The SUNY Becoming a Future President Institute has launched its inaugural cohort, marking the kickoff of a new leadership development initiative designed to prepare emerging leaders for future college and university presidencies.
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Dr. Michael N. Christakis serves as Vice President for Student Affairs and Enrollment at the University at Albany, where he leads a comprehensive portfolio focused on supporting student success from recruitment and enrollment through graduation and beyond. With more than three decades of experience in higher education, including more than 25 years at UAlbany, his leadership is grounded in a commitment to student success, well-being, belonging, and access, with a strong emphasis on collaboration, measurable outcomes, and evidence-based practice.
As Vice President, Dr. Christakis provides leadership for the University’s student affairs and enrollment functions, bringing together programs, services, and strategies that support the full student experience. His work has emphasized strengthening connections across the University, advancing holistic approaches to student success and well-being, and creating an environment in which students can thrive academically, personally, and professionally.
In addition to his administrative leadership, Dr. Christakis is a Public Service Professor at UAlbany, where he teaches undergraduate and graduate courses in public policy, management and administration, and higher education and student affairs. A recipient of multiple awards recognizing excellence in teaching, he is deeply committed to the classroom and to preparing the next generation of leaders in public service, education, and higher education administration.
Dr. Christakis has held numerous national leadership roles in higher education. Most recently, he served as Chair of the NASPA Board of Directors, concluding his term in 2026. His extensive service to NASPA has also included serving as Region II Director and National Co-Chair of the Association’s Assessment, Evaluation, and Research Knowledge Community. In 2023, NASPA recognized him as a Pillar of the Profession, one of the Association’s highest honors, recognizing sustained professional distinction and significant contributions to higher education and student affairs.
He is also a past National President of Omicron Delta Kappa, the National Leadership Honor Society, and former Chair of the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities’ Council on Student Affairs. He is a Fellow of the New York State Academy for Public Administration. In 2026, City & State New York named Dr. Christakis a Trailblazer in Higher Education, recognizing his leadership and contributions to higher education in New York.
Dr. Christakis earned his undergraduate degree from Alfred University, where he double majored in History and Political Science. He holds a Master of Arts in Public Policy and a Ph.D. in Public Administration and Policy from the University at Albany.
Dr. Carrie L. Cokely is a seasoned higher education leader and scholar, currently serving as the Vice President for Academic Affairs at Alfred State College.
Dr. Cokely earned a B.A. in Sociology from Russell Sage College, followed by an M.A., Certificate of Advanced Study in Women’s Studies, and Ph.D. in Sociology all from Syracuse University. Her academic career began as an assistant professor at Meredith College in Raleigh, NC. Following her tenure at Meredith College, she spent 15 years at Curry College, a private liberal arts institution near Boston, where she advanced through the ranks to serve as Associate Provost, earning a reputation for strategic planning, curriculum innovation, and student success initiatives.
In each of her roles in higher education, Carrie works across all academic divisions to promote hands‑on learning and strengthen faculty‑student engagement. Her leadership style emphasizes relationship‑building, innovative academic support, and actionable strategic planning.
Carrie’s research interests focus on gender and family representations in media, inequality, and pedagogical best practices. She has contributed to scholarly work on gender stereotyping in Disney films, LGBTQ+ issues in policing, and educational technology Recognized as an AIR Fellow and honored by the North Carolina College Personnel Association, she earned accolades for her dedication to teaching and the academic profession.
As an advocate for student success, Carrie is deeply committed to making education accessible and meaningful for students from diverse backgrounds. Her leadership is defined by a passion for experiential learning, equity-driven academic initiatives, and preparing graduates to thrive in their careers.
Dr. Gabrielle Gaustad, PhD, is the Associate Provost for Research at Alfred University, Vice President of Statutory Affairs for the New York State College of Ceramics, and Dean of Alfred University's Inamori School of Engineering. She is a recognized leader in research, STEM education, and academic innovation, with more than 15 years of experience advancing institutional research, external partnerships, and student opportunities. In her current roles, she leads research initiatives across the University, oversees the School of Engineering, and works at the intersection of academic strategy, faculty development, industry partnerships, and institutional growth. Her work has helped expand externally funded research and advance major state, federal, and industry-supported initiatives. A faculty member and engineer by training, Gaustad is committed to strengthening STEM education, creating opportunities for students and faculty, and building institutions that connect academic excellence with meaningful societal impact.
Dr. Maher Ghalayini is Vice President of Academic Affairs at SUNY Niagara County Community College, where he serves on the President's Cabinet and leads academic programs, faculty affairs, enrollment strategy, and accreditation, and works with the faculty bargaining unit. Before joining SUNY Niagara, he held senior academic leadership roles as Vice President, Senior Vice President, and Associate Vice President at St. Lawrence College, Georgian College, and Sheridan College, and served as a campus president with Corinthian Colleges.
Dr. Ghalayini has taught as an adjunct instructor since 2004 at institutions across Canada and the United States, including York University, Trent University, and the Insurance Institute of Canada. He holds an EdD in International Higher Education Administration from Northeastern University, where his doctoral research examined international student persistence, an LLM in Business Law from York University, and an MBA from Wilfrid Laurier University.
Dr. Erika Hackman has served as Vice President for Academic Affairs at SUNY Orange since 2016 and was promoted to Provost in 2023. She provides academic and executive leadership for 38 degree and certificate programs serving more than 4,500 full- and part-time students, overseeing academic affairs, libraries, academic support services, Honors, Phi Theta Kappa, the Center for Teaching and Learning, and Student Services.
Hackman is a respected leader within the State University of New York. In 2026, she received the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC) “Rising Star Executive” Award and the SUNY Orange Foundation’s Leadership in Education Award. She was also part of the SUNY Orange team that received the 2026 national Bellwether Award for Instructional Programs and Services for its redesign of math placement and pathways.
Hackman currently serves as Co-Chair of the SUNY Electronic and Information Technology Accessibility Advisory Committee and New York State Community Colleges Leadership Academy Advisory Board. Her professional memberships and affiliations include the AACC Commission on Student Agency and Student Success, Learning Pathways, and Wellbeing (2026–2029); Chair, New York Association of Chief Academic Officers (2023–2025); Past President, National Council of Instructional Administrators (2021–Present); Commissioner, AACC Commission on Structured Pathways (2022–2025); and Trustee, Vision Hudson Valley (2021–Present).
During her tenure at SUNY Orange, Hackman spearheaded the College’s $2.9 million PROSPERAR grant following its designation as a Hispanic-Serving Institution, supporting efforts to increase student retention and completion, particularly among Hispanic and low-income students. She also served as executive lead for the College’s successful 2023–2024 Middle States Commission on Higher Education Self-Study and Reaccreditation.
Prior to SUNY Orange, Hackman served as the first Dean of Learning Support at Parkland College in Illinois, overseeing academic support services, the first-year experience program, the Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning, and a $2.1 million Title III grant. She received the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign’s 2014–15 Community College Leadership Award.
Hackman completed her Education Policy, Organization and Leadership doctorate from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. She earned both her bachelor’s degree in liberal arts and a master’s of education degree in human resource development from UIUC and an associate’s degree from Southwestern Illinois College (formerly Belleville Area College).
Dr. Tracy P. Johnson is a higher education executive with more than 30 years of leadership experience spanning academic affairs, student success, institutional transformation, strategic planning, and organizational leadership. A Buffalo native, she has dedicated her career to strengthening institutions and creating conditions in which students, faculty, and staff can thrive.
Dr. Johnson currently serves as Vice President for Student Affairs at SUNY Oneonta, where she provides strategic leadership for the student experience and works collaboratively across academic and administrative divisions to advance student success, well-being, belonging, and institutional effectiveness. Her leadership is grounded in the belief that academic excellence and student success are deeply interconnected.
Previously, Dr. Johnson served as the inaugural Associate Vice Chancellor of Student Success: Student Wellness and Support at Dallas College, leading 21 departments and more than 250 staff serving approximately 80,000 students across seven campuses. She led the development of a nationally recognized Student Care Network that integrated academic, emotional, and basic-needs support into a coordinated, data-informed system of care.
Throughout her career, Dr. Johnson has been recognized for her ability to lead across organizational boundaries, build collaborative teams, and translate institutional vision into meaningful action. She brings a broad institutional perspective that connects mission, people, strategy, and student outcomes.
Dr. Johnson holds a Ph.D. in Educational Culture, Policy, and Society from the University at Buffalo; a Master’s in Theological Studies from Roberts/Northeastern Seminary; a Master’s in Human Resource Management from Buffalo State; and a B.S. in Social Work from the Rochester Institute of Technology.
At the heart of Dr. Johnson’s leadership is a simple but powerful belief: higher education changes lives, and effective leadership creates the conditions for that transformation to happen at scale. Her vision for leadership is one that is strategic yet deeply human—grounded in mission, informed by evidence, attentive to people, and focused on building institutions that are stronger, more inclusive, and better prepared for the future.
Dr. Diana Jones-Sukhram, a native of Belize, is Dean of the School of Education and Professor of Special Education at SUNY Old Westbury, where she is recognized for her bold, equity-driven leadership and commitment to institutional transformation. Over nearly two decades, she has overseen 10 academic programs, more than 600 students, and the work of 13 full-time faculty, 40 adjuncts, and 7 staff, providing comprehensive leadership in enrollment, budgeting, accreditation, faculty affairs, and strategic partnerships.
Dr. Jones-Sukhram’s leadership has delivered measurable, system-wide impact. She guided the School of Education through a rigorous seven-year accreditation during the challenges of COVID-19, exemplifying her ability to drive consensus and uphold excellence. She has championed innovations such as integrating MRS Simulations and AI, and secured over $7.2 million in grants to advance equity, teacher pipelines, and instructional design. Her accomplishments include leading Residency Programs, the SOE Summer Institute, MBK Teacher Opportunity Corps II grants, and the Teacher Diversity Pipeline partnership.
An equity-centered leader, Dr. Jones-Sukhram embeds inclusive practices in academic planning, curriculum, personnel, and student success strategies. She has expanded dual enrollment, launched new programs, and forged impactful P–12 partnerships, including leadership on MBK boards and mentorship of district partners. At the SUNY system level, she serves on the Executive Committee of Deans and Directors for Education and Professional Studies, chairs an Ad Hoc Committee liaising with the Chancellor of the New York State Board of Regents, and represents her institution in SUNY-wide and global learning initiatives.
Internationally, Dr. Jones-Sukhram is a Fulbright Specialist and leads a partnership with NaRCIE and the Ministry of Education in Belize, enhancing teacher training and global engagement. A published scholar, she has authored eight peer-reviewed articles, given more than 40 conference presentations, and serves on the Old Westbury STEP Program Advisory Board.
As a SUNY Becoming a Future President Institute Fellow, Dr. Jones-Sukhram is prepared to leverage her record of strategic, transparent, and transformative leadership to advance SUNY’s mission of access, excellence, and community impact at the highest levels.
Dr. Todd M. Lidh is Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs at SUNY Maritime College, where he also directs Institutional Research and the Educational Opportunity Program. He previously served as Provost at Lees-McRae College, Assistant Dean of Undergraduate Studies at The Catholic University of America, and English Department Chair at Flagler College. His work centers on student success, accreditation, and academic innovation. A Shakespeare scholar, he holds a Ph.D. in English from UNC Chapel Hill and an M.A. from Georgetown University.
Dr. Ann McClellan is Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs at SUNY Cortland where she provides leadership and vision to the Schools of Arts and Sciences, Education and Professional Studies. She manages offices including enrollment management, graduate studies, information resources, institutional research, international programs, multicultural and gender studies, outdoor and environmental education and sponsored programs.
A Michigan native, McClellan is a graduate of the University of Michigan. She earned a master’s in literature and a Ph.D. in English from the University of Cincinnati. McClellan began her teaching career at Eureka (Ill.) College and moved to the English Department at Plymouth (N.H.) State University, where she taught for 14 years before serving as Associate and then interim Provost. She joined SUNY Cortland as Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs in May 2023.
Her areas of expertise include 20th century British Literature and culture, Sherlock Holmes and fan studies. McClellan is the author of Sherlock’s World: Fanfiction and the Reimagining of BBC’s Sherlock and How British Women Writers Transformed the Campus Novel. She has presented on and published several chapters of an upcoming work on Black American adaptations of Sherlock Holmes in Broadway musicals, silent film, advertising, jazz music, fiction and graphic novels.
Dr. Laura E. Ortiz, Ed.D., is a bilingual, equity-minded community college leader with more than 25 years of experience spanning faculty, staff, administrative, and executive leadership roles. She serves as Provost and Vice President of Academic and Student Affairs at Finger Lakes Community College, where she provides strategic leadership for academic and student affairs, workforce development, lifelong learning, and institutional innovation. Previously, she held faculty and administrative leadership positions at Waubonsee Community College and College of DuPage in Illinois.
Guided by a leadership philosophy centered on people, purpose, and meaningful outcomes, Dr. Ortiz champions inclusive excellence, holistic student success, and lifelong learning. She is committed to fostering collaborative, future-focused learning environments that expand opportunity, advance economic mobility, and prepare students to become civically engaged global citizens. She holds a doctorate in Higher Education and Organizational Change from Benedictine University and believes deeply in the transformative power of education to enrich lives and strengthen communities.
If you have any questions, or would like to know more about whether the SUNY Becoming a Future President Institute is for you, please contact Zulaika Rodriguez, Associate Vice Chancellor for Executive Recruitment and Leadership Development, at Zulaika.Rodriguez@suny.edu.