College Officers

On June 1, 2019, Marcheta P. Evans, Ph.D. became the first woman and African American president to lead Bloomfield College in its 150-year history. She was unanimously selected as the institution's 17th president by the College's Board of Trustees after a nationwide search.

Dr. Evans has served in transformational leadership roles in higher education for more than 30 years at both public and private institutions, with the majority at Minority Serving Institutions (MSI's). Bloomfield College is the only four-year institution of higher learning in New Jersey designated a Predominantly Black Institution (PBI), a Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) and a Minority Serving Institution (MSI). The College was recently ranked the highest private college in the state of New Jersey and #18 nationally among 210 national liberal arts institutions in U.S. News & World Report's Best Colleges listing of Top Performers on Social Mobility.

Previously Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs at Our Lady of the Lake University (OLLU), Dr. Evans sequentially served as Vice President for Academic Affairs, Dean at OLLU and Associate Dean and Department Chair at University of Texas at San Antonio. She has served as a faculty member for over 26 years and has the rank of Full Professor. Dr. Evans is a past President and Fellow of the American Counseling Association, past President of the Association for Creativity in Counseling, and is the recipient of numerous awards and recognitions. A small sampling of these recognitions includes the NAACP President's Award, Excellence in Education Award, NJ Legislative Black Caucus Foundation's Black Excellence Award, Outstanding Multicultural Leadership Award, Yellow Rose of Texas Lifetime Educator Award, and Counselors for Social Justice Ohana Award.

Dr. Evans has authored numerous articles and book chapters, focusing on issues of diversity, multiculturalism, women's issues, and leadership. She has presented over one hundred times at the state, regional, national, and international levels addressing topics such as empowerment, multiculturalism, diversity, and leadership. In her international work, Dr. Evans has traveled extensively, including a length of time in the African country of Malawi where she worked with educators and counselors on literacy initiatives sponsored by USAID.

During her tenure at Bloomfield College, she has worked tirelessly to improve the morale and support of the College as it goes through these unprecedented times with COVID-19. Additionally, her work on finding a strategic partner that will take the College to new heights is a tribute to her commitment to serve the students, faculty, staff and community of Bloomfield College stakeholders.

Dr. Evans graduated from the University of Alabama with a Doctor of Philosophy degree in Counselor Education and Supervision, specializing in Student Affairs, Administration in Higher Education, and Human Resource Management. Additionally, she has a Master of Arts degree in Education in Elementary Education from the University of Alabama-Birmingham, a Master of Arts degree in Rehabilitation Counseling, and a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology from the University of Alabama.

Dr. Evans and her husband, Edgar, are exceedingly proud parents of six children, five of whom graduated from minority-serving institutions.

Michael A. Palladino received his B.S. in Biology from Trenton State College (now known as The College of New Jersey) in 1987. From 1987 to 1988, he studied nucleic acid biochemistry and molecular biology of DNA triple-helix formation in the laboratory of Dr. Jacques Fresco in the Department of Molecular Biology at Princeton University. In 1994, he completed a Ph.D. in Anatomy and Cell Biology from the University of Virginia School with Dr. Barry Hinton where he studied genes involved in protecting spermatozoa from oxidative damage and mechanisms of gene expression regulation by sex steroids in the mammalian testis and epididymis. From 1994 to 1999 he was a faculty member in the Biology Department at Brookdale Community College in Lincroft, NJ. In 1999 he joined the biology faculty at Monmouth University and served as Dean of the School of Science from 2008-15, and as Vice Provost for Graduate Studies from 2015-19. Dr. Palladino completed the Academic Leadership Academy at Penn State University.

In May 2020 Dr. Palladino joined Bloomfield College as the Vice President for Academic Affairs and Dean of Faculty. Bloomfield College is the only 4-year institution of higher education in New Jersey designated as a Predominantly Black Institution (PBI), Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) and Minority Serving Institution (MSI). The College enrolls ~1,300 students across more than 50 undergraduate programs and 4 graduate programs. Degree programs are delivered through six academic divisions, currently served by 44 FT faculty and ~150 adjunct faculty. Direct reports (16) include: Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs (includes

Registrar's Office), Academic Division Chairs (Business, Creative Arts and Technology, Humanities/Education, Nursing, Natural Science and Mathematics, Social and Behavioral Sciences), Library Director, Executive Director of the Center for Student Success (includes Tutoring and Writing Support Services, Center for Academic Advising and Career Education, Equal Opportunity Fund program, the Office for Students with Disabilities, McNair Scholars Program, TRIO-Student Support Services), Office of International Education, Office of Institutional Effectiveness (Director of Assessment and Accreditation, Institutional Research), two PBI Grant Directors, and Fostering Student Success Grant Director.

Monmouth University enrolls ~1700 graduate students and offers 25 graduate degree programs across all academic schools including two doctoral programs, delivered by ~100 FT graduate faculty. The Office of Graduate Studies provided strategic leadership and administrative and academic support for implementing and assessing excellence in graduate education aligned with the Monmouth University Strategic Plan. Dr. Palladino oversaw development of new graduate programs including: an EdD in Educational Leadership, MFA in Creative Writing, Post-Professional Occupational Therapy Doctorate, a MS in Athletic Training, a number of tracks and concentrations; new programs under development including a Master of Public Health, Occupational Therapy Doctoral Program, and MS in Data Science; and creation of domestic and international articulation agreements and corporate partnerships to increase graduate enrollment. He led a campus-wide effort to create more than 75 new accelerated, undergraduate to graduate dual- degree pairings, the Bachelor's Plus Master's Program, to meet employer market demand, at lower cost and shorter completion. He was responsible for programmatic expansion at the MU Graduate Center, which houses physician assistant, professional counseling, speech-language pathology, occupational therapy, athletic training programs. To advance graduate student culture across campus the office created programming to support graduate student life (see Graduate Student life page) including new orientation programs, personal and professional development events, a revised Graduate Assistantship Program with teaching and research assistantship positions, Graduate Student Appreciation Week, and a Graduate Student Commencement. Dr. Palladino led a formal partnership agreement with Monmouth Medical Center of the RWJBHealth system to design a state-of-the art $5 million ~9,000 ft² simulation mannequin center for training students and hospital residents, nurses and patients that was completed in 2020.

As Dean he led the School of Science through a period of unprecedented growth and success. The School experienced a 41% increase in undergraduate student enrollment while improving incoming SAT and GPA scores of science majors, the highest among all MU students; managed historically high enrollment in the sciences (>700 students); increased undergraduate and graduate student enrollment in computer science and software engineering (CSSE): CS undergraduate enrollment increased 94% and SE undergraduate enrollment increased 49%. Increased graduate student enrollment in CS (79%) and SE (64%) including the recruitment of international students from China, India and the Middle East. Developed Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs) with institutions in China and India in support of graduate student recruitment through articulation agreements (1+1, 3+1+1), student experiences abroad, and faculty exchange and collaboration including hosting 10 Visiting International Scholars (China, Italy and Spain) in the School.

Involved travel in China and India and hosting visiting delegations at MU.

He led the concept and planning effort, program planning review, and architect solicitation and selection by working closely with two University Presidents to receive Board of Trustee approval for a $48M science building renovation and expansion project - the largest capital project in MU history for an academic building. Included securing $5M in NJ General Obligation bond funding and Higher Education Capital Improvement Funds for the science building project.

Recruited and hired ~40% of the full-time faculty in the School. Significantly enhanced opportunities and support for faculty-student collaborative research and scholarship as a priority, included creation of and funding for the Summer Research Program (SRP).

Annually the SRP would support 65-95 high school, MU undergraduate and graduate students, non-MU college students, and ~24 faculty for a 12-week student-faculty collaborative research experience. Since inception in 2009, the SRP received over $700,000 in grants, donations and corporate sponsorships. Significantly increased annual fundraising to record levels through annual, planned, and major gifts including new sponsored scholarships, three new endowed scholarships, funding for facilities, and the SRP. Raised

$885,000 in annual gifts and $953,000 from 9 major gifts (>$25K) in addition to successfully completed a $5M Challenge Grant for the Urban Coast Institute, one of the largest gifts in MU history, which raised >$6M. This gift funded the first endowed faculty position in the School of Science. As Science Dean he also created the Annual School of Science Dean's Seminar Series, which brought two Nobel laureates and a Gruber Prize in Cosmology awardee to campus, to provide an opportunity for the MU community to interact with renowned scientists, educators, and policymakers in the sciences.

Dr. Palladino has taught majors and non-majors in a wide range of undergraduate courses including anatomy and physiology, biology of drug addiction, biotechnology, cell and molecular biology, endocrinology, genetics, human biology, principles of biology, and life sciences. He has received several awards for research and teaching including the 2005 Distinguished Teacher Award from Monmouth University, the 2005 Caring Heart Award from the New Jersey Association for Biomedical Research, the 1993 New Investigator Award from the American Society of Andrology, and the 1997-98 Outstanding Colleague Award for teaching excellence from Brookdale Community College. In 2009 Dr. Palladino received the Young Andrologist Award from the American Society of Andrology (ASA), recognizing significant research contributions to the field of andrology by an ASA member under 45 years of age.

At Monmouth Dr. Palladino maintained an active laboratory of undergraduate students involved in research on the cell and molecular biology of male reproductive organs. His laboratory studied genes and proteins involved in cellular and molecular responses to impaired blood flow and oxygen levels in the testis and epididymis and how oxygen related clinical problems can result in impaired fertility or infertility, and his laboratory conducted research on genes involved in protecting male reproductive organs from bacterial infections. His research has been funded by more than $800,000 in grants from the National Institutes of Health, Baystate Medical Center, Bristol-Myers Squibb, the Department of Labor, the NJ Department of Environmental Protection, and the NJ Sea Grant College Program. Dr. Palladino has served as a research mentor for 77 students. Monmouth undergraduate students under his supervision have presented research at regional, national, and international meetings, won awards for research presentations, co- authored publications, and have received over $45,000 in research-related grants and scholarships. Dr. Palladino has authored, co- authored or edited over 35 peer-reviewed scientific publications, and he has delivered over 100 talks as an invited speaker for lectures, keynotes, workshops, and conference presentations nationally and internationally in Canada, China, Ecuador, England, France, India and Spain.

Dr. Palladino is actively involved in many scientific organizations. He currently serves on the Board of Trustees for Einstein's Alley, and advisory boards for the Biotechnology Program at Middlesex County College, and the Monmouth County Vocational School System Biotechnology High School. Recently he served on the Board of Trustees for the Central Jersey Blood Center, and the STEM Pathways Network for the NJ Secretary of Higher Education. He served as Executive Board member and Chair for the Biology Division of the Council on Undergraduate Research (CUR), where he was a Councilor in the Biology Division for 12 years. A former member of the Executive Council of the American Society of Andrology (ASA), he was the Chairman of the Finance Committee for ASA, past chair of the Trainee Affairs Committee, ASA Vice President, President and is currently the Immediate Past President. He also previously served as the Northeast Regional Coordinator for the sanofi-aventis BioGENEius Challenge, an international competition for high school students working on biotechnology research projects, and the Executive Board for the Metropolitan Association of College and University Biologists. Dr. Palladino is a former member of the editorial boards for Biology of Reproduction and Journal of Andrology and he is a reviewer for several research journals, science education journals, and regional and national grant review panels.

Dr. Palladino was a project partner, Governance Board and Executive Committee member for a $5.1 million Department of Labor Workforce in Regional Economic Development (WIRED) Bio-1 partnership grant. Bio-1 was a five-county group of academic and industry partners involved in transforming the life science workforce in NJ. Through the WIRED program, he served as founder and director for the NJ Biotechnology Educator's Consortium (NJBEC), a statewide association for biotechnology teachers from high schools, community colleges, and four-year colleges and universities.

He was a co-author of BiologyLabs On-Line, a series of Internet based interactive laboratories for undergraduate students produced by Benjamin Cummings Publishing Company. He authored the student and faculty manuals for these labs, which were used by over 300 colleges and universities. He has presented more than 100 workshops for teachers on DNA techniques, biotechnology, genomics, and

integration of instructional technology in the classroom at meetings across the country, and he was a participant in the NABT/NSF project High Quality Biotechnology on a Shoestring Budget that developed low-cost laboratory exercises for high school students.

Dr. Palladino authored Understanding the Human Genome Project the first booklet in the Benjamin Cummings Special Topics in Biology Series of booklets designed to help undergraduate students learn about current topics in biology and he served as Series Editor. Dr. Palladino is the co-author of Introduction to Biotechnology a textbook that is currently used at over 150 institutions throughout the United States and Canada as well as Australia, China, Germany, India, New Zealand, Pakistan, Singapore, and the United Kingdom. Now in its fourth edition, Introduction to Biotechnology has been translated in Chinese, German, Korean, Spanish and Taiwanese and is the leading textbook worldwide in undergraduate biotechnology education. Collectively these publications have helped educate over 500,000 students globally. He is part of the authorship team of W. S. Klug, M. R. Cummings, C. A. Spencer, and J. Killian for two leading textbooks in genetics, Concepts of Genetics, 12e, and Essentials of Genetics, 10e.

Dr. Palladino lives in Howell, NJ with his wife, Cindy. They have three adult children, daughters Elizabeth (29 yrs) and Lauren (27 yrs), and son Michael (23 yrs).

As Interim Vice President of Finance and Administration, Cindy McDaniel is responsible for the stewardship and effective deployment of the College's resources. Responsibilities include assembling BC’s collegewide budget, preparing its published financial statements and tax filings, advising senior leadership on endowment support for operations and other key financial dynamics, managing liquidity and working capital. She oversees human resources, payroll, accounts payable, student financial services, accounting and mailroom services.

She acts as the primary financial advisor to the President and senior staff within the campus community, and to the Board of Trustees. She coordinates and supports the work of the Board of Trustees Audit, Finance, and Investment Committees.

She has been with the College since 1990. Prior to assuming the Interim VPFA role, she worked in several areas of the College including all financial areas, Office of Enterprise Information Services, Office of Institutional Advancement and Office of International Education.

Cindy is dedicated to meeting and exceeding expectations and implementing internal controls through immediate and long-term participatory governance. She is a self-motivated leader, and is skilled in building collaborative relationships and creating substantive experiences while remaining focused on bottom-line results. She earned her B.S. in Accounting from Bloomfield College in 1993 and earned her MBA from Thomas Edison State University in 2022.

As Vice President for Institutional Advancement, Sarah Lacz is responsible for the overall management including the strategic and operational direction of Advancement and Institutional Communications. She works to further the College's mission by fostering meaningful relationships to increase philanthropy and engagement with the campus community and beyond.

Prior to joining Bloomfield College, Lacz served as the Assistant Vice President for Advancement and Alumni Engagement at Saint Peter's University. There she was responsible for leading a team which included leadership and planned giving; annual giving; advancement operations; corporation, foundation and government relations, and alumni engagement. She contributed to the strategic planning and development of a critical investment initiative that raised over $46M in three years via record-breaking fundraising efforts.

Lacz also served as the Director of Development for the Northeast Region at Georgetown University with a focus on leadership gifts and strategic pipeline building. She also had roles at Stevens Institute of Technology as an Associate Director of Major Gifts and a Leadership Gifts Officer at Saint Peter's University. She has a background in finance and began her career in business working for Wells Fargo.

Lacz has a mission driven approach to philanthropy while driving strategic decision making to maximize fundraising achievements. She received her B.S., in Business Management with a concentration in Finance from Monmouth University and completed her M.B.A., with a concentration in Management from Saint Peter's University.