President's Cabinet

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Dr. Lisa Gentile became Westminster's first female provost in March 2015. Previously, she was a faculty member primarily at undergraduate institutions from 1998 to 2013. In this time, she served as associate dean of Arts & Sciences, director of academic advising, director of a Howard Hughes Medical Institute Science Education Award, and chair of the chemistry department at the university of Richmond. In July of 2013, she became Westminster's dean of Arts & Sciences until she was appointed provost. Lisa received her undergraduate degree in chemistry at Colgate University and completed her PhD in biochemistry at Brown University. She spent time in her postdoctoral work in biophysics, supported as a Jane Coffins Childs Postdoctoral Fellow, at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, BC.

In 2010, she received the American Society of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (ASBMB) Award for Exemplary Contributions to Education. Her scholarship has concentrated on the structure, dynamics, and regulation of proteins involved in disease. She has published 28 peer-reviewed articles, the majority with undergraduate co-authors.

Among other things, Lisa is passionate about the liberal arts, interdisciplinary approaches to education, a focus on high-impact learning practices, issues of diversity and inclusion, and forming and maintaining communities. Her teaching has primarily focused on interdisciplinary approaches to STEM education. In addition to mentoring undergraduates, Lisa and her group have spent time working on independent research projects with local high school teachers and students. She has been externally supported for her research as well as her collaborative scholarship of learning activities in excess of $5.4 million by AAC&U/Helmsley (TIDES), HHMI; NSF-CAREER, RUI and MRI; NIH-AREA, and ACS-PRF.

Curtis is a graduate of the University of Utah with a bachelor of arts in accounting. He is a certified public accountant and has worked in higher education for over 28 years. He began his career working in the travel industry as an assistant controller. After finishing his undergraduate degree, he worked for the national accounting firm Coopers and Lybrand where he specialized in higher education, mining, retail, investment, and governmental industry clients. Five years later, Curtis started as the chief business officer at Westminster. He was promoted to assistant VP of financial affairs, and since 2007, has served as the vice president of finance and administration. Curtis supervises the administrative business office, human resources, campus facilities, conferencing, safety, security, risk management, auxiliary services, and endowment management. He is active in local nonprofit organizations and currently serves on the board of the Utah Parent Center, a nonprofit organization that supports parents who have children with disabilities. Curtis and his wife, Faith, have four children. Curtis likes to hike, run, bike, ski, and do anything outdoors.

Staci J. Carson was appointed vice president for institutional advancement at Westminster in September 2015. She brings with her almost 20 years of experience in higher education fundraising strategy, management, and marketing. Prior to coming to Westminster, Staci served in a variety of roles at institutions of higher learning across the country, including associate vice president for advancement at Southern Utah University, director of capital giving at the University of Puget Sound, senior regional manager of capital giving at Bucknell University, and campaign marketing and donor relations coordinator at Utah Valley University. Before beginning her career in higher education, she worked for 12 years in the private sector as an event and meeting planner, and a public relations and marketing professional. Staci received a bachelor of science in communication from Southern Utah State College in 1985 and a master of public administration from Southern Utah University in 2014. Staci and her husband, Garret, have two children, Silas and Olivia.

Ron Headings serves as the associate vice president of enrollment management at Westminster. As the chief enrollment officer, he supervises admissions and financial aid functions for first-year, transfer, international, and graduate students. He loves bringing people together for a greater purpose and sharing advice on careers, organizational behavior, team building, and interpersonal communication.

Ron graduated from Bethel College in North Newton, Kansas, with a BA in mathematical sciences, a BS in economics and business administration, and minors in biology and speech and drama. He completed an MBA in marketing at Indiana University. Ron’s professional career began at Procter and Gamble in Cincinnati, Ohio, where he spent 28 years in the consumer marketing knowledge department, developing a wide range of expertise in areas including disruptive innovation, parent psychology, customer marketing, and ecommerce. In 2012, he became the chief enrollment officer at Bluffton University in Ohio. Ron has traveled to 16 countries and all 50 states. He is a lifelong learner who is passionate about the liberal arts and is always trying to improve his skills in art, music, woodworking, games, and racquet sports.

Annalisa Holcombe is the chief strategy officer at Westminster College. She advises the president on strategic initiatives, directs the implementation of all campus-wide planning efforts, and is responsible for promoting and enhancing the many varied interactions between Westminster College and the community. In addition, Annalisa is an adjunct professor at Westminster, manages the governance activities of the Board of Trustees, oversaw the college’s most recent mater plan, founded the Alumni Mentoring Program, and commissioned and supervised the creation of Westminster’s first economic and social impact study. Annalisa also serves as the co-director of Westminster’s Center for Coaching and Mentoring. 

She is an active civic participant in her local community, serving as immediate past Chair of the Sugar House Chamber of Commerce, trustee on the Sugar House Community Council, steering committee on the Sugar House Streetcar project, and Neighborhood Business Conference steering committee. She earned a bachelor of science in business from Westminster and a J.D. from the S.J. Quinney College of Law at the University of Utah. She is currently pursuing her PhD in leadership and change at Antioch University. Annalisa lives in Sugar House with her husband, Troy, and their three children.

Julie Freestone is the executive director of human resources for Westminster College. Julie came to Westminster in 2014 after spending 10 years as the director of human resources at Sundance Institute. At Sundance, Julie managed HR functions for offices in New York City, Los Angeles, and Park City. Prior to Sundance, Julie held leadership roles in human resources at the University of Utah. Julie grew up in Salt Lake City and Naperville, Illinois. She returned to Utah to complete her undergraduate studies at the University of Utah. She then extended her education with a master of public administration with an emphasis in human resource management.

With over 20 years of experience in HR, Julie is passionate about helping Westminster continue to be a great place to work. Julie spends much of her free time mountain biking, cross-country skiing, and gardening at her home in Sugar House.

Kathryn Holmes joined Westminster College in 2016 as general counsel and chief risk officer. Kathryn brings broad experience as a lawyer, executive management leader, and business advisor. With 30 years of experience, she has previously served as general counsel to two organizations, as a lawyer in private practice, and as an expert advisor to federal regulatory agencies in Washington D.C. Before beginning her career in higher education, she worked in the public transportation sector where she is best known for her work as the architect and chief negotiator of the acquisition of 175 miles of railroad corridor from Union Pacific Railroad in the State of Utah to support rail transit operations.

Kathryn completed a bachelor of science at the University of Utah, and received a master degree and juris doctorate from the University of New Mexico.  She has co-authored one book, numerous articles, and has been a frequent public speaker. In her free time, Kathryn enjoys traveling, hiking, and cooking at her home in the Harvard/Yale area of Salt Lake City.

Dr. Marco Barker is Westminster’s first associate vice president for diversity, equity, and inclusion. In this role, he serves as the college’s chief diversity officer and is responsible for providing leadership for campus diversity initiatives with focus on strengthening three key areas related to diversity and inclusion: internal programs, community relations, and strategic planning. Prior to Westminster, Marco was senior director for education, operations, and initiatives for Diversity and Multicultural Affairs and was a clinical assistant professor in the School of Education at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

He currently serves as co-chair of the human resource committee of the National Conference on Race and Ethnicity in Higher Education’s National Advisory Council, as a board member of the University of Arkansas’ Black Alumni Association, and as a lifetime member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Incorporated. Marco earned his undergraduate degree in industrial engineering from the University of Arkansas, his MBA from Webster University, and his PhD in educational leadership and research from Louisiana State University.

Mark Ferne serves as the chief student affairs officer at Westminster. In his position, he supervises nearly all aspects of student affairs and even lives on the edge of campus in a college-owned home. Through intentional programming like the Dean Delivers (providing food to residents during finals) and Defeat the Dean (a weekly table-tennis match), Mark interacts with countless students on campus in ways not often seen by senior administrators. An avid traveler, Mark has completed multiple voyages on Semester at Sea as a staff member and has also co-taught May Term courses with faculty members in both Peru and Colombia.

Mark completed a bachelor of arts at Capital University in Columbus, Ohio, and studied abroad at the University of the West Indies in Kingston, Jamaica. He completed his graduate degree at the University of Maryland in higher education administration. Before moving to Salt Lake City in 2002, Mark worked in the residence life departments at the University of Maryland and the University of Florida.

Sheila Rappazzo Yorkin is the chief marketing officer at Westminster College. Previously, Sheila worked at Economic Development Corporation of Utah as the marketing and communications director promoting corporate recruitment and expansion in the state of Utah. Sheila spent the first part of her career with Salt Lake City Corporation in communications and policy roles and was the managing director of the Gallivan Utah Center during the 2002 Olympics. Sheila is passionate about the inclusivity of women in education, business, and the community, and has served on several boards, including Discovery Gateway Children's Museum, Utah River's Council, KRCL Advisory Committee, and Salt Lake Acting Company. Sheila is also a member of the Utah Women's Forum.

Sheila hails from the East Coast, having grown up in Poughkeepsie, New York, and Boca Raton, Florida. Her studies in political science at the University of Richmond prepared her for an intended career in Washington, DC as a lobbyist and policy maker, but a post-college stint in Jackson Hole, Wyoming turned her into a mountain-loving westerner. Sheila enjoys vacations with her family in Maine and upstate New York during the summer. She lives in the 9th and 9th area of Salt Lake City with her husband Andy and three children. They love skiing, biking, hiking, and being part of their dynamic neighborhood.

Emmalee joined the Westminster community in 2011 as the executive assistant for Michael Bassis. Since coming to the college, Emmalee has worked under three presidents. In her current role, she manages President Morgan's schedule, oversees travel and budget, coordinates with other administrative departments, and organizes Board of Trustees meetings.

Prior to Westminster, Emmalee spent 19 years working in banking as a teller, new-account officer, operations manager, branch manager, and administrative assistant. She also spent time traveling throughout the western United States to oversee new branch and market openings. Emmalee grew up in Salt Lake and attended Dixie State College. Emmalee now lives in the Sugar House area with her husband and two daughters.