MISSION & LEADERSHIP

Constance St. Germain, EdD, JD

President
Capella University

Dr. Constance St. Germain has served as president of Capella University since 2023, following a steady progression through the institution's leadership ranks. She joined Capella in 2017 as chief academic officer and senior vice president of academic affairs before assuming the presidency.

During her distinguished career in higher education, Dr. St. Germain has held progressively senior roles at both American Public University System and University of Phoenix. Her experience spans the academic spectrum, from faculty member to program director, dean, and ultimately executive dean. In these positions, she championed academic excellence and innovation while maintaining rigorous accreditation standards and fostering student success.

Before her career in academia, Dr. St. Germain served as a major in the U.S. Army Judge Advocate General's Corps. Her military service included assignments as an attorney at various installations, notably with the 82D Airborne Division and XVIII Airborne Corps at Fort Bragg, North Carolina.

Dr. St. Germain's educational background includes a Doctor of Education in higher education and organizational change from Benedictine University, a Juris Doctor from the University of Baltimore School of Law, and a Bachelor of Arts from George Mason University. She maintains active law licenses in Vermont, Virginia, and Maryland, as well as several federal courts. Her research interests center on women and leadership.

Amy Dorn-Fernandez

Chief of Staff

Amy Dorn-Fernandez serves as the chief of staff to the president of Capella University. With a strong background in project management, communications and academic administration, she has held various roles at the institution since 2002. Her diverse expertise and dedication to higher education contribute significantly to Capella’s mission of providing high-quality, innovative learning opportunities and continued academic excellence. Amy holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Wisconsin, Eau Claire.

Iris Obille Lafferty, EdD

Provost and Senior Vice President, Academic Affairs

Iris Obille Lafferty, EdD, joined Capella in July 2024. She is committed to helping students embrace the transformative power of education as the impetus for lifelong success, professional achievement and societal contribution.

Most recently, Dr. Lafferty served as senior vice president at Southern New Hampshire University. At the University of Arizona Global Campus, she worked in a variety of roles, including senior vice provost and accreditation liaison officer, interim provost and chief academic officer, and the inaugural dean of both the College of Doctoral Studies and the College of Arts and Sciences. Dr. Lafferty has advanced learning through work in academic affairs, including the areas of strategic planning, accreditation, student success, faculty engagement, assessment, academic program development, governance and innovation. She has also enjoyed roles as a researcher, consultant to government agencies and lecturer at local colleges and universities.

Dr. Lafferty received her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from University of California, San Diego. Motivated to study issues surrounding cognition, education and psychology, she pursued graduate work at Harvard University where she earned an EdM in Counseling, an EdM in Technology in Education and an EdD in Human Development and Psychology.

Anthony Martin

Senior Vice President, Enrollment Operations

Anthony Martin is the senior vice president of enrollment operations for Capella University. He oversees all enrollment, advising and financial aid support services for Capella. Additionally, Martin leads the quality assurance team, responsible for training, development and policy compliance for the enrollment, financial aid and advising staff. He has been with the institution since 2003, starting as an enrollment counselor. Since then, he has served in increasing leadership roles within enrollment, advising and strategic operations. Martin has also taken on strategic assignments supporting a variety of businesses within Strategic Education, Inc. and Capella, such as RDI/Arden University in the United Kingdom, Devmountain bootcamp and Strayer University. He has a Bachelor of Science in Marketing from American InterContinental University, as well as certifications in change management and leadership.

Todd R. Sorensen, JD

Vice President, Secretary & General Counsel

Todd Sorensen joined Capella University in 2011 and serves as vice president, general counsel and secretary. Prior to joining Capella, Sorensen served as a higher education, employment and litigation attorney at a leading Seattle law firm. Sorensen earned a bachelor’s degree at St. Olaf College and Juris Doctor at the University of Minnesota.

Abigail Kerl, MPP

Vice President, Marketing 

Abigail Kerl joined Capella University in 2014 and serves as the vice president of marketing. In this role, Kerl leads Capella brand strategy, product marketing, relationship marketing, marketing insights and creative/project management teams.

Since joining the company, she has held multiple roles, most recently as chief of staff for Strategic Education, Inc.’s chief marketing officer.

Prior to joining Capella, Kerl worked in nonprofit marketing and communications. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism from the University of Minnesota and a Master of Public Policy from the University of Chicago.

Jennifer Straub, PhD

Associate Provost, Learning Strategy and Innovation

Jennifer Straub, PhD, serves as associate provost at Capella University, where she leads teams across course development, academic innovation, direct assessment quality and management, undergraduate studies and faculty affairs. She currently leads teams aligned with learning strategy, including course development and academic innovation. Prior to her current position, Dr. Straub was the dean of the School of Business, Technology, and Health Care Administration; dean of Academic Innovation; and dean of the Division of Arts and Sciences. She also served as a faculty member in biology and chair of general education. 

She received her PhD in Pharmacology from the University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry and an MBA from the Jack Welch Management Institute, where she completed her capstone in organizational branding and marketing and received Welch Scholar Distinction. She is also an advisory member for the Vision2Reality Foundation, which provides guidance and education to new business owners and entrepreneurs.

Joshua Stanley, EdD

Vice President of Institutional Effectiveness

Joshua Stanley, EdD, leads institutional effectiveness at Capella University and serves as the accreditation liaison officer, leveraging his experience in higher educational administration and as a faculty member. Prior to this role, he held several positions at the university, including faculty in the school counseling program, chair of the school counseling and addiction studies programs, interim assistant dean for counselor education and family therapy, and most recently dean of the School of Social and Behavioral Sciences.

Prior to Capella, Dr. Stanley held positions in P-12 education, including elementary and secondary school counselor, school counseling program specialist and dual-enrollment coordinator, and coordinator of secondary intervention and high school transition for the Tennessee Department of Education. Dr. Stanley has previously served as president of the Tennessee School Counselor Association and member of the Florida School Counselor Association governing board.

Dr. Stanley holds an EdD in Counselor Education and Supervision from Argosy University and earned his master’s degree in counseling and bachelor’s degree in psychology from Austin Peay State University. He is a licensed school counselor and holds national certified counselor and approved clinical supervisor credentials. Dr. Stanley maintains a limited private counseling practice in Orlando, FL. 

Seth Lockner 

Vice President, Human Resources Consulting

As vice president, HR consulting, Lockner brings over 25 years of diverse human resources and leadership experience. Throughout his career, he’s primarily focused on providing executive counsel on strategic talent and organization design decisions, employee relations, risk assessment and business partnering. Lockner also has previous direct oversight for the talent acquisition, benefits, compensation, organization effectiveness, internal communications, HRIS and operations functions. He has shaped the evolution of the HR function with Strategic Education, Inc., starting in 2003 at Capella Education/Capella University in its early growth through business maturation. He also brings a depth of expertise in mergers and acquisitions, leading HR due diligence on multiple domestic and international acquisitions.

Previously Lockner has worked in human resources for Datacard (now Entrust), where he served as HR leader in a dot.com spinoff in 1999, and subsequently became HR business partner and manager of recruiting. He started his HR career with Bankers Systems (now Wolters Kluwer). He also has experience writing for local community newspapers. Lockner earned a bachelor’s degree in history at Macalester College in St. Paul, MN. He serves as board chair for Midwest Avian Adoption & Rescue Services, a local nonprofit in the animal welfare community. 

Lisa Kreeger, PhD, RN

Executive Dean, School of Nursing and Health Sciences

Lisa Kreeger, PhD, held a number of positions at Capella before assuming the role of executive dean of the School of Nursing and Health Sciences. She began in the School of Business and Technology as a member of the Institutional Review Board before joining the School of Nursing and Health Sciences as a faculty member, program chair and interim dean. Dr. Kreeger brings a combination of academic and healthcare industry experience, building from her roots as a clinical nurse. Her career includes consulting and management positions with large international corporations where she focused on change, strategy, innovation and leadership excellence as well as faculty and academic leadership positions at a large private university and an online university. Dr. Kreeger holds a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from DePaul University, an Master of Science in Nursing from Drexel University, an MBA from Seattle University, and a PhD with a focus on leadership and change in organizations from Antioch University.

Irene Abrego Nicolet, PhD, LSSP, NCSP

Dean, School of Social and Behavioral Sciences

Irene Abrego Nicolet, PhD is the dean of the School of Social and Behavioral Sciences at Capella University, a position she has held since 2024. With a 16-year tenure at Capella University, Dr. Abrego Nicolet has made significant contributions to the institution in a variety of leadership roles, including as full-time faculty, Psychology Department Chair, and Associate Dean. Her career at Capella reflects her passion for mentoring the next generation of leaders in psychology and social sciences, with a particular focus on advancing opportunities for students to make meaningful impacts in their communities.

Dr. Abrego Nicolet’s career in education and psychology began in the public school system, where she spent more than a decade working as a school psychologist. In this capacity, she provided critical services to school-age children and their families, specializing in supporting at-risk populations and children with special needs. She continues to provide training opportunities and consultative services to public school professionals.

Dr. Abrego Nicolet holds a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from St. Mary's University, a Masters and Specialist degrees in School Psychology from Northern Arizona University, and a Doctorate in School Psychology from Capella University. Her educational background, combined with her extensive experience in both the public school system and higher education, has made her a strong advocate for professional development in the social and behavioral sciences. She is passionate about creating leadership opportunities for students and faculty while fostering a culture of mentorship, inclusivity, and support for all learners and colleagues. 

Maja Zelihic, PhD

Dean, School of Business, Technology and Health Care Administration

Dr. Maja Zelihic, PhD joined Capella University in October 2024, bringing a strong commitment to driving academic excellence and innovation. Prior to Capella, she served as the dean of the Forbes School of Business and Technology at the University of Arizona Global Campus, where she enhanced academic programs, promoted faculty development, and worked on international partnerships. Dr. Zelihic is also one of the founders of FSBT's Center for Women’s Leadership (CWL), a platform dedicated to advancing leadership and business practices for women and served as the former Chair of the Forbes School of Business and Technology Board of Advisors. Upon her departure from FSBT, she was awarded Professor Emerita status.

Dr. Zelihic is a Forbes contributor, writing in the education column, and is also a TEDx speaker. Her leadership extends to global accreditation and quality assurance, where she developed strategies to meet external requirements and improve the student learning experience. She has managed international partnerships and created global e-learning initiatives, particularly focusing on the Southern African, Caribbean, and Middle East regions.

Dr. Zelihic holds a BA from the University of North Florida, an MBA from the University of Phoenix, a Master’s in Organizational Development and Leadership from the University of the Rockies, and a Doctor of Business from Capella University. She has published in 20 peer-reviewed journals, and her book on perception was published in 2020. Dr. Zelihic has completed three Fulbright tenures in Zambia and Uganda. Additionally, she served as a NAFSA Global Dialogue Partner and a GLOBE co-contributor, focusing on research related to cultural practices, leadership, and interpersonal trust. She currently serves on the Peregrine Global Service Advisory Board: Societal Impact Assessment Tool and the Board of Advisors for the International Fellowship Program in Arbitration and Scientific Research.

Mark Brown, MBA

Mark Brown joined the board in 2018. Brown is a former chief financial officer at Strayer Education, Inc. and former vice chair of the Strayer University Board of Trustees. Before those roles, he was chief financial officer of The Kantar Group, the information and consultancy division of WPP Group, the multinational communications services company. Prior to that, for nearly 12 years Brown held a variety of management positions at PepsiCo Inc., including director of corporate planning for Pepsi Bottling Group and business unit chief financial officer for Pepsi-Cola International. He began his career as a certified public accountant with PwC.

Brown holds a bachelor’s degree in accounting from Duke University and an MBA from Harvard University.

Walter Chesley, JD

Walter Chesley, JD, is the former chief human resources officer for Hennepin Healthcare System. Before this role, he was senior vice president, human resources, at Agiliti Corporation, a publicly traded medical equipment and device outsourcing company; chief administrative officer at Children’s Hospitals & Clinics, Minnesota/Upper Midwest; and vice president, human resources, with Ceridian Corporation. Prior to these roles, Chesley worked for the Dun & Bradstreet Corporation where he held various executive and managerial roles.

With a lifelong commitment to community service, Chesley has served on the boards of Blue Cross Blue Shield Minnesota, Community Health Charities, Minnesota Association of Private Colleges, Minneapolis Community Technical College Foundation, Ronald McDonald House Minnesota and YMCA of the North.

Chesley earned a Bachelor of Science in Communications at Boston University and Juris Doctor from the American University Washington College of Law.

Karthik Gunasekaran, MBA 

Karthik Gunasekaran, MBA is a global product and technology executive with a proven track record of leading high impact teams and building successful products in the tech industry. 

Before joining PMI, Karthik has been a VP of Products at several impactful technology organizations in education like Udemy Inc., Kaplan Inc. and ACT Inc. He was one of the product executives who took Udemy, the world’s largest professional education SaaS platform, public on the NASDAQ in 2021. At heart, Karthik is an engineer and started his career working for Honeywell. Intrigued and curious about new technologies and its applications, he became a tech entrepreneur by starting a mobile first education company.

Karthik holds a Bachelor of Engineering (Honors) degree in Electronics & Instrumentation Engineering from Birla Institute of Technology and Science, Pilani - Dubai, an MS degree in New Technology Applications in Education from The Johns Hopkins University and an MBA from The University of Iowa - Tippie School of Business.

Selina Matis, PhD, LCSW, LICSW 

Selina Matis, PhD, LCSW, LICSW, is full-time faculty in the Master of Social Work program. She joined Capella University in 2020 and was appointed faculty trustee to the board in May 2023.

Dr. Matis has taught at both the BSW and MSW levels in areas including practice education, clinical practice, research, policy, human behavior in the social environment, child welfare and program evaluation. She has experience supporting students through social work practice internships as a practice coordinator, practice faculty liaison and an MSW supervisor.

Her clinical work has been primarily in mental health, supporting adults, children and families in a variety of settings. She has specialized in treating trauma across the lifespan and currently maintains a private practice, providing counseling, consultation and supervision services.

Dr. Matis has published and presented on a variety of topics, including resilience, self-care and burnout, ethics, trauma-informed social work, working with families, helping students succeed and the social work competencies. She has two current social work textbooks in print – Social Work Practice and The Social Work Field Placement.

She received her doctoral degree in social work from Widener University and a Master of Social Work, a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education and an Master of Science in School Psychology all from California University of Pennsylvania (now Penn West University).

Dawn Mueller, PhD

Dawn Mueller, PhD, is the chief marketing officer for Vitech, a SaaS company and adjunct professor of marketing at Fairleigh Dickinson University. She was formerly chief marketing officer for Saphyre and has served in marketing and communications positions with globally renowned companies, including Wolters Kluwer, IBM, Ernst & Young and Deloitte.

Dr. Mueller has a strong history of implementing innovative marketing strategies, cultivating valuable relationships and delivering growth solutions. Her experience includes leading multifunctional teams, creating pioneering strategies to elevate brand presence and developing go-to-market and business initiatives.

She is devoted to nurturing the marketing leaders of tomorrow, sharing her knowledge and real-world experience with aspiring marketing professionals.

She holds a PhD in Marketing and Management from Pace University, an MBA in Marketing from Fairleigh Dickinson University and a Bachelor of Arts in Communication from Seton Hall University.

Diana Rodriguez, EdD

Diana Rodriguez, EdD is the 16th chancellor of the San Bernardino Community College District. Prior to that, she served as president of San Bernardino Valley College and vice president of student services and vice president of academic services at Las Positas College. A native of Southern California, second-generation Mexican American and first-generation community college student, Dr. Rodriguez’s background is a close reflection of the social and cultural experiences of a vast majority of the community college students in the region.

In her roles as a tenured faculty member and college counselor, she gained firsthand insight into the unique challenges faced by students, faculty and classified professionals in California’s higher education landscape. Rodriquez has a track record of improving campus morale, increasing student enrollment, advocating for institutional innovation and professional development, and successfully mobilizing campuswide support for student success-related initiatives. She has led major grant funding initiatives and implemented campuswide student initiatives. During her first year at San Bernardino Valley College, Rodriquez introduced a campuswide SBVC Cares campaign to encourage administrators, faculty and classified professionals to reach out to at-risk students, which directly contributed to an increase in retention, student success and graduation rates.

In 2018, she was named Woman of the Year by the 47th Assembly District of California for her extensive contributions to student success in the Inland Empire. Since then, Dr. Rodriquez has made it her mission to improve the college culture in the communities her college serves and help her students and staff turn their career dreams into reality.

Rodriquez has 30 years of higher education experience, with 13 years in senior leadership positions. She holds an associate degree in liberal arts from Palo Verde College and a bachelor’s degree in marketing, an MBA and a master’s degree in education from California State University, San Bernardino. 

Richard Senese, PhD, LP

Board Chair

Richard Senese, PhD, LP, is president emeritus of Capella University. He served as president of Capella University from 2015–23 and chief academic officer from 2015–17. Prior to returning to Capella in 2014, Dr. Senese served in leadership roles with the University of Minnesota Extension for 13 years. He most recently served as the Extension’s senior associate dean, where he oversaw research, program evaluation, international partnerships and faculty development, among other responsibilities. Prior to his promotion to senior associate, he served as the founding associate dean for the Center for Community Vitality. He has taught at a number of Minnesota-based institutions, including St. Olaf College, Metropolitan State University and the College of St. Scholastica, and served previously as the associate dean for Capella University’s Harold Abel School of Psychology.

Dr. Senese received his PhD from the University of Minnesota through the Counseling and Student Personnel Psychology program with the Department of Educational Psychology. He is a licensed psychologist and active in community affairs in his native Minnesota.

Brian Shankey, MM

Brian Shankey, MM, is an executive director of the American Heart Association, serving the New England markets of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont and parts of Massachusetts. A 25-year nonprofit professional specializing in health and youth development, Shankey has served in previous leadership roles in JDRF International, the Girl Scouts of the Green and White Mountains and several Boy Scout organizations.

Shankey holds a bachelor’s degree from MCPHS University, a master’s in management from Cambridge College and is currently completing his Doctor of Business Administration at Capella University. 

He was elected as learner trustee to the board in March 2024.

Linda Singh, PhD

Linda Singh, PhD, is the founder and chief executive officer of Kaleidoscope Affect, LLC, which provides leadership and management consulting, as well as strategic advisory services, for a variety of public and private sector clients. She served as the Inaugural Leader-In-Residence for Towson University, focusing on creating the foundation for leadership culture and common leader competencies across the campus and interim executive director and CEO of TEDCO, focused on investing and helping to grow early-stage technology and life sciences companies to fuel economic development and growth.

Prior to that, she served as a major general in the Maryland National Guard, dedicating more than 38 years of service. As the adjutant general and a cabinet secretary, she was responsible for the Maryland Military Department. As part of her military role, she worked with senior-level officials at ministerial and ambassador levels in Estonia and Bosnia, developing country strategies under the Department of Defense State Partnership Program. Dr. Singh retired from Accenture in 2016 – she was a managing director in the health and public service North America operating unit.

Dr. Singh serves on the board of directors for WaveDancer, Westat, Easterseals DC MD VA and Headstrong. She is a member of the Cybersecurity Forum Initiative as well as numerous other committees. She served on the public board of Howard Bancorp, which was acquired in early 2022.

Dr. Singh personally mentors, coaches and speaks on leadership, adversity, career transition and issues that plague women and veterans in the workplace. She is the author of Moments of Choice: My path to leadership and What’s in Your Box? Designing the Life You Want. Dr. Singh is a certified project management professional, professional certified coach and Gallup Strengths coach. She is an authorized DiSC partner and John Maxwell-certified trainer and speaker. 

She has received numerous awards, among them are the The Network Journal 25 Influential Black Women in Business Award for 2014 and the Ellis Island Medal of Honor for 2015. She was inducted into the Maryland Women’s Hall of Fame in March 2015 and into the Army Women’s Foundation Hall of Fame in 2021. She holds a bachelor’s degree in business, an MBA, a master’s in strategic studies and a PhD in Industrial and Organizational Psychology.

Dwaun Warmack, EdD

Vice Chair

Dwaun J. Warmack, EdD, serves as the ninth president of Claflin University. He has more than 20 years of progressive administrative experience in higher education, including positions as president of Harris-Stowe State University, senior vice president of administration and student services at Bethune-Cookman University, and associate dean of students at Rhodes College. He also held administrative positions at Western Carolina University and Delta State University.

Dr. Warmack was appointed as chairman of the Missouri Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Statewide Commission in 2015 and served as chairman for four years. He previously served on the boards of the Cortex Innovation Community, Saint Louis Science Center, St. Louis Regional Chamber, St. Louis Muny, the Greater St. Louis Area Council Boy Scouts of America and Millennium Leadership Initiative Executive Steering Committee. Other past board memberships include the United Way of Greater St. Louis, Southern Association for College Student Affairs Foundation and the Alumni Board of Directors for Delta State University.

Dr. Warmack earned a bachelor’s degree in education and master’s degree in sociology from Delta State University. He earned his doctorate in educational leadership with a specialization in higher education from Union University in Jackson, TN, and completed post-doctoral studies in educational leadership at Harvard University School of Education.