APLU Announces 2025 Board of Directors, University of Maine President Joan Ferrini-Mundy to Serve As Chair

Orlando, FL – The Association of Public and Land-grant Universities (APLU) today announced its 2025 Board of Directors. At a ceremony during the association’s Annual Meeting, University of Maine President Joan Ferrini-Mundy became Chair of the Board, succeeding Virginia State University President Makola Abdullah.

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 Makola Abdullah for his outstanding leadership of the board and as a continued champion for public higher education,” said APLU President Mark Becker. “We’re delighted to have Joan Ferrini-Mundy assume the role as Chair of the APLU Board of Directors. She brings deep experience in public higher education and research policy and we’re looking forward to her leadership as chair.”

Below is the roster for the 2025 APLU Board of Directors:

• Joan Ferrini-Mundy, President, University of Maine, is Chair of the Board.
  
• Joan Gabel, Chancellor, University of Pittsburgh, is Chair-Elect of the Board.

• Makola Abdullah, President, Virginia State University, is Past-Chair of the Board.

• Santa Ono, President, University of Michigan, is Chair of the Council of Presidents.
  
• Brian Sandoval, President, University of Nevada, Reno, is Secretary of the Council of Presidents.
  
• Adela de la Torre, President, San Diego State University, is a Board Member-at-Large.
  
• Havidán Rodríguez, President, University at Albany, is a Board Member-at-Large.
  
• Darryll Pines, President, University of Maryland, 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.
  
• Betsy Cantwell, President, Utah State University, is a Board Member-at-Large.
  
• Heidi Anderson, President, University of Maryland Eastern Shore, is the Council of 1890s Universities Representative.
  
• Michael Amiridis, President of the University of South Carolina,is the Coalition of Urban Serving Universities Representative.
  
• Menah Pratt, Vice President for Diversity, Inclusion, and Strategic Affairs, Virginia Tech University is the Council on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Representative.
  
• Ed Feser, Provost and Executive Vice President, Oregon State University, is the Council of Academic Affairs Representative.

• Lauren Brookmeyer, Assistant Vice President for Federal Relations, Stony Brook University, is the Council on Governmental Affairs Representative.

• Robin Kaler, Associate Chancellor for Strategic Communications and Marketing, 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.

• Irem Tumer, Vice President for Research and Innovation, Oregon State University, is the Council on Research Representative.

• Mun Choi, President, University of Missouri, is the Commission on Food, Environment, and Renewable Resources Representative.

• Taylor Eighmy, President, University of Texas at San Antonio, is the Commission on International Initiatives Representative.

• Alexander Cartwright, President, University of Central Florida, 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, is the Board on Agriculture Policy Board Representative (Ex-officio).
  
• Laura Mahony, First Lady, Southern Illinois System, is the Council of Presidents’ and Chancellors’ Spouses and Partners Representative.