Excelsior University Board of Trustees

Matt Loeb

Chair, Board of Trustees

Matt Loeb is a purpose-driven, strategic and digitally savvy executive and board director with more than 30 years of global leadership experience. He is CEO and principal of Optimal Performance Seekers LLC.

Jeanne Meister

Vice Chair, Board of Trustees

Jeanne Meister is a global HR consultant with Jeanne Meister LLC, and was a founding partner of Future Workplace, an HR advisory and research firm. She is the best-selling author of four books—two on the launch and expansion of corporate universities and two on the future of work.

Kent A. D. Clark

Treasurer, Board of Trustees

Kent A. D. Clark is an experienced chief executive officer and military veteran certified in board and advisory work across the spectrums of cybersecurity, governance, finance, audit, strategic planning, and development for both for-profit and nonprofit organizations.

David Baime

David Baime is the senior vice president for government relations and policy analysis for the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC). He previously served as director of education funding for the National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities, and as assistant director of government relations for the Association of American Medical Colleges.

Earl Buford

Earl Buford is president of CAEL, where he oversees the national nonprofit organization’s work to improve education-to-career pathways for adult learners. He leads CAEL’s mission of providing solutions to promote sustainable and equitable economic growth in collaboration with workforce and economic developers, post-secondary educators, employers, industry groups, foundations, and other mission-aligned groups.

Karen Kocher

Karen Kocher is Microsoft’s global general manager of 21st Century Jobs, emphasizing powering the planet through sustainable individual employability and organizational strategic talent pipelines.

Rilwan Meeran

Rilwan Meeran is the vice president of Mission Impact Investing at American Student Assistance. The Mission Impact Investing program deepens ASA’s impact of education and career readiness by fostering innovation aimed at changing the way young people learn.

Clar Rosso

Clar Rosso is the CEO of Rosso Strategic Advisors LLC, a global professional services firm that drives value and results for nonprofit, public, and private sector organizations by developing targeted strategies and execution plans focused on transformation and growth in AI, cybersecurity, associations, financial services, nonprofits, government, and technology.

Rose Wang

Rose Wang is a serial entrepreneur and is the founder of Binary Group, an IT consulting firm providing enterprise solutions.

David Kwabena Wilson

David Wilson is the 10th inaugurated president of Morgan State University—Maryland’s preeminent public urban research university.

Tony Spearman-Leach

Tony Spearman-Leach is director of development and philanthropy at the National Academy of Public Administration. He has been a member of the Alumni Leadership Council at Excelsior University since 2021 and became president of the Excelsior University Alumni Association and its Alumni Leadership Council in July 2023.

Helen Benjamin

Helen Benjamin was chancellor of the Contra Costa Community College District from 2005 until her retirement in December 2016. Her District career began in 1990 when she joined Los Medanos College as dean of language arts and humanistic studies and related occupations.

Don Dea

Don Dea is a recognized author on the internet/digital, association strategy, online education, digital transformation, GBT, and technology deployment.

Jerry Neff

Jerry Neff (ARNGUS, Ret.) enlisted in the Illinois Army National Guard in May 1960, at the age of 18, and soon after also set off on a banking career.

Richard Yep

Richard Yep is CEO of Ocean Vista Advisors in Alexandria, Virginia.

Trustee Emeriti

William G. Harris

William G. Harris serves as the CEO of the Association of Test Publishers (ATP), the leading international organization for publishers of assessment programs.

Mary O’Connor

Mary O’Connor is a professor of nursing at Notre Dame of Maryland University where she teaches RN to BSN and MSN courses. She also works per diem in nursing administration as a nursing supervisor at Baltimore Washington Medical Center in Glen Burnie, Maryland.

Jean Smith

Jean Smith is a former vice president of Chase Community Development Corporation and has worked in the banking and financial industry since 1978.

Pamela Tate

Pamela Tate is Past President & CEO, The Council for Adult and Experiential Learning (CAEL).

John R. Wetsch

John R. Wetsch is the program director for cloud computing at Wake Technical Community College.