Systems, and Manager of Product & Manufacturing Design (CAD/CAM) Systems. Prior to joining Ford, he worked in management and engineering positions at General Electric, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, NASA, and NIST.

He received his Ph.D. in Computer and Systems Engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic in 1999, his Master’s in Mechanical Engineering from Stanford in 1986, and his Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from Princeton in 1983.

He has been on the Fielding Board of Trustees and a member of the Finance Committee since 2019. He’s still waiting for someone to tell him when his 3-year term ends.

Richard P.  Appelbaum, Ph.D.

Richard P. Appelbaum, Ph.D.

Richard P. Appelbaum, Ph.D., is Distinguished Professor Emeritus and former MacArthur Foundation Chair in Global and International Studies and Sociology at the University of California at Santa Barbara. He served as chair of the Sociology Department 1988-1992, Director of the Institute for Social, Behavioral, and Economic Research 1993-2005, co-founder of the UCSB Global & International Studies Program, and founding Director of its M.A. program (2005-2012). He is currently Professor at Fielding Graduate University, where he chairs the doctoral concentration in Sustainability Leadership. He received his B.A. from Columbia University, M.P.A. from Princeton University’s Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs, and Ph.D. from the University of Chicago. He has been a Simon Visiting Professor at the Department of Sociology, University of Manchester, England, and an Honorary Visiting Professor in the Sociology Department at the University of Hong Kong. Between 1964-1966 he served as on a Ford Foundation program a consultant to the Oficina Nacional de Planeamiento y Urbanismo (ONPU), Lima, Peru.

He is an elected fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), and has been co-Principal Investigator (and served on the Executive Committees of) many National Science Foundation Centers, including the Center for Nanotechnology in Society (CNS) (2006-2016), where he led an international research group focusing on China’s rise as a science and technology power; Spatial Perspectives for Analysis in Curriculum Enhancement, 2003-2009 (SPACE); and the Center for Spatially Integrated Social Science (CSISS) (1999-2004). He is a founding editor (and currently emeritus editor) of Competition and Change: The Journal of Global Business and Political Economy.

Dr. Appelbaum has published extensively in the areas of social theory, urban sociology, public policy, the globalization of business, and the sociology of work and labor. He has authored or co-authored more than a dozen books and monographs and more than 150 articles, book chapters, and other publications. His recent books include Leadership in Sustainability: Case Studies in Practice (with Frederick Steier, Paul Stillman, and David Blake Willis, eds., Fielding University Press (2021); Innovation in China: Challenging the Global Science and Technology System (with Cong Cao, Xueying Han, Rachel Parker, and Denis Simon; Polity Press, 2018; Achieving Workers’ Rights in the Global Economy (co-edited with Nelson Lichtenstein; Cornell University Press, 2016); Can Emerging Technologies Make a Difference in Development? (co-edited with Rachel Parker, Routledge, 2012); Towards a Critical Globalization Studies (co-edited with William I. Robinson, Routledge, 2005); States and Economic Development in the Asian Pacific Rim (with Jeffrey Henderson; Sage, 1992); Behind the Label: Inequality in the Los Angeles Garment Industry (with Edna Bonacich; University of California Press, 2000); Rules and Networks: The Legal Culture of Global Business Transactions (co-edited with William L.F. Felstiner and Volkmar Gessner; Oxford, England: Hart, 2001; and Introduction to Politics and Economics (an edited collection of readings; Kendall-Hunt 2004). He is also co-author (with Anthony Giddens, Mitchell Duneier, and Deborah Carr) of Introduction to Sociology, currently in its 13^th edition (W.W. Norton).

He has served as an elected Council Member of the Political Economy of the World-System Section of the American Sociological Association, as well as its President. He served on the Board of Consulting Editors of the Encyclopedia of Housing and the Encyclopedia of Global Studies, and as a faculty representative to the University of California Advisory Committee on Trademark Licensing/Designated Suppliers Program, where he helped develop the UC-systemwide code of conduct assures UC-licensed merchandise is made in factories that comply with acceptable labor standards.  He currently chairs the Advisory Council of the Workers’ Rights Consortium, which monitors and enforces labor-related codes of conduct across 148 colleges and universities in the United States and Canada. He is the author of the report of the Los Angeles Jewish Commission on Sweatshops, for which he served as a founding member.  He has received numerous awards and commendations for excellence in teaching, including the UCSB Academic Senate Distinguished Teaching Award in the Social Sciences.

Dr. Appelbaum is currently the Santa Barbara lead for UCSB’s Campus-based Committee of the University of California Disaster Resilience Network (UC-DRN), where he represents UCSB on the UC-DRN system-wide University Council. He serves on the Boards of Directors for a number of non-profit social justice organizations, including Santa Barbara Clergy and Laity United for Economic Justice (CLUE), where he heads the Housing Justice and Labor Trafficking Workgroups); the Santa Gray Panther Network; the Fund for Refugee Initiatives (formerly the Chad Relief Foundation); the Nuclear Age Peace Foundation; and Global Service Corps.

Jenene Craig, Ph.D.

Jenene Woods Craig, Ph.D., MBA, OTR/L

Dr. Jenene Craig is the Program Director for the IECD programs at Fielding. Her work in this role is grounded by her 42-year career in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit and a leadership career spanning diverse sectors and geographies. She is committed to advancing research, fusing clinical and professional work with social justice advocacy alongside faculty and students in the IECD programs. Prior to her work at Fielding, she served as the Department Chair for the doctoral Occupational Therapy Programs in the School of Health Sciences at Brenau University in Gainesville, Georgia.  She has been described by academic peers as a collaborative visionary leader.

Dr. Craig received her BS in Occupational Therapy at the Medical College of Georgia, her MBA from the University of Alaska-Fairbanks, and her PhD in Infant and Childhood Development with emphasis in Mental Health and Developmental Disorders from Fielding Graduate University

She began her career practicing in both adult acute care and pediatrics and has been specialized in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) with premature infants since 1985. She was privileged to receive her NIDCAP training for NICU caregiving under the tutelage of Dr. Heidelise Als in Boston, MA. For many years, Jenene served as CEO of ‘Family Infant Connections,’ a NICU consulting practice. Jenene is currently on the leadership team for National Association of Neonatal Therapists (NANT). She has served in leadership positions on numerous boards, including the Executive Committee for the National Perinatal Association and as the inaugural Co-Chair of the Neonatal Therapists National Certification Board (NTNCB), serves as a reviewer for multiple peer-reviewed journals and enjoys a number of book and journal publications. Jenene also serves as an international speaker for the care of premature infants and families embattled in the stressful environment of the NICU.

Jenene was born in Rapid City, South Dakota, but claims Atlanta, Georgia, as home. Her first passion is as wife and mother of six children and grandmother to two grandchildren. She has enjoyed a side-gig career as a musician with the Metro Jazz Club Band, where she plays alto saxophone, and as the principal oboist for a few orchestras.

Dr. Allison Davis-White Eyes

Allison Davis-White Eyes, Ph.D.

Allison Davis-White Eyes, Ph.D., currently serves as the Vice President for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at Fielding Graduate University, as well as affiliate faculty in Fielding’s School of Leadership Studies and the School of Public Policy at Oregon State University. She holds a Bachelor of Arts and Master of Arts from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) and a Doctor of Philosophy from Oregon State University in Adult Higher Education with a focus on International Education. Professionally, Allison has over 30 years of broad experience in higher education, which includes various positions in administration, community engagement, diversity and inclusion, as well as teaching and research that promote internationalization, diversity, and inclusion through a global equity lens. Allison’s research areas of interest include Subaltern studies, Cosmopolitanism within international education, Indigenous Theory, Metissage/Creolization, Mobility Studies, Queer Theory and Intersectionality.

Jay Harding, Ph.D.

Jay Harding, Ph.D.

Dr. Jay Harding is a Business Architect with the State of Wisconsin Investment Board (SWIB), a fully funded pension fund. He is also the President of Affinium Strategy Group, his startup consulting company, which focuses on transformative change and the implementation of large projects. Dr. Harding serves as a trustee and is Treasurer and Chair of the Budget, Finance, and Audit Committee and Chair of Investment Sub-committee.

Dr. Harding believes that success in business is aligning business goals to operational reality. This alignment is done by creating a proper structure for change and a line-of-sight to the ultimate objective.  As a consultant and in previous roles, he has succeeded by keeping a strategic focus and a servant leadership mindset.

Dr. Harding formerly worked as the Chief Administrative Officer with Duff and Phelps Investment Management Company. His previous work also includes being the Managing Director of Operations and Technology at Christian Brothers Investment Services.

He received his bachelor’s degree in history from Indiana University, a master’s degree in Organizational Leadership from Gonzaga University, and a master’s degree and Ph.D. in Human and Organizational Systems from Fielding Graduate University. Insightful and always interested in increasing his knowledge and skillsets, Jay wrote his dissertation on the Variance of Meaning of the Fiduciary Construct by Chartered Financial Analysts at Registered Investment Advisors.

David Hollingsworth, Ph.D.

David Hollingsworth, Ph.D.

Dr. David Hollingsworth is the Director of Clinical Training at Fielding Graduate University. Prior to joining Fielding, he was an assistant professor in the Department of Psychology at Fairfield University in Fairfield, Connecticut, where he researched suicide risk and protective factors among African American young adults. He then transitioned into the role of psychologist at the Tuscaloosa Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. At the Tuscaloosa VA, he was also the Director of Psychology Training and oversaw the APA-accredited internship program. He also served as the LGBTQ+ Veteran Care Coordinator and completed strategic planning efforts for LGBTQ+ healthcare and provided affirmative care to LGBTQ+ veterans, including hormone replacement therapy assessments for transgender veterans. Dr. Hollingsworth’s main clinical interest includes treating PTSD, depression, anxiety, and working with individuals who are at high risk of suicide. Dr. Hollingsworth earned his B.A. in psychology from Morehouse College and his M.S. & Ph.D. in clinical psychology from Oklahoma State University. He completed his residency at the University of Mississippi Medical Center/G.V. (Sonny) Montgomery VA Medical Center Consortium. He is a licensed clinical psychologist and member of the National Register of Health Service Psychologists.

Dr. Maria Viola Sanchez

María Viola Sánchez, Ph.D.

A native Californian, María Sánchez holds a Ph.D. in psychology (Fielding Graduate University, 2022). Maria is a Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility (DEI&A) Ambassador earned through The National Diversity Collaborative, Inc., Washington DC. She also holds a master’s degree in clinical psychology (Pepperdine University, 2017), and a master’s degree in media psychology (Fielding Graduate University, 2019).

María was elected to Fielding Graduate University’s Board of Trustees in 2019 as a full voting member and she still serves.  María was also elected as Fielding’s student body president from 2018 to 2020.

María’s doctoral dissertation was on Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) and is entitled, “Using the Bystander Intervention Model to Improve Efforts to Reduce Female Genital Mutilation.” She is an activist in the eradication of the procedure, which has affected 230 million girls and women who are alive today. This is the reason that she founded STOP THE CUT NOW! Eradicating Female Genital Mutilation.

María attended the United Nations’ “International Day of Zero Tolerance” for Female Genital Mutilation on February 6, 2020, in New York. She also attended it virtually in February 2021.

Dr. Sánchez attended a two-day conference in the United Kingdom in April 2019 about genital integrity. She was also invited to and attended a United Nations event in June 2019 where a female leader of Sierra Leone was a presenter. Sierra Leone has a 90% cut rate and María wanted to speak with the woman about her country’s practice. María traveled to London in November 2019 to personally interview global eradication activists.  She was invited to the world premiere of the Vagina Museum, and she attended the Grand Opening. “The world’s first bricks and mortar museum dedicated to the gynaecological anatomy. Now open in Bethnal Green.”

María was a presenter at the American Psychological Association’s annual convention in August 2019. She spoke on a three-member panel, “Giving Psychology Away: Using Media to Your Advantage.”

María has also been a radio talk show host for nearly 30 years. She resigned from her latest hosting duties in October 2021 to completely dedicate herself to the efforts of STOP THE CUT NOW! She is a board member of the Ventura County Psychological Association (VPCA) and serves in the Government Liaison role.

Maria is married and the mother of four children who all bring her great pride and joy. Maria loves to garden, travel, and read non-fiction. Maria’s rescue puppy, Millie, accompanies her seven days a week on her hikes.

Lillian Simmons, MS

Lillian Simmons, MS

Lillian Simmons, MS, is an experienced leader in change management within the higher education industry and an advocate for addressing social justice issues within systems and processes. She joined Fielding Graduate University in 2003, where she is now the Assistant Provost of Institutional Effectiveness and Continuous Improvement. Her role focuses on university compliance related to federal and state regulatory requirements, as well as market research for new and existing programs. Lillian also provides supervision for the director of financial aid and scholarships. Over the past 20 years, she has worked in a variety of leadership roles across the admissions, financial aid, and enrollment services units at Fielding. Lillian is an active member of the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (NASFAA) and served on its task force for examining implicit bias in financial aid. She also currently serves as past president on the board of the Santa Barbara Transgender Advocacy Network. She earned her bachelor’s degree from Whitworth University and her Master of Science in Nonprofit Administration from Louisiana State University, Shreveport.

Nicola Smith, MBA, JD

Nicola Smith, JD

Nicola Smith, JD, is a public trustee and doctoral faculty member at the School of Leadership Studies at Fielding Graduate University. Her focuses include structural inequality and diversity, leadership for change, children’s rights advocacy, and ethics and professional responsibility. She earned her JD and MBA in Business Administration from Harvard University and a BA from the University of California at Berkeley. She is a member of the California Bar Association, National Bar Association, Better Health Foundation, and Asian Business League.

Sue Treppenhauer

Sue Treppenhauer

Sue Treppenhauer is a doctoral student in Clinical Psychology at Fielding Graduate University, anticipated to graduate in 2027. Her academic journey includes a Post Baccalaureate Certificate in Clinical Psychology from Fielding (2020) and a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology (summa cum laude) from Eastern Washington University (2019), and she is maintaining a 3.997 GPA in her doctoral studies. As a Clinical Practicum Trainee at the Portia Bell Hume Behavioral Health and Training Center, Sue provides comprehensive psychological services to students aged 5-24 in Alameda County schools, implementing prevention and early intervention strategies and delivering Medi-Cal treatment services.

Sue’s dedication extends beyond clinical work into various organizational roles and community service. At Fielding, she serves as Student Representative on the WASC College and University Commission (WSCUC), Student Affairs Committee, and Academic Committee. She co-founded the Ethnic Minority Peer Support Group within Fielding’s Postbaccalaureate program and chairs the San Francisco Psychological Association of Graduate Students (SFPAGS). Sue also volunteers with the Crisis Text Line and the National Alliance on Mental Illness, demonstrating her commitment to mental health advocacy.

In her research, Sue is examining the relationship between vicarious and directly experienced racism on mental health outcomes and help-seeking attitudes in older East Asian women in the U.S. She assists Dr. Lauren Mizock with the Cultural Stigma Research Practicum and Dr. Kristine Jacquin in the Forensic Neuropsychology Doctoral Research Lab. Her research interests span cultural stigma, mental health, immigrant experiences of acculturation, and the intersectionality of cultural identities. Sue has contributed to the field through publications, including a recent article on the ethical and legal implications of physician-assisted dying in Directions in Psychiatry.

Sue’s diverse experiences, academic dedication, and commitment to both research and practical application of psychology showcase her as a well-rounded scholar and emerging professional. Her unique perspective as a current doctoral student, combined with her involvement in various aspects of university life and her dedication to diversity and inclusion, position her to contribute valuable insights to academic and institutional processes. Outside of her academic pursuits, Sue finds balance with her two ragdoll cats, Obi Wan and Mr. Tumnus, and in embracing her new role as a grandmother, playfully considering ‘Oma,’ ‘Nai-Nai,’ or ‘Mormor’ – reflecting her family’s German, Chinese, and Danish heritage.

Questions? Comments? Feedback? Email: presidentialsearch@fielding.edu.