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Meet the Gardner Institute Board of Directors

Meet the Gardner Institute Board of Directors

Co-founders

John N. Gardner, Executive Chair and Co-Founder of the Gardner Institute, wearing glasses and a blue sweater, with a serious expression in an outdoor setting.

John N. Gardner

John N. Gardner currently serves as the Executive Chair and Co-Founder of the John N. Gardner Institute for Excellence in Higher Education. He founded the Institute in 1999 with his partner Betsy Barefoot.

Betsy Barefoot, co-founder of the Gardner Institute, smiling in a coral cardigan, emphasizing her role in enhancing first-year college experiences and collegiate transfer strategies.

Betsy Barefoot

Betsy Barefoot co-founded the Institute with John Gardner in 1999. She is directly involved in the development of instruments and strategies to evaluate and improve the first college year and collegiate transfer.

Visionary Leadership: Our Co-Founders

Lou Albert, retired president of Pima County Community College – West Campus, wearing a suit and tie, contributing to the Gardner Institute's board of directors.
Lou Albert

Retired President, Pima County Community College – West Campus & Professor of Practice in the Division of Educational Leadership at Arizona State University

Chaouki T. Abdallah, President of Lebanese American University, smiling in a professional suit and tie, with a blurred background emphasizing his leadership role in higher education.
Chaouki T. Abdallah

President, Lebanese American University

828-233-5874
Independent scholar and author Isis Artze-Vega smiling, wearing a checkered blouse, with a blurred outdoor background, representing expertise in higher education as part of the Gardner Institute's leadership.
Isis Artze-Vega

Independent Scholar and Author

Artze-Vega@gardnerinstitute.org
Wendy Ault, Executive Director of the Melmac Foundation, smiling portrait in professional attire.
Wendy Ault

Executive Director, Melmac Foundation

Suzanne Benally, Executive Director of the Swift Foundation, wearing a turquoise necklace and earrings, posed against a blurred natural background.
Suzanne Benally

Executive Director, Swift Foundation

Michael Benitez, Vice President for Diversity and Inclusion at Metropolitan State University of Denver, smiling in a professional setting, wearing a suit and tie, with a blurred urban background.
Michael Benitez

Vice President for Diversity and Inclusion, Metropolitan State University of Denver

Scott Evenbeck, former President of CUNY Stella and Charles Guttman Community College, smiling in a professional setting, wearing glasses and a black suit with a striped tie.
Scott Evenbeck

Former President, CUNY Stella and Charles Guttman Community College, Professor, CUNY, Baruch College

Jillian Kinzie, Associate Director at NSSE Institute, smiling with glasses and a necklace, featured on the Gardner Institute board of directors page.
Jillian Kinzie

Associate Director, NSSE Institute, Indiana University Center for Postsecondary Research

Andrew (Drew) Koch, Chief Executive Officer of the Gardner Institute, smiling against a textured stone background, wearing a blue blazer and light blue shirt.
Andrew (Drew) Koch

Chief Executive Officer, Gardner Institute

koch@gardnerinstitute.org
828-877-3549
Francesca Mazzola, Senior Officer at Gates Foundation, smiling in professional attire with a red necklace, against a blurred background.
Francesca Mazzola

Senior Officer, Gates Foundation

Laura Rendón, Professor Emerita and Co-Director of the Center for Research and Policy in Education, smiling with short red hair and glasses, wearing large gold earrings, in a professional setting related to higher education leadership.
Laura Rendón

Professor, Emerita and Co-Director of the Center for Research and Policy in Education, University of Texas, San Antonio

Aaron Thompson, President of the Kentucky Council on Postsecondary Education, smiling in front of the Kentucky state flag, professional attire, leadership in higher education.
Aaron Thompson

President, Kentucky Council on Postsecondary Education

Gerald Whittington, Senior Vice President Emeritus of Elon University, wearing glasses and a suit, smiling against a neutral background.
Gerald Whittington

Senior Vice President Emeritus, Elon University

Jessica Williams, Senior Director of Client Service Delivery at the National Institute for Student Success, smiling in a navy outfit, seated in a professional setting.
Jessica Williams

Senior Director of Client Service Delivery, National Institute for Student Success

jrwilliams@wiche.edu