APLU Announces 2024 Board of Directors, Virginia State University President Makola Abdullah Named Chair

Seattle, WA – The Association of Public and Land-grant Universities (APLU) today announced its 2024 Board of Directors. At a ceremony during the association’s 136th Annual Meeting, Virginia State University President Makola Abdullah assumed the role of chair, taking over for University of California, Davis Chancellor Gary May.

The Board of Directors provides oversight and direction for APLU’s work and is charged with setting membership and governing policies for the association. Board members work to make public institutions of higher education more effective in delivering quality and affordable higher education while advancing cutting-edge research and robust community and economic engagement.

“We thank Chancellor May for his dedicated and skilled service as chair of the APLU Board of Directors,” said APLU President Mark Becker. “We’re thrilled President Abdullah has been selected to serve as our next chair. The Board of Directors is vitally important to APLU’s work in education, research, and engagement and advancing the interests of public and land-grant universities nationally. We’re delighted to have such a passionate champion of the public and land-grant university mission serve as chair and we’re excited to draw on President Abdullah’s deep leadership experience.”

Below is the roster for the 2024 APLU Board of Directors: 

• Makola Abdullah, President, Virginia State University, is Chair of the Board.
  
  
• Joan Ferrini-Mundy, President, University of Maine, is Chair-Elect of the Board.
   
• Gary May, Chancellor, University of California, Davis, is Past-Chair of the Board.
   
• Joan Gabel, Chancellor, University of Pittsburgh, is Chair of the Council of Presidents.
   
• Santa Ono, President, University of Michigan, is Secretary of the Council of Presidents.
   
• Marlene Tromp, President, Boise State University, is a Board Member-at-Large.

• Adele de la Torre, President, San Diego State University, is a Board Member-at-Large.

• Michelle Marks, Chancellor,University of Colorado Denver, is a Board Member-at-Large.

• Darryll Pines, President, University of Maryland,is a Board Member-at-Large.         
  
• Brian Sandoval, President, University of Nevada, Reno,is a Board Member-at-Large.
  
• Garnett Stokes, President, University of New Mexico, is a Board Member-at-Large.
  
• William Tate, President, Louisiana State University, is a Board Member-at-Large.
   
• Heidi Anderson, President, University of Maryland Eastern Shore,is the Council of 1890s Universities Representative.
  
• Mary Ann Villarreal, Vice President, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion, University of Utah, is the Council on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Representative.
  
• Jonathan Wickert, Senior Vice President and Provost, Iowa State University, is the Council of Academic Affairs Representative.
   
• Bill Couch, Assistant Vice President, Federal Relations, The Ohio State University,is the Council on Governmental Affairs Representative.
   
• Robin Kaler, Associate Chancellor for Public Affairs, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, is the Council on Strategic Communications Representative.
   
• Martino Harmon, Vice President for Student Life, University of Michigan, is the Council on Student Affairs Representative.
   
• Susan Martinis, Vice Chancellor for Research and Innovation, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, is the Council on Research Representative.
   
• Mun Choi, President, University of Missouri, is the Commission on Food, Environment, and Renewable Resources Representative.
   
• Maurie McInnis, President, Stony Brook University, is a Commission on Economic and Community Engagement Representative.
  
• Sharon Paynter, Acting Chief of Research and Engagement Office, East Carolina University,is the Commission on Economic and Community Engagement Representative.
   
• Taylor Eighmy, President, University of Texas at San Antonio, is the Commission on International Initiatives Representative.
   
• Lisa Freeman, President, Northern Illinois University, is the Commission on Information, Measurement, and Analysis Representative.
  
• Jonathan Pruitt, Chief Operating Officer, University of North Carolina System, is Commission on Information, Measurement, and Analysis/Council on Business Affairs Representative.
   
• J. Ernest Minton, Dean, College of Agriculture and Director, K-State Research and Extension, Kansas State University, isthe Board on Agriculture Policy Board Representative (Ex-oficial).
  
• Melinda Cartwright, First Lady, University of Central Florida, is the Council of Presidents’ and Chancellors’ Spouses and Partners Representative.