Skip to main content
  • Home
  • About
  • Faculty Experts
  • For The Media
  • ’Cuse Conversations Podcast
  • Topics
    • Alumni
    • Events
    • Faculty
    • Students
    • All Topics
  • Contact
  • Submit
Campus & Community
  • All News
  • Arts & Culture
  • Business & Economy
  • Campus & Community
  • Health & Society
  • Media, Law & Policy
  • STEM
  • Veterans
  • University Statements
  • Syracuse University Impact
  • |
  • The Peel
  • Athletics
Sections
  • All News
  • Arts & Culture
  • Business & Economy
  • Campus & Community
  • Health & Society
  • Media, Law & Policy
  • STEM
  • Veterans
  • University Statements
  • Syracuse University Impact
  • |
  • The Peel
  • Athletics
  • Home
  • About
  • Faculty Experts
  • For The Media
  • ’Cuse Conversations Podcast
  • Topics
    • Alumni
    • Events
    • Faculty
    • Students
    • All Topics
  • Contact
  • Submit
Campus & Community

Syracuse’s Women in Leadership Initiative Adding Third Cohort, Critical Time to Cultivate Higher Education Leadership

Friday, October 20, 2023, By News Staff
Share
faculty and staffWomen in Leadership

Syracuse University’s Women in Leadership Initiative (WiL) continues expanding its reach and impact, including adding a second concentrated cohort experience to the 2023-24 academic year. With the addition of Cohort 3, this means more than 75 women across campus were invited to join these intensive leadership development experiences this academic year.

“It’s a unique time in higher education and the WiL cohort provides a constructive forum to better understand the opportunities and issues that all colleges and departments are encountering—and come together to forge relationships that can collectively and positively impact our future,” says Heather Gaines, deputy general counsel and one of the 25 members of the newest cohort.

WiL’s third cohort begins in December 2023, offering a personalized, intensive professional development experience to the University’s most promising women and non-binary people. It will again be led by Candace Campbell Jackson, senior vice president and chief of staff to the Chancellor; Dara Royer, senior vice president and chief marketing officer; Marcelle Haddix, associate provost for strategic initiatives; and Jamie Winders, associate provost for faculty affairs. The full WiL steering committee will continue to advise the cohort leaders and engage the cohort members.

“I have been inspired and even somewhat overwhelmed by the keen interest from so many who want to be a part of our leadership development initiative,” says Haddix.  “At a time when other institutions seem to be retreating from cultivating women leaders, it’s rewarding to know how important this work is for the women we serve and for the entire University,” she says.

“I am thrilled to join this esteemed group,” says new member Renate Chancellor. “I am especially excited to learn from leaders and mentors so that I can take this newfound knowledge into my role of associate dean of DEIA at the School of Information Studies.”

The WiL Initiative’s cohort experience creates a personalized, intensive professional development opportunity that will:

  • Foster self-discovery in work/life exploration, while enhancing personal and professional leadership strengths and heightening overall emotional intelligence.
  • Expand upon and improve skills in areas of personal branding, public presentations, management, negotiation, collaboration and conflict resolution.
  • Provide enhanced knowledge of University governance, academic leadership and the overall educational enterprise.
  • Explore career options in higher education and academic leadership in a post-pandemic world.
  • Build an extended network of referrals and contacts of women leaders within and beyond academic settings.
  • Help participants attain new success—on or off campus.

For more information, visit the Women in Leadership webpage or email womeninleadership@syr.edu. All community members can participate in WiL programming.

The new 25 cohort members are listed below and individual bios (along with the past cohort members) can be found on the cohort webpage.

Women in Leadership Cohort 3 members:

  • Michelle Blum
  • Renate Chancellor
  • Chetna Chianese
  • Jennifer DeMarchi
  • Sharon Dotger
  • Cheryl Fabrizi
  • Yoanna Ferrara
  • Heather Gaines
  • Deanna Grannis
  • Shannon Hefti
  • Tanisha Jackson
  • Abby Kasowitz-Scheer
  • Beverly Kirk
  • Moon Lee
  • Lisa Manning
  • Dawn McWilliams
  • Suzette Meléndez
  • Laura-Anne Minkoff-Zern
  • Leonese Nelson
  • Alison Patteson
  • Kira Reed
  • Natalie Russo
  • Jenny Saluti
  • Katie Scanlon
  • Heather Tamurian
  • Author

News Staff

  • Recent
  • Syracuse University 2025-26 Budget to Include Significant Expansion of Student Financial Aid
    Wednesday, May 21, 2025, By News Staff
  • Light Work Opens New Exhibitions
    Wednesday, May 21, 2025, By News Staff
  • Registration Open for Sports, Entertainment and Innovation Conference July 8-10 in Las Vegas  
    Wednesday, May 21, 2025, By Matt Michael
  • University’s Dynamic Sustainability Lab and Ireland’s BiOrbic Sign MOU to Advance Markets for the Biobased Economy
    Wednesday, May 21, 2025, By News Staff
  • Engaged Humanities Network Community Showcase Spotlights Collaborative Work
    Wednesday, May 21, 2025, By Dan Bernardi

More In Campus & Community

Syracuse University 2025-26 Budget to Include Significant Expansion of Student Financial Aid

Syracuse University today announced a major investment in student financial support as part of its 2025-26 budget, allocating more than $391 million to financial aid, scholarships, grants and related assistance. This represents a 7% increase over last year and reflects…

Engaged Humanities Network Community Showcase Spotlights Collaborative Work

The positive impact of community-engaged research was on full display at the Community Folk Art Center (CFAC) on May 2. CFAC’s galleries showcased a wide array of projects, including work by the Data Warriors, whose scholars, which include local students…

Students Engaged in Research and Assessment

Loretta Awuku, Sylvia Page and Johnson Akano—three graduate students pursuing linguistic studies master’s degrees from the College of Arts and Sciences—spent the past year researching and contributing to assessment and curricular development processes. The research team’s project, Peer-to-Peer Student Outreach…

Awards Recognize Success of Assessment Through Engagement and Collaboration

Academic Affairs and Institutional Effectiveness (IE) presented awards to faculty and staff members, students, offices and programs and hosted a poster presentation during the One University Assessment Celebration on April 25 in the School of Education’s Education Commons. In her…

Summer Snacking: What to Try on Campus

As the Syracuse campus transitions into the Maymester and Summer Sessions, Campus Dining reminds students, faculty and staff remaining on campus that some of their locations remain open throughout the summer months for all of their breakfast, lunch and snacking…

Subscribe to SU Today

If you need help with your subscription, contact sunews@syr.edu.

Connect With Us

  • X
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Youtube
  • LinkedIn
Social Media Directory

For the Media

Find an Expert Follow @SyracuseUNews
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Youtube
  • LinkedIn
  • @SyracuseU
  • @SyracuseUNews
  • Social Media Directory
  • Accessibility
  • Privacy
  • Campus Status
  • Syracuse.edu
© 2025 Syracuse University News. All Rights Reserved.