Board of Trustees
Dr. Meredith Tipton
Chair of the Board
President, Tipton Enterprizes
Michael Mulhare ’79
Vice Chair of the Board
Assistant Vice President for Emergency Management, Virginia Tech
Dr. Carol Strobeck
Secretary
Past Interim Vice President, Dean of Academic Affairs, College of Saint Elizabeth
Dr. James Dlugos
President, Saint Joseph’s College
Jeanne (Donlevy) Arnold ’83, Hon. ’17
Retired Senior Vice President, Good Samaritan Health Systems
Sister Joanne Bibeau, RSM
President Emeritus, Marian Court College
Claire Fraser Bowen ’70
Retired President and CEO, Valley Regional Healthcare, Inc. and Valley Regional Hospital
Thomas Driscoll
President, E.S. Boulos Company
Jennifer A. (Arouca) Fitzpatrick ’67
Retired Educator, Private Independent, Public, and Catholic Schools
Will Fuller
Real Estate Agent, Premier Sotheby’s International Realty
Steve Gorsun ’09
Assistant Vice President, Unum
Dr. Todd Hamilton ’99
Owner/Optometrist, Maine Optometry, PA
Joseph R. Hanslip
Retired Police Officer
Sister Dale Jarvis
Vocation Minister, Sisters of Mercy
Andrew Kovach
Vice President for Human Resources, Chief Administrative Officer, Atlantic Health System of New Jersey
Sister Joyce Mahany, RSM, (Hon. ’09)
Retired Director of Development, Saint Joseph’s College
Ronald Phillips (Hon. ’17)
Retired Co-Founder, Coastal Enterprises, Inc.
Donna Shaw
Retired Administrator, Shaw Brothers Construction
Michael Shea ’72, P’00, (Trustee Emeritus)
Chairman, The Webber Group
Gregg Skinner P’18/21
Director, Naval Aviation Sustainment Center
Dr. Colonel Jaime Solis ’93
President and Owner, Marikai Corporation
John Straub
Chief Financial Officer and Chancellor, Archdiocese of Boston
Sister Patricia Sullivan
Director of Mission Integration & Spiritual Care, St. Andre Health Care
Sister Ellen Turner ’69, RSM
Retired Mission Service Specialist, Mercy Hospital
Fred Yochum ’74
Retired Executive, Coca-Cola Company
Robert Zilg ’76
Retired Executive, International Insurance Markets
Leadership Team
James Dlugos, PhD
President
Kristine Avery
Associate Vice President & Chief Human Resources Officer
Joanne Bean
Vice President & Chief Advancement Officer
Michael Pardales, PhD
Vice President & Chief Learning Officer
Lynne Robinson
Associate Vice President & Chief Enrollment Officer
Chip Stiles
Associate Vice President & Chief Information Officer
Board of Trustees Biographies
Jeanne (Donlevy) Arnold ’83, Hon. ’17, retired as senior vice president at Good Samaritan Health Systems in Pennsylvania after a distinguished career in nursing and healthcare administration. A dedicated philanthropist, Jeanne is a longtime supporter of the Boy Scouts of America (BSA) and serves on their national executive board. Currently, she is spearheading a BSA task force on the prevention of childhood obesity. One of the College’s early distance education pioneers, Jeanne holds a BS in Professional Arts from Saint Joseph’s College. She received an honorary doctorate in humanities from Pennsylvania College of Health Sciences. Jeanne and her husband Ed live in Lebanon, Pennsylvania.
Sr. Joanne Bibeau, RSM was born in Lawrence, Massachusetts, and spent her childhood years in Northern Vermont and Southern New Hampshire. She attended high school and college in New Hampshire. Her first ministry, as a Sister of Mercy, was teaching English at Mount Saint Mary College in Hooksett, New Hampshire, where she later served as dean of students.
From 1980 to 1986, she was a member of the leadership council of the Sisters of Mercy of New Hampshire. At that time, the New Hampshire Sisters of Mercy were ministering not only in New Hampshire, but in other states and in Central and South America.
In 1987, Sister Joanne became the second president of Marian Court Junior College in Swampscott, Massachusetts. During her nearly 18 years there, the junior college of business expanded its program offerings, increased enrollment, and developed transfer agreements with colleges and universities. Marian Court College now successfully prepares graduates for career placement and for transfer.
While at Marian Court, Sister Joanne was active in the New England Association of Schools and Colleges. She served as a commissioner and was a member or chaired accrediting teams in New England, Switzerland, and Sweden.
Recently, Sister Joanne completed 15 years of service as a public member of Massachusetts General Hospital’s North Shore Medical Center’s Institutional Review Board (IRB). The IRB reviews proposals for research on human subjects.
A Massachusetts-certified, long-term care ombudsman, Sister Joanne currently works in a nursing home in Belmont, Massachusetts.
Sister Joanne has a BA in English from Mount Saint Mary College and a MA in English from the University of New Hampshire. She received a graduate certificate in gerontology from the Ethel Percy Andrus School of Gerontology at the University of Southern California and did doctoral work at the Heller School for Social Policy and Management at Brandeis University.
Claire Bowen ’70 served as president and CEO of Valley Regional Healthcare, Inc. and Valley Regional Hospital from 1999 until her retirement in 2013. Valley Regional Hospital is a critical access hospital in Claremont, New Hampshire, that provides a full range of emergency, diagnostic, rehabilitative, and surgical services. Valley Regional Healthcare, Inc. operates a home care division that offers visiting nurse, hospice, and adult day medical services, and is also a part owner of Summercrest, an independent and assisted living facility.
Prior to joining Valley Regional Healthcare, Inc., Ms. Bowen served as president and CEO at Fairview Hospital in Massachusetts; as senior vice president and COO at Rutland Regional Medical Center in Vermont; as a resident and CEO at Alice Peck Day Memorial Hospital in New Hampshire; and as vice president of Clinical Services at Concord Hospital in New Hampshire.
Ms. Bowen is a life fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives and is a trustee emeritus of the New Hampshire Hospital Association and the Foundation for Healthy Communities. She has served on the boards of Summercrest, the Sullivan County Oral Health Collaborative, the Claremont Dental Initiative, Turning Points Network, and the Sullivan County United Way.
Ms. Bowen received her bachelor’s degree in social sciences from Saint Joseph’s College and her master’s degree in hospital and health care administration from Xavier University.
James Dlugos became the 14th president of Saint Joseph’s College in July 2012. Since his inauguration, he has been championing a bold plan for ensuring Saint Joseph’s place as an exemplary 21st-century Catholic liberal arts college in the Mercy tradition. Under his leadership, the College is pursuing a series of ambitious initiatives that align with Saint Joseph’s strategic plan for its second hundred years, Sustaining the Promise. While continuing to respect Saint Joseph’s heritage as a faith-based, value-centered learning environment, the strategic plan sets a new direction for the College, embracing the underlying principles of sustainability and wellness.
New capital investments in support of academics and student life include construction of a lighted turf field and track complex; the addition of four new, advanced science and nursing laboratories; the opening of new campus gathering spaces; and enhancements to the College’s waterfront on Sebago Lake. The College has also launched a new Bachelor of Social Work major, expanded opportunities for study abroad, increased scholarship programs, and adopted a comprehensive climate action and sustainability plan.
A key element of the strategic plan is the development of mission-aligned businesses on campus, which are designed to expand learning opportunities, diversify revenue streams, and address emerging social and economic needs in Maine. Dr. Dlugos is advancing development activity in three areas: sustainable agriculture, hospitality, and successful aging.
In June 2017, with support from federal, state, and local partners, the College committed to the establishment of a new Institute for Local Food Systems Innovation. When completed, the Institute will provide critically needed support for Maine’s food and beverage workforce, helping to boost economic development in Maine.
Dr. Dlugos is also positioning Saint Joseph’s to play a key role in addressing Maine’s urgent nursing shortage. In January 2017, the College launched a campaign to create a new Center for Nursing Innovation. Funded through foundation and private philanthropic donations, the new center will expand Saint Joseph’s nursing programs, scholarships, and laboratory facilities.
Dr. Dlugos’ embrace of innovative, entrepreneurial approaches to ensure growth and sustainability for Saint Joseph’s earned him recognition in 2015 as one of Maine magazine’s “50 Mainers” who are shaping the future of our state.
Before joining Saint Joseph’s, Dr. Dlugos served for seven years as the vice president and dean of academic affairs at the College of Saint Elizabeth in Morristown, New Jersey. Prior to that, he served for 16 years at Washington & Jefferson College in Washington, Pennsylvania, in a variety of roles, including vice president for academic affairs and dean of the faculty.
An active voice in higher education, Dr. Dlugos currently serves as president of the Maine Independent Colleges Association. He recently concluded a two-year term as chair of the GNAC Presidents Council, and was recently appointed to the NCAA Division III Chancellors/Presidents Advisory Group. Dr. Dlugos also serves on the board of directors of Maine Campus Compact, which seeks to reinvigorate the public purposes and civic mission of higher education.
Dr. Dlugos earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in English from Boston College, a doctorate in English from the University of Virginia, and has completed the Management Development Program at Harvard University’s Graduate School of Education. In addition, he completed a presidential vocation and institutional mission program through the Council of Independent Colleges.
Mr. Tom Driscoll was appointed to Saint Joseph’s College Board in 2011. He currently serves on two of the Board’s committees: Strategic Directions and College Environment. As a former executive of one of the largest electrical contractors in New England, Mr. Driscoll is especially interested in the College’s Mission-Aligned Businesses. Designed to provide new learning opportunities for a diverse student body, these businesses will address emerging needs in Maine, and operate as sustainable enterprises producing net revenue for the College. Mr. Driscoll currently serves on the College’s Mission-Aligned Business Advisory Council, bringing decades of experience in the electrical contracting industry.
Mr. Driscoll and his wife Shelby are very active supporting the College’s fundraising events such as the Ice Bar, Farm-To-Table Dinners, and the President’s Society Dinner. He grew up in Calais, Maine, attended Catholic grade school and is currently a member of the Knights of Columbus. He is still active with the National Electrical Contractors Association, the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, National Academy of Electrical Contracting, and the Portland Apprenticeship Training Committee.
Mr. Driscoll graduated from Coyne Electrical Institute in Boston and earned a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Southern Maine in Portland.
Jennifer A. (Arouca) Fitzpatrick ’67, graduated from Saint Joseph’s College with a BS in Elementary Education. She also has a Masters of Education from Boston College in Urban Education with a minor in Language Arts. She earned a Certificate of Advanced Graduate Study from Boston College in Special Education.
Jennifer taught school for 41 years in 5 different states including private independent schools, public, and Catholic. She taught kindergarten through fifth grades in both regular and special education along with consultation in those grades. Jennifer was Vice President of the PTA (teachers were not allowed to be president) for a number of years. She was also a member of Alpha Delta Kappa: an honorary education society which supports worthy causes that help children and students. She served as Vice President for 4 years and also President for 4 years.
Jennifer was married to James Fitzpatrick who passed away in 2010. There were both avid Red Sox fans and attended several SJC Red Sox events in Florida. Jennifer and Jim also participated in the 2006 Leadership Summit. Jennifer served as the Class of 1967 reunion representative in 2007 at their 40th reunion. Jennifer is proud that the Class of 1967 was the first class to create a scholarship in the class’ name and continues to fund it to help students reach their goals.
Jennifer recognizes how much SJC has changed in the past 50 years since she graduated. She is proud of the small Catholic College in Maine that has provided so many opportunities for those who want to give so much of themselves. She feels honored to be asked to be on the Saint Joseph’s College Board of Trustees.
Jennifer resides in Ormond Beach, FL, with her partner Paul Annarummo. They met in Florida living a mile apart. They are from the same hometown and graduated from the same high school.
Mr. Will Fuller came on to the Board of Trustees in 2018 and is excited to follow in the footsteps of his father and former board member Bob Fuller. Mr. Will Fuller has garnered over 12 years of successful real estate experience, developing multi-million dollar luxury estates, estate management, marketing, and sales. He has a strong marketing background, allowing him to fully understand the value of a property and how to promote it. A native of Portland, Maine, Will has lived a bi-coastal life from an early age, providing him a unique perspective on different real estate markets.
Now residing in Naples, Florida, Mr. Will Fuller is a member of the Naples Area Board of REALTORS®. When not selling real estate, he enjoys fly fishing, golf, road bicycling and cooking Italian food. He was President of the nonprofit organization Desert Bicycle Club in Palm Springs, California and promoted the growth of safe bicycling.
He received his bachelor degree in Business Administration with a concentration in management from the University of Maine.
Steve Gorsun ’09 is assistant vice president, national client group underwriting, at Unum. A former Monks baseball player and team captain during his senior year, Steve earned his degree in business administration and entered Unum’s professional development program shortly after graduation. The accelerated leadership program placed him in strategic and operational roles within multiple sites and business units over a period of four years. Steve assumed his current position as assistant vice president in 2014 and is based in Unum’s Worcester, Massachusetts, location. He and his wife Sheena ’07 live in Worcester, Massachusetts.
Dr. Todd Hamilton ’99 is a partner at Maine Optometry P.A. with locations in seven Maine communities: Standish, Gorham, Lisbon, Lewiston, Yarmouth, Freeport, and Brunswick. The practice serves the southern Maine community with all primary eye care needs including the diagnosis and treatment of glaucoma, macular degeneration, diabetes, and cataracts.
Dr. Hamilton has served as the president of the Maine Optometric Association, is a member of the American Optometric Association, and has also been involved with the Iris Network, where he worked with the visually impaired.
Dr. Hamilton was the first chair of the Saint Joseph’s College Alumni Association, as well as a founding member of the Royal Blue Club.
An avid sports and recreation enthusiast, Dr. Hamilton enjoys activities such as baseball, basketball, golf, and football. He is a certified private pilot.
Dr. Hamilton received a bachelor’s degree in biology from Saint Joseph’s College, as well as a bachelor’s degree in ocular science and a doctoral degree in optometry from the Pennsylvania College of Optometry at Salus University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Joseph Hanslip served as a police officer until he was retired due to injuries received in the line of duty. He is currently a city councilor in Sanford, Maine. His prior public service includes service as a county commissioner for York County, Maine, from 1997–2004, and as a trustee of the Maine Community College system from 2007–2011. In 2007, Mr. Hanslip began service as a member of the State of Maine’s Historic Preservation Commission, to which he was appointed by Governor John Baldacci and reappointed by Governor Paul LePage.
Mr. Hanslip served as the assistant director of Campus Security at Saint Joseph’s College from 1995 to 2006.
Sister Dale Jarvis, RSM, ’77, was appointed to Saint Joseph’s College Board in 2017 for another term. She has served multiple terms on the Board, beginning in 2002. She currently serves on the Mission & Legacy Committee. As a vocation minister for the Sisters of Mercy of the Americas, Northeast Community, Sr. Dale is especially interested in the College’s mission. She is very proud of the work at SJC and has taken a keen interest in the work being done at the farm and the many environmental undertakings at the College.
Sr. Dale has been involved with SJC since the summer of 1965 when she first met the Sisters of Mercy and credits this encounter with her desire to become a Sister herself. She graduated from SJC in 1977 with a BA in American Literature/Biology. For 5 years, she taught Science Methods at the College to students who were education majors. She received her MEd in Environmental and Marine Education from the University of Maine, Orono.
She has served on many boards and committees including: Focus on Haiti Executive Committee, Mercy Health System of Maine, Mercy Justice Coalition, Sisters of Mercy of the Americas’ Social Responsible Investment Committee, Sisters of Mercy NGO at the United Nations, and Gulf of Maine Marine Education Association.
Sister Dale has conducted a number of workshops, both domestic and international, on topics related to immigration, human trafficking, and social justice.
Andrew Kovach is Managing Partner of Andcinco, an industry advisory and consulting firm based in Jacksonville Beach, Florida. Previously he served as the vice president for human resources and chief administrative officer of Atlantic Health System in Morristown, New Jersey. In this position, he was responsible for all human resource policy and procedural matters throughout the organization. Having joined Atlantic Health System at its founding in 1996, Mr. Kovach led the organization to multiple prestigious recognitions, most notably being named to FORTUNE’s list of “100 Best Companies to Work For” seven consecutive times. Atlantic Health System leaped to its highest spot on the list in 2014 – No. 25 – a testament to the culture of employee pride developed during Mr. Kovach’s tenure.
Mr. Kovach began his career in engineering with the DuPont Company. He transferred to Allied Signal in late 1972, where he assumed positions of increasing responsibility in plant operations and human resources. He became director of human resources for the engineered materials sector in 1980 and moved back into operations in 1984 as director of commercial development in that same sector until 1988. He then joined Morristown Medical Center as vice president and later became the hospital’s senior vice president for human resources and information services.
Mr. Kovach earned his bachelor’s degree in industrial engineering from West Virginia University. In addition to serving as a Trustee of Saint Joseph’s College, Mr. Kovach is a board member of both the Leadership Development Group and HB Investment Co.
Sister Joyce B. Mahany, RSM, Hon. ’09, was born and raised on a potato farm in Easton, Maine. She worked with her father and brothers on the farm until she entered the convent in 1950.
Sister Joyce received her bachelor’s degree from Husson University and her MS in business education from Boston University. She taught fourth grade for four years, high school for 12 years, and was then appointed the first director of development at Saint Joseph’s College in 1970. While director, Sister Joyce furthered her education by attending many workshops and seminars, including those at University of Notre Dame and Harvard University. She also served as both a member and president of the Windham Chamber of Commerce.
In 1993, Sister Joyce left Saint Joseph’s to care for ailing Maine Senator Margaret Chase Smith, until the senator’s death in 1995. At that time, Sister Joyce became the director of development at Catherine McAuley High School, until her retirement in 2008.
Sister Joyce has served on the board of the Visiting Nurses Association since 2007. She received an honorary doctorate from Saint Joseph’s College in 2009. In 2010, she was invited to join the College’s Board of Trustees and was inducted into the Saint Joseph’s Athletic Hall of Fame that same year.
Mr. Michael Mulhare ’79, was appointed to Saint Joseph’s College Board in 2016 and is currently serving as Vice Chair. Additionally, he is Chair of the Audit & Risk Management Committee and serves on the Student Life and Learning committee. As an SJC alum, Mr. Mulhare is especially interested in ensuring that the College continues to provide the learning and personal growth opportunities that he experienced as a student.
Presently, Mr. Mulhare is the Assistant Vice President for Emergency Management at Virginia Tech. He has over 25 years of experience as an emergency manager, first responder, and scientist. From 1985 to 2008, he served the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management in various capacities, rising to chief of the Office of Emergency Response. Michael is a frequent speaker at emergency management conferences across the country. He holds a BA in biology from Saint Joseph’s and an MS in civil and environmental engineering from the University of Rhode Island.
Mr. Ron L. Phillips, Hon. ’17, was appointed to Saint Joseph’s College Board in 2017. He currently serves on two Board committees: Strategic Directions and Finance. After 38 years as the founder, president and CEO of Coastal Enterprises, Inc., Mr. Phillips is now active in applying his skills and expertise in guiding the College’s strategic and sustainable economic development initiatives. With respect to the College’s founding inspired by Sister Catherine McCauley, he is most interested in how the institution translates social justice values and issues in an educational and community development context. CEI’s own founding was faith-based, stemming from the social, economic and political justice movements of the 1960s, and the creation of opportunity for those out of the economic mainstream. He is interested in both the financial sustainability of the College and the economic opportunity and sustainability of Maine enterprises, and where the next generation of young adults can make a contribution.
Mr. Phillips is serving as the co-chair of the College’s Mission-Aligned Business Advisory Council which is advising the College staff in development of three economic sectors relating to the College’s interface with the Maine community: agriculture, tourism, and elderly housing.
In 2017, Mr. Phillips received an Honorary Degree of Public Service from Saint Joseph’s College. He also has a Master of Divinity degree from Union Theological Seminary and has completed Harvard Business School’s Advanced Management Program.
In 2018, Donna Shaw was appointed to the Saint Joseph’s College Board of Trustees. In 2016, the Shaw Brothers Family Foundation generously donated $100,000 to Saint Joseph’s College toward the construction of the future new livestock barn that will be part of the Institute for Local Food Systems Innovation (ILFSI). Donna, along with family and friends, have also enjoyed many Farm-To-Table Dinners and the Shaping Maine event held at the newly renovated Stone Barn on campus.
Donna has decades of volunteer and fundraising experience most notably for Gorham community causes. She loves being right in the middle of the fundraising and has said, “If I’m on a committee, it is to work and not just for name recognition.” From raising money to build school playgrounds, to helping a friend rebuild his business after a fire, Donna knows how to garner support for a cause by soliciting financial help from the community. After a decade of working for Shaw Brothers Construction, she chose to leave the business to be at home with their growing family, which also gave her more flexibility to pursue volunteer activities such as the Gorham Arts Council, Celebrate Gorham event, Gorham’s School Committee, Project Graduation, the Shriners Hospital, and many more.
Donna attended her first two years of college at Chaminade University in Honolulu, Hawaii. She graduated from the University of Southern Maine in December of 1978 and received a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Psychology with a Business Minor.
Michael Shea ’72, P’00 (Trustee Emeritus) is the chairman of The Webber Group. Until his retirement, Michael served as the company’s president and chief executive officer. The Webber Group of Companies (Webber), which is a private company headquartered in Bangor, Maine, is involved in commercial real estate and wholesale distribution of heating and plumbing supplies. Webber divested its 78 year old petroleum businesses, including retail and wholesale heating oil, propane, and gasoline, prior to 2014. Mr. Shea joined Webber in 1996 after a 20-year career with major wholesalers of petroleum products in Boston.
Mr. Shea has served as a trustee and chair of the board of Acadia Hospital in Bangor. Previously, he served on the board and as chair of the board of the United Way of Eastern Maine. He has served multiple terms on the Saint Joseph’s College Board between 1975 and 2017. Mr. Shea and his wife, Nancy (Brembs) ’74 have three children and six grandchildren. There are currently eight members of the extended Shea family who have graduated from Saint Joseph’s College.
Gregg Skinner ’18/21, joined the Board in the fall of 2018. He is the father of two students. The first is a son who graduated from Saint Joseph’s in 2018 with a degree in criminal justice and finance, and a second son who is part of the class of 2021, is majoring in finance. Both sons are lacrosse players. As a parent of college athletes, Mr. Skinner recognizes the benefits that athletics can bring to the educational experience.
Mr. Skinner is an accomplished executive in the Aerospace industry with 28 years of industry and government service. He is currently the Director, Naval Aviation Sustainment Center at the Commander, Fleet Readiness Center in Patuxent River, Maryland. Before returning to government service, Gregg was Bell Helicopter’s Vice President and the Bell-Boeing Program Director for the V-22 Osprey. Before joining Bell, Mr. Skinner was a Lieutenant Colonel in the United States Marine Corps. While on active duty, he flew the CH-46 and V-22.
A native from Long Island New York, Gregg earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Aeronautics and Management from Dowling College of Oakdale, New York, and his Master of Business Administration, finance concentration, from the University of Dallas. He is certified in Systems Engineering and Program Management.
Dr. Colonel Jaime Solis ’93, was welcomed onto the Board in 2018 and is dedicated to giving back to Saint Joseph’s by offering his expertise from an extraordinary and diverse background. Dr. Solis is the son of Cuban immigrants, born in Philadelphia, and raised in Los Angeles California. A decorated Vietnam veteran, Dr. Solis retired from the US Marine Corps in 2006 after 40 years of continuous active service. He is the recipient of civic honors, a Presidential appointment, military awards, and recognition by foreign governments, the Department of Defense and each of the military branches.
He worked with Twentieth Century Fox in three feature films; “TAD,” “Clear and Present Danger,” and “True Lies.” Dr Solis also contracted with Fox Studios in Washington D.C. to be a regular studio actor on Fox’s weekly television series, “America’s Most Wanted.”
Dr. Solis is currently the President and owner of Marikai Corporation in McLean, VA, which offers tax and accounting services.
Dr. Solis earned a Bachelor of Science from Saint Joseph’s College in 1993. He has a Masters in Accounting from George Washington University; a Master’s in Business Administration from Bristol University; a Master’s in Philosophy and a Doctorate from Walden University.
John Straub joined the Archdiocese of Boston in 2011, where he now serves as chief financial officer and chancellor. Previously, he was part of the senior management team at Kane is Able, a logistics firm based in Scranton, Pennsylvania. He served in the White House as a special assistant to President George W. Bush, is a former associate dean of Harvard University, and held administrative roles in the U.S. House of Representatives. John is a graduate of The Catholic University of America, Washington, DC.
Dr. Carol Strobeck was appointed to Saint Joseph’s College Board in 2015 and holds the office of Secretary of the Board. She serves on three Board committees: Strategic Directions, Student Life and Learning and Finance. As a nurse educator herself, Dr. Strobeck is especially interested in the Center for Nursing Innovation which seeks to address the worsening nursing shortage both locally and nationally by providing new health care partnerships and cutting-edge science and SIM technology.
A New Jersey resident, Dr. Strobeck has had a long love affair with Maine. She is particularly drawn to St. Joseph’s beautiful campus, and she enjoys coming north for meetings, alumni events here and in Portland, and activities such as commencement. She is happy to meet alumni in the Mid Atlantic region.
After serving on the nursing faculties at such institutions as the University of Cincinnati, Boston University and William Paterson University, Dr. Strobeck accepted a position as an architect of a then-new nursing department at the College of Saint Elizabeth in Morristown, NJ. Her relationship with CSE grew into a career of almost 40 years, first as faculty member and then as an administrator. Dr. Strobeck has recently retired as the Academic Vice President of CSE.
Dr. Strobeck earned her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Duquesne University, before accepting a grant from the National Science Foundation to earn her Master of Nursing from UCLA. Her doctorate was awarded by Rutgers – the State University.
Sr. Patricia Sullivan, RSM, was welcomed to the Saint Joseph’s College Board in December 2018 and is excited to serve and share her expertise as the College continues to grow. As a Sister of Mercy and a healthcare professional, she is most interested in the Center for Nursing Innovation and the Institute for Integrative Aging.
At age 18, Sr. Patricia entered the Sisters of Mercy of New Hampshire, now part of the Sisters of Mercy – Northeast Community. In her youth, she was a clinical nurse and later a professor of graduate nursing at Boston University, Saint Xavier University, and at the University of Maryland (Tenured Associate Professor of Nursing). Other ministerial experiences were in healthcare policy. She served the Sisters of Mercy community for two terms on the leadership team as president and as a team member. She also served as president of Support Our Aging Religious, a grant-funding organization founded by lay people to help economically strained religious communities. Currently, she is the Director of Mission Integration and Spiritual Care at Saint Andre Health Care in Biddeford, Maine.
Sr. Patricia finds that her most treasured friendships have developed in living and ministering with other religious and lay women and men. She feels fortunate to have had ministry opportunities to serve the poor in such places as Cartago, Colombia; Laredo, Texas; and Biloxi, Mississippi. She values and delights in visiting family and friends, live entertainment, reading, boating, and kayaking.
Dr. Meredith Tipton has been on the Saint Joseph’s College Board since 2011 and is currently serving as Chair of the Board. She is Chair of the Strategic Directions Committee and is a member of the Finance Committee. She is also a member of the committee to develop a Center for Faith and Spirituality at Saint Joseph’s College. Dr. Tipton is very active with the College and has attended many events including Shaping Maine, Farm-To-Table Dinners at the Stone Barn, and other cultural events. Dr. Tipton holds a deep passion for the lifelong values of a formative liberal arts education grounded in the tenets of social justice.
Dr. Meredith Tipton has recently retired from a rewarding field of public health service. The focus of her work was health systems improvement and the application of public health science. Previously, she served the US Public Health Service as a commissioned officer and held leadership positions in several state and county health departments including serving as director and health officer in Portland, Maine. She developed and directed the Health Services Research department at Maine Blue Cross Blue Shield. While serving as associate dean at the University of New England’s College of Osteopathic Medicine, she instituted and directed the Division of Community Programs. In that position, she developed and became the founding director of graduate programs in public health education at UNE.
Dr. Tipton has served on numerous non-profit boards at the national, regional, and state level. She continues to serve on multiple boards in Maine.
Dr. Tipton earned a Bachelor of Science from the University of San Francisco, a Bachelor of Business Administration from Westbrook College, a master’s degree in public health from the University of Michigan, and a doctorate from LaSalle University.
Sister Ellen Turner ’69, retired from Mercy Hospital in Portland, Maine, after 25 years of service. She served in various capacities at Mercy including as the vice president for mission effectiveness and in other mission services roles. Her most recent service prior to retirement was in the Human Resources Department.
Previously, Sr. Ellen worked for a number of years in primary and secondary school education in Maine. She served as a teacher or as a principal in Bangor, East Corinth, Portland and on the Passamaquoddy Indian Township and Pleasant Point Reservations.
In addition to her service as a past secretary of the Board at Saint Joseph’s College, Sr. Ellen has served in Portland on the Board of Directors of Catholic Charities, the Institutional Review Board of Mercy Hospital, and on the Advisory Committee of Gary’s House, a home-away-from-home for families and individuals with loved ones receiving medical treatment in a Portland area hospital.
Sister Ellen earned her bachelor’s degree in elementary education from Saint Joseph’s College and her master’s degree in special education from Fordham University in New York.
Fred Yochum’s (’74), interest in service on Saint Joseph’s College’s Board of Trustees represents a homecoming of sorts as Fred served as the first elected Student member of the Board in 1973-74 after having proposed student representation to the Board during his Senior year. Fred graduated from Saint Joseph’s with a degree in History, served on the Student Council, and played on the baseball team all four years. Fred met his wife, Beth (Beaulieu), as a Senior at Saint Joseph’s, while Beth was earning her degree as part of the second BSPA Nursing Class.
Upon graduation from Saint Joseph’s, Fred immediately attended graduate school in Political Science at the University of Maine in Orono completing all class work in a Master’s Program, leaving to start his business career before having completed the thesis part of his Master’s Degree.
Fred retired in 2012 after a lengthy career at the Coca-Cola Company in Atlanta, Georgia. Fred spent his last ten years there as a Board Elected Corporate Officer and Vice-President responsible for the global manufacture of syrup and concentrate. In this role, Fred was responsible for over 3000 employees in 25 plants, located in five continents, supplying this “secret ingredient” for virtually every Coca-Cola product to over 1000 bottlers in over 198 countries. His work took him to literally the “Four Corners of the World” as his global relationships helped him develop a deep and sincere respect for multiculturalism, diversity of thought, the power of developing and empowering every person’s human potential, and finding common ground in all situations.
Fred began his career in 1976 at Digital Equipment Corporation where he started as an entry level Junior Buyer and left as a Procurement Director after 20 years before moving to the Coca-Cola Company.
Fred has been involved with a number of non-profit/ community organizations including the Board of Directors of the Amelia Island Plantation Community Association (4000 residents), Nashua, NH Planning Board, Chair Nashua, NH Democratic Committee, and the Clark Atlanta Business School Advisory Board.
Fred and Beth Yochum reside in Amelia Island, Florida. They have two adult children who both earned Master’s Degrees in Washington, DC, where each continues to live and work.
Robert (Bob) Zilg ’76, was welcomed onto the Board in December 2018 and is thrilled to be back at Saint Joseph’s College. As a business development, strategy and marketing/distribution professional, he is most interested in the College’s Mission Aligned Businesses. Additionally, with his experience in international insurance markets and as a world traveler, he is keen to get more involved with the College’s International Travel program.
Mr. Zilg has dedicated his professional career to working in the insurance industry most notably The Metropolitan Life Insurance Company (MetLife) and The Mutual Life Insurance Company of New York. He has a strong background in mergers and acquisitions (M&A), new market research, strategic and business planning, and developing and implementing new business initiatives, coupled with general management skills.
Mr. Zilg earned his MS degree in Health Services Management from The New School for Social Research in New York graduating with special honors. He earned an MA in English from Seton Hall University of New Jersey and graduated with honors from Saint Joseph’s College with a BA in English. He has numerous professional affiliations, professional awards, authored publications/blogs, and has served on many boards and committees.
Mr. Zilg lives with his wife Mary in New York City. He is looking forward to engaging with NYC/NJ Alumni.
Leadership Team Biographies
Ms. Kristine Avery, SPHR, SHRM-SCP, is Associate Vice President & Chief Human Resources Officer at the College. She was initially appointed as the Director of Human Resources in June 2013, where she served 1,000 staff and faculty members in a strategic Human Resources leadership role. Prior to her appointment at the College, Ms. Avery was the Senior Vice President of Human Resources for 12 years at FISC Solutions in Lewiston, Maine. FISC is a national financial services and payment processing provider. The company was named a 2011, 2012 & 2013 Best Places to Work in Maine employer.
Since 2006, Ms. Avery has served as a volunteer leader for the Society for Human Resources Management (SHRM), the world’s largest Human Resources membership organization. From 2013 – 2014 Ms. Avery served as the 2013/2014 Membership Advisory Council Representative for the Northeast Region. She served as the SHRM Maine State Council Director in 2011 & 2012 and served two years prior as Director-Elect. In addition, Ms. Avery has held numerous SHRM chapter leadership roles including Treasurer, President-Elect, President and Immediate Past President of HRASM, Maine’s largest SHRM chapter. Ms. Avery has been an instructor of the SPHR/PHR Certification Preparatory Exam course at the University of Southern Maine since 2007. She was named Maine’s 2010 HR Leader of the Year and inducted into Maine’s HR Hall of Fame in 2011.
Ms. Avery is a graduate of the travel and tourism program at Southeastern Academy in Florida and has continued her studies in Human Resource Management at the University of Southern Maine.
Ms. Avery resides with her husband, Dan, in Windham, Maine.
Joanne Bean is responsible for managing relationships to increase understanding and support among the College’s key constituents, including alumni and friends, government policy makers, the media, members of the community and philanthropic entities of all types. Since her appointment as Vice President and Chief Advancement Officer in 2014, Ms. Bean has focused on achieving key initiatives within the College’s strategic plan, Sustaining the Promise. These include enhancing and diversifying our revenue streams, stewarding our legacy as an exemplary Catholic liberal arts college in the Mercy tradition, and institutionalizing our commitment to excellence.
Ms. Bean came to Saint Joseph’s with more than 17 years of development experience on behalf of hospital, voluntary healthcare, and independent research institutions. Under her leadership, the College has experienced nearly a 100% increase in overall philanthropy, with significant growth in giving and participation by all constituent groups. In 2017, Saint Joseph’s received the largest gift by an individual in its history, setting the stage for a major fundraising campaign to create The Center for Nursing Innovation at Saint Joseph’s. The Center will expand the College’s longstanding programs in nursing education and help address the urgent nursing shortage in Maine and the nation. Ms. Bean also oversees ongoing campaigns to fund new student athletic facilities, fine arts & communication studios, and scholarship programs. Ms. Bean is also integrally involved in developing support for mission-aligned businesses at Saint Joseph’s, an entrepreneurial strategy for increasing revenue sources, enhancing learning opportunities, and addressing emerging issues in our region.
Prior to joining the College, Ms. Bean served for seven years as the Senior Director of Development at The Jackson Laboratory (JAX), a global nonprofit independent research institution headquartered in Bar Harbor and Ellsworth Maine with campuses in Farmington, CT and Sacramento, CA. Previously, she served as Northeast Senior Director for the American Diabetes Association, where she led corporate, government, and professional relations. Ms. Bean was named Maine’s first Director of Patient Education and established Maine’s first Hospice program under her post at Kennebec Valley Medical Center (now Maine General Health). Ms. Bean received her nursing degrees from Gwynedd-Mercy University in Pennsylvania and earned her MBA from Thomas College in Maine.
Dr. Michael Pardales joined Saint Joseph’s College in July 2013 as Vice President & Chief Learning Officer. Most recently, Dr. Pardales served for three years at Canisius College in New York as the Dean of Education and Human Services.
Dr. Pardales’ background demonstrates a dedication to academic leadership and support for the intellectual health of a college community. His past roles include chairman of the Education Department and the General Education Curriculum Advisory Committee at the University of Michigan-Flint, in addition to being the director of the department’s graduate programs. Dr. Pardales is a noted professor and an accomplished author of numerous scholarly papers.
In his role at Saint Joseph’s, Dr. Pardales is responsible for ensuring the quality and intellectual integrity of the College’s learning community. He supports the College’s mission, core values, strategic goals and intellectual growth across its two academic mediums: the traditional, on-campus student body and those who study online.
Dr. Pardales is affiliated with the American Association of Colleges of Teacher Education and the American Educational Research Association. He earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in philosophy, and his doctorate in educational psychology from Michigan State University. In addition, he holds a master’s degree in philosophy for children from Montclair State University in New Jersey.
He resides in Yarmouth, Maine, with his wife, Stacey, and their three children.
Lynne Robinson joined Saint Joseph’s College in 1996 as adjunct faculty teaching on campus in the business department. In 1997, she began working at the college full time as the Director of Online Admission. Lynne has more than 20 years of experience working in multiple areas of the college. Most recently serving as Dean of Admissions and Enrollment Operations.
In her role, Lynne oversees all admissions recruitment efforts for online and campus, as well as recruitment marketing and educational partnerships and special programming. She is responsible for all areas of student enrollment and strategic direction of future recruitment efforts.
Lynne serves on the advisory board for the Maine Development Foundations Educational Initiative, which focuses on educating the workforce of Maine.
Lynne earned her BS in Business Administration and Marketing from the University of Maine at Orono and her MBA from Husson University.
Lynne has two grown daughters, Kate and Emily, and currently lives in Portland with her husband, Larry.
Cortland “Chip” Stiles, Jr. joined Saint Joseph’s College in May 2016 as Associate Vice President and Chief Information Officer. Chip brings more than 20 years of experience in information technology, most recently serving as Chief Information Officer at Merrimack College in North Andover, Massachusetts. At Merrimack, he was responsible for strategic direction and operations of all information technology at the College during a period of rapid growth.
Prior to his work at Merrimack, he co-founded Serensoft, a technology services and consulting firm based in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. In his role as chief operating officer, he worked with a range of higher education institutions around the country to help them manage change as it relates to information technology.
Chip serves on the Advisory Board for the Maine Center for Graduate and Professional Studies, an initiative of the University of Maine System focused on integrating multiple campus graduate programs under one roof.
Chip earned his BA in Economics and Philosophy from the University of Maine in 1989.
Chip has two adult children, Hattie and Graham, and lives with his wife, Janice, in Portland, Maine.