NEWARK, September 6, 2018—Edge, a statewide nonprofit Research and Education Network, has appointed seven leading educators to its board of trustees. The addition of the members to the 22-strong trustee board signals an increased commitment to the digital transformation of education in New Jersey.
“This select group of education professionals has the experience we need to help us navigate a complex and dynamic web of technological, political and educational challenges,” said Dr. Samuel Conn, President and CEO at Edge. “With their help, we’ll accelerate the pace of digital transformation within our membership and continue to enhance the lives of our students, faculty, and staff members.”
The new trustees include: Dr. Harvey Kesselman, President, Stockton University; Dr. Merodie Hancock, President, Thomas Edison State University; Dr. Frederick Bonato, Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs, Saint Peter’s University; Carol Kondrach, Associate Vice President for Information Technology, Rider University; Dr. Gregory O. Dell’Omo, President, Rider University; Bradley Morton, Executive Director and CIO, Middlesex County College; and Kurt Wagner, Chair, VALE Executive Committee Director of Library Services, Monmouth University.
Dr. Kesselman is the fifth President of Stockton University and the only sitting university president to have been in the inaugural class of the very institution he serves. For nearly four decades, he has held leadership positions within virtually every major division of the university. He now oversees a $228 million budget which serves 1,200 faculty and staff and supports more than 9,200 students.
Dr. Hancock is the fourth president of Thomas Edison State University, having assumed the position in March 2018. She previously served as president of State University of New York Empire State College. Dr. Hancock currently serves as a member of the Council of State Representatives and Emerging Technology Task Force for the American Association of State Colleges and Universities, and the New Jersey Presidents’ Council.
Dr. Bonato served Saint Peter’s for 17 years in a variety of roles before pursuing opportunities outside of the University. Recently, he has returned to Saint Peter’s as Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs. Prior to his return to, Dr. Bonato served as the associate provost for academic affairs at Montclair State University in Montclair, N.J., where he provided oversight for academic personnel procedures for more than 600 full-time faculty and advised on a range of policy issues. During his tenure, he co-lead a project for the creation of the School of Nursing, and provided leadership for the development of the Center for Clinical Services.
Ms. Konrach has spent 15 years at Rider University in a variety of roles ranging from technical support staff, Director of Academic Computing, and Associate Vice President for Information Technology. She has also worked in a variety of industries including government, business, and higher education. She began her career as a programmer working for the US Department of Defense in Washington D.C.
Dr. Dell’Omo became Rider University’s seventh president in 2015, returning to the Garden State following 10 years as the seventh president of Robert Morris University in Pittsburgh. Early in his tenure at Rider, Dr. Dell’Omo led a highly participative strategic planning process, culminating with the approval in June 2017 of a new vision and mission, “Our Path Forward,” the University’s comprehensive multi-year strategic plan.
Mr. Morton is the Executive Director of Information Technology at Middlesex County College (MCC), where he is responsible for all Information Technology (IT) and related operations. Before starting at MCC in 2014, Mr. Morton served as the CTO at a four-year liberal arts college. Prior to moving into Higher Education and IT leadership, he worked in a range of IT-related roles in the private sector.
Mr. Wagner was appointed University Librarian at Monmouth University, West Long Branch, NJ, in January 2016. Prior to that, he served at William Paterson University, Wayne, NJ for 23 years, the last decade as Assistant Director and Head of Library Information Systems. Mr. Wagner has chaired VALE’s Website, VALID Steering, and VALID OLE Implementation committees. He is a strong advocate for information literacy.