Meet the Team

BENNINGTON COLLEGE
Associate Dean of Advising and First-Year Forum
(Curriculum)

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Recently transitioning from her seventeen-year-long faculty position in Cultural Studies and Language to Associate Dean of Advising and First-Year Forum, Dr. Alfano has directed the First-Year Forum since 2021. Throughout her career, Barbara has centered the first-year course in project-based learning, enhanced student leadership by offering students a more prominent role as peer leaders, and expanded collaborations with the local community. A native of Italy, she specializes in 20th- and 21st-century Italian fiction, with a focus on women’s writing, representations of America, issues of identity, love studies, and ethics and literature. She is the writer of The Mirage of America in Contemporary Italian Literature and Film (University of Toronto Press, 2013) and the co-editor of Italian Quarterly’s special issue, “Projecting Americanism Abroad: Italy in the Cold War” (2019).

Her essays have appeared in Italica, Forum Italicum, Oblio, Quaderni d’Italianistica, and Romance Studies, among other journals. She curated Stanford’s Arcade’s literary salon on Elena Ferrante. In 2009, she published her first collection of short stories in Italian, Mi chiedevo. Before moving to the United States in 1999, Alfano worked in Naples as a journalist and translator.

RANDOLPH COLLEGE
Professor of English & MFA Director
(Curriculum)

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Gary Dop is a professor of English at Randolph College, where he has supported the development of over a dozen new programs and played a central role in creating the College's TAKE2 curricular model. Dop previously served as Dean of Innovation, leading institutional initiatives that continue to shape Randolph’s academic direction. Dop founded the Randolph M.F.A. program in creative writing, described by Poets & Writers as "a new kind of MFA program that makes diversity its mission.” His work as a poet, playwright, and performer has appeared in publications and venues nationwide, including the North American Review, Southern Review, Georgia Review, Prairie Schooner, and New Letters. His poetry collection Father, Child, Water was a bestseller with Red Hen Press, and his most recent play is Democracy, an American Absurdity (Rain Taxi). Dop’s honors include the Great Plains Emerging Writer Prize, a Pushcart Special Mention, the Gillie A. Larew Distinguished Teaching Award, and inclusion in the Best of the Net Anthology (2025).

COLLEGE OF THE ATLANTIC
Coordinator of Community Engagement
(Place-based Experiential Education)

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Since 2011, Nick Jenei has served as Director of Outdoor Programs at the College of the Atlantic in Bar Harbor, Maine, where he leads initiatives that integrate experiential learning with place-based pedagogy. A Thomas J. Watson Fellow, his journeys exploring culture, community, and walking pilgrimages have profoundly shaped his educational and leadership philosophy. In 2013, he co-founded The Community School for Place-Based Education in Mount Desert, Maine, underscoring his commitment to linking education with local communities and the natural world. Drawing on a wealth of experience in outdoor programming and educational entrepreneurship, Nick is dedicated to fostering resilient, engaged individuals equipped to navigate and shape a rapidly changing world.

RANDOLPH COLLEGE
Dean of Students
(Expanded Service)

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Chris Lemasters returned to Randolph College in the winter of 2019 as the Dean of Students. In this role, he manages the areas of Student Engagement, Housing/Residence Life, Campus Safety, Health/Counseling Services, and Esports. This role also advises the Student Government Association, and the Chair and Vice Chair of the student-led Judiciary system at Randolph.  

Before returning to Randolph, Chris worked at the University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown, where he served as the Director of Residence Life and Title IX/Equity and Inclusion Officer. In his first stint at Randolph College, Chris served as the Director of Residence Life and Chief Conduct Officer. As a former college athlete and Division III Men’s Basketball Coach, Chris remains connected to Athletics through volunteering as a play-by-play announcer for the live streams of Randolph College basketball games.  

Chris is pursuing a Doctorate in Higher Education Administration at the University of Southern Mississippi. Chris has a B.A. in Psychology from Alfred University and an M.A. in Student Affairs in Higher Education from Indiana University of Pennsylvania. Specific areas of interest include leadership development, higher education history, and student wellness. Randolph is overhauling their student fitness area, creating another strong outlet for student wellness beyond those already offered through campus services.

ST. JOHN’S COLLEGE
Vice President of Student Affairs
(Purposeful Life and Work)

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Danielle Lico joined the Annapolis campus as executive director of campus health and wellness in October of 2018 and was promoted to Vice President of Student Affairs in March 2023. In her role, she oversees residence life, public safety, student conduct and community standards, new student orientation, parent and family engagement, the Student Health and Wellness Center, Title IX, and ADA compliance. She holds a BA from the George Washington University in Psychology and an MA from the George Washington University in Sociology. Specific areas of interest include college student wellness, addiction and recovery, and suicide prevention.

BENNINGTON COLLEGE
Dean of Integrated Learning & Career Readiness
(Purposeful Life & Work)

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Dr. John Link is an innovative higher education leader with over 15 years of experience in career development, experiential learning, and workforce readiness. As Associate Dean of Career Development and Field Work Term at Bennington College, he oversees one of the nation’s most immersive applied learning programs, ensuring students complete four career-aligned internships before graduation. He also manages employer engagement, a $1.3 million student employment budget, and over $200,000 in grants to expand access to hands-on learning. Previously, Dr. Link led career initiatives at Webster University, directing the Career Planning and Development Center and launching a $500,000 internship access program for underrepresented students.

A Doctor of Education from Webster University, Dr. Link is also a certified resume writer, digital career strategist, and interview coach. He is dedicated to leveraging data-driven strategies to enhance student success, ensuring students gain the skills, experiences, and networks needed to thrive in today’s job market.

BENNINGTON COLLEGE
Associate Dean & Director of Integrated Wellness
(Expanded Service)

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Dr. Ali Tartaglia joined Bennington College in Fall of 2016 as the Director of Student Health Promotion. Her role has shifted within Student Life to her current role as the Associate Dean and Director of Integrative Wellness. This role emphasizes the institution’s commitment to both addressing wellness institutionally, as well as the focus on whole person wellness.

Prior to joining Bennington, Dr. Tartaglia worked in wellness at West Virginia University, and as faculty at Arcadia University and at Drexel University offering community health programming. Previous to her work in institutions of higher education, she worked in the not-for-profit sector providing community health education primarily to adolescents and women. 

Dr. Tartaglia holds a B.S. in Health Education from Temple University, a M.S. in Public Health from Walden University and a Doctorate in Public Health from Drexel University. 

WARREN WILSON COLLEGE
Assistant Professor Outdoor Leadership
(Place-based Experiential Education)

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Dr. Matt Vosler has been working in the outdoor industry for the past 20 years. He is currently an Assistant Professor of Outdoor Leadership at Warren Wilson College. Matt graduated from Ohio University with an undergraduate degree in Adventure Recreation, Outdoor Education and Camping. He earned his first Masters in Experiential Education at Minnesota State University, Mankato. After working a period of applied work and teaching at Ohio University, he continued his education, gaining a second Master’s degree in Recreation Studies and a PhD in Curriculum and Instruction in Education at Ohio University. His research focuses on developing more creative and empowered leaders both in and out of outdoor spaces. As a part of the Endeavor Collaborative, Dr. Vosler focuses his efforts on connecting students with outdoor spaces through Nature Rx and nature-based programming to develop opportunities to empower leaners with understanding and skills to support their mental health and wellbeing. This spring, he has been able to help other schools in the Endeavor Collaborative to develop new Nature Rx programs, focused on connecting students with Nature, through his new speaking series “The Healing Power of Nature.” Along with the Endeavor Lab Collaborative, Matt has had the great privilege to work for world class organizations such as Outward Bound, Five Rivers MetroParks, Ohio University, Ithaca College, Wingate Wilderness Therapy, and Naturalist at Large and utilize those experience to support his students and student learning.

ST. JOHN’S COLLEGE
Director of Career Development
(Purposeful Life & Work)

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Jaime is the Director of Career Development at St. John’s College in Annapolis, MD. Known for its study of the “Great Books”, and without majors, departments, or formal pre-professional programs, she enjoys the challenge of preparing students for careers in a variety of fields. She joined St. John’s after positions at the College of William & Mary’s DC office and as an Assistant Dean for law school admissions at the College of William & Mary. She has worked in higher education since graduating with a B.A. in Psychology and Spanish from Randolph-Macon College. After working as a” roadrunner” in Admissions for R-MC, she completed an M.Ed. and Ph.D. in higher education from the College of William & Mary and The Ohio State University.

STERLING COLLEGE
Dean of Work Learning
(Purposeful Life & Work)

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Dr. John Helms is the Dean of Work-Learning, Internship Coordinator, and Faculty in Environmental Science at Sterling College in Craftsbury Common, Vermont.  As Dean of Work-Learning, Dr. Helms oversees Sterling’s federally funded Work Program and service-learning activities. He also coordinates both on- and off-campus internship programs as the liaison between students, supervisors (partners), and faculty advisors. In addition to teaching Environmental Science Courses, Dr. Helms also teaches Sterling’s Career Planning Skills course, which is a required seminar for students in both the Associate of Arts and Bachelor of Arts programs. 

Prior to joining the faculty and administration at Sterling, John was primarily focused on teaching and research in the fields of Analytical Chemistry and Environmental Chemistry. After completing a Bachelor’s in Chemistry at Virginia Wesleyan University, he received his Masters in Environmental Chemistry and PhD in Biogeochemistry at Old Dominion University – submitting a thesis and dissertation focused on the photochemical degradation of natural organic matter in aquatic, marine, and estuarine environments. From there he jumped into a post-doctoral fellowship investigating possible photochemical release of algal toxins from marine sediments at the University of North Carolina Wilmington before accepting a tenure track position at Morningside University in Sioux City, Iowa. There he spent the next decade teaching Chemistry (as well as First Year Writing, and Introductory Statistics) and mentoring students interested in Analytical and Environmental Chemistry. In his final two years at Morningside, Dr. Helms joined a collaborative group of faculty investigating the efficacy of place-based, project-based, and research-based pedagogies in promoting better learning outcomes and retention of first and second year science students.  

Since arriving at Sterling, John has learned how to cross-country ski, make maple syrup, butcher poultry, and install his own snow tires. In return he has endeavored to make Sterling’s work program a student-centered and learning-focused show-piece for the institution while continuing its role promoting efficient campus operations and delivering self-help financial aid to students. As a member of the Purposeful Work and Life team he hopes to participate in the collaborative effort to deliver better career development opportunities for students, faculty, and staff and help students explore the role of work and career advancement in their current and future lives.

COLLEGE OF THE ATLANTIC
Director of Career Development
(Purposeful Life & Work)

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Dr. Jeffry Neuhouser is the Director of Career Development at College of the Atlantic in Bar Harbor, Maine, where they oversee the college’s career education curriculum, internship program, employer relations, community service, fellowships and pre-professional advising, and serves as a member of the advising team and the core course instructor team. An innovative and student-centered leader in the field, Jeffry brings over a decade of experience in higher education as an advisor, coach, and instructor. A passionate storyteller, Jeffry built their career foundations through a BA in History from Taylor University and an MA in History from Memorial University of Newfoundland. After completing an MA in Student Affairs Administration in Higher Education from Ball State University, Jeffry fell into career education at Earlham College, and has realized their calling for this work ever since. Their deep commitment to authentic and purposeful career foundations translated into their doctoral work at Ball State, where they completed an EdD in Higher Education. Jeffry’s dissertation research “Using participatory constructivist grounded theory to understand how queer college graduates build professional identity” has implications throughout the field of career development and how universities and colleges support the professional foundations and transition to careers of all underrepresented and minoritized students. 

Building off of their research, Jeffry works with campuses to adopt what they call a Career Ecology framework of career education, weaving developmental touch points skill building throughout students' full experience—from their first semester through their lives as alumni—to build purposeful careers and fulfilling lives. You can find out more about this frame in their TED talk on "The power of authentic human ecosystems." They have held positions across the United States (Maine and Indiana) and internationally (Kuwait and Canada), and have taught at the associate’s, bachelor’s, and graduate levels. Jeffry has particular experience building and implementing career curriculum from a Design Thinking framework. In addition to being a certified Global Strengths Coach through Gallup and serving as a Founding Partner of MNM Equity Consulting, Jeffry has served as the President of the College Career Center Consortium of Indiana and as the Director of Professional Development and Education for the Career Development Professionals of Indiana, where they were the host of the Career Champions podcast and oversaw the development of the “Fostering, Diversity, Equity, and Belonging through Career Development” certificate program. You can often find Jeffry presenting at conferences, working to advance social justice frameworks of career development, exploring Acadia National Park and Mount Desert Island, hanging out in museums and libraries, and spending quality time with their three cats Scout, Jem, and Harper.  

PRESCOTT COLLEGE
Director of Student Wellness
(Place-based Experiential Learning & Expanded Services)

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Jason started at Prescott College (PC) in March of 2022 and transitioned into his current position in August 2024. Jason joined PC after serving as the branch director for the local Boys and Girls Club. His prior experience also includes working within the department of Campus Recreation at Northern Arizona University, Illinois State University, and Arizona State University.

Jason earned his BS in Exercise Science and Health Promotions at Arizona State University, and his MS in Sport Psychology at Illinois State University. In his free time, Jason enjoys going on hikes, weight lifting, playing board games, and talking about almost anything Pokemon related.