Capella University Leadership

Christopher Cassirer, ScD, MPH

President & Director, Capella University
Dean, School of Public Service Leadership

Christopher Cassirer was appointed president of Capella University in February 2009 after serving as acting president since May 2008. He has also served on Capella University's Board of Directors since October 2008 and as dean of the School of Public Service Leadership since 2009. Cassirer joined Capella University's School of Human Services as a faculty director in 2005 and was appointed dean of the school in 2006. Previously, Cassirer was an associate professor and director in the Department of Health Services Management and Leadership at The George Washington University from 2003 to 2005; chair of executive studies and associate professor of healthcare management at the University of Minnesota's Carlson School of Management from 1999 to 2003; co-founder and CEO of the Partnership for Patient Safety in Chicago from 1999 to 2000; and assistant vice president for knowledge services with MMI Companies Inc. from 1998 to 1999. Cassirer earned his Doctor of Science in Health Policy and Management and completed his post-doctoral training at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. He earned a Master of Public Health in Health Policy from the Yale University School of Medicine and a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Rutgers University.

Deborah Bushway, PhD

Dean, Harold Abel School of Psychology
Dean, School of Human Services

Deborah Bushway was appointed dean of Capella's Harold Abel School of Psychology in 2009 having previously served as the school's acting and associate dean. She has also served as the dean of Capella's School of Human Services since 2009. Bushway has more than 20 years of experience in psychology and higher education, including 17 years with Metropolitan State University, where she was full professor and served as chair of the Psychology Department. While there, she was the recipient of the Outstanding Teacher Award and the Carol C. Ryan Advising Award. She also continues to practice psychology as a licensed clinician. Bushway earned both her Master of Science in Psychology and PhD in Psychology from Iowa State University. She had authored numerous articles, book chapters and conference presentations throughout her career.

Barbara Butts Williams, PhD

Dean, School of Education

Barbara Butts Williams was appointed dean of Capella University's School of Education in 2009. Since joining Capella in 2002, she has served in a variety of academic leadership positions, including interim dean, associate dean, director of graduate programs, and MBA program faculty director with the School of Business and Technology.

Butts Williams has more than 30 years of management and leadership experience, including a decade in higher education leadership roles. She previously served as director of executive programs for the University of Michigan's Ross School of Business and on the executive education advisory council of the University of Minnesota's Carlson School of Management. Her corporate experience includes executive education and management positions at The St. Paul Companies (now Travelers), Control Data Corporation (now Ceridian), and Wilson Learning Corporation. She also founded Growth Partners Consulting and was a governor appointee to the Minnesota Board of Social Work and The Metropolitan Council.

Butts Williams earned her Master of Arts in Business and Leadership from Hamline University, and her Master of Arts in Organization Development and Doctor of Philosophy in Human and Organizational Systems from Fielding Graduate University.

Raja K. Iyer, PhD

Dean, School of Business and Technology

Raja Iyer joined Capella University as dean of its School of Business and Technology in 2009, bringing extensive academic and corporate leadership experience to the position. His previous academic positions included dean and faculty member at Tarleton State University's College of Business, Texas; professor of Management Information Systems at San Jose State University, California; and associate professor of Information Systems and Management Sciences at the University of Texas at Arlington.

Iyer's corporate leadership positions have included vice president & chief technology officer at Acropolis Systems, Inc.; chief architect and practice manager for the Security and Business Continuity Planning Practice of Sprint Enterprise Network Services; and director of Corporate Strategic Planning for Onan Corporation. He served on the Certification Board of the Disaster Recovery Institute International and as chair of its Education and Testing Standards Committee, which established the “Professional Practices for the Business Continuity Professionals,” now adopted worldwide. He has published over 60 articles and lectured worldwide on disaster recovery and business continuity planning.

Iyer obtained his PhD in Business Administration and MBA from the Carlson School of Management, and his MS in Industrial Engineering from the College of Engineering, all from the University of Minnesota.

Feranda Williamson, EdD

Dean, School of Undergraduate Studies

Feranda Williamson was appointed dean of Capella's School of Undergraduate Studies in 2007, having previously served as the school's associate dean. Prior to joining Capella in 2005, Williamson held leadership positions at Malcolm X College, one of the City Colleges of Chicago. From 1998 to 2004, she served as the college's dean of continuing education and from 2004 to 2005, as dean of career programs. During her time there, she was an Outstanding Education Administrator award recipient from the 7th Congressional District. She previously was employed by Robert Morris College from 1981–1998, first as a member of the business faculty and then as associate dean/program director. Since 1994, Williamson has also served as president/CEO of the ECC Music Workshop/Chicago Mass Choir, an award-winning, Grammy-nominated gospel choir. Williamson received her Bachelor of Science in Education from Northern Illinois University in DeKalb, Illinois; her Master of Arts in Adult Education from Roosevelt University in Chicago; and her Doctor of Education in Higher Education from Nova Southeastern University in Fort Lauderdale.