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Nancy Hellerud leads the Office of Academic Affairs and the units that support the academic success of faculty and students across the six schools and colleges and across Webster’s domestic and international locations. She manages Webster’s institutional accreditation, serving as Accreditation Liaison Officer to the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) and oversees the Office of Institutional Effectiveness. Hellerud also oversees the Office of Student Affairs. She has responsibility for academic and administrative operations at Webster’s international locations. She works closely with the president in advancing strategic academic initiatives, and is a member of senior administration. Hellerud holds a JD from the University of Oregon School of Law, an MA in Liberal Studies from Hamline University, and a BA in English and German, also from Hamline.

Thao Dang-Williams is the associate vice president for Academic Affairs. She has over 25 years of experience in higher education administration as both faculty and administrator. Dang-Williams’s areas of interest include faculty support, student success, academic planning, and global education. Dang-Williams works closely with colleagues throughout Webster’s global network to ensure alignment with University policies and procedures in addition to working on initiatives to support student success at both graduate and undergraduate levels. Dang-Williams has served the University in her previous roles as Associate Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, Interim Associate VP of Online Education, and Dean of Extended Education, St. Louis Metropolitan Region. Dang-Williams has a BA in Government and Communication from Monmouth College, an MA in Communication from Saint Louis University and an EdD in Higher Education Administration, also from Saint Louis University.

John Buck provides leadership for all functional areas of student affairs, works closely with campus student leaders, develops student life policies and procedures, and consults with colleagues throughout Webster’s worldwide network on student life issues. Buck has served on a variety of committees, including the Behavioral Intervention Team, University COVID-19 Task Force, the Undergraduate Enrollment and Retention Working Group, and the Tuition Adjustment Committee. Buck holds a bachelor’s degree in sociology from Colorado State University, a master’s degree in management and leadership, and a doctorate in management (DMgt), both from Webster. He is also a 2014 graduate Webster University’s Global Leadership Academy.

DJ Kaiser is the assistant vice president for Academic Affairs. He is also a professor and been the director of Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages since 2011. He previously served as the associate dean for the School of Education leading the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP) process, and he also served as a peer reviewer for CAEP and its predecessor, the National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education. He currently supports accreditation and international education efforts at Â鶹ÊÓƵ and works with federally funded grant projects. Kaiser has a PhD in Comparative Literature and an MA in Drama from Washington University in St. Louis, and BAs in Linguistics and Spanish and an MATESL degree from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

Josette Bradford leads the Reeg ARC provides academic resources, support, advocacy and access through relationships that empower students across the worldwide Webster University community. She has 25 years of experience in higher education and has primarily focused on student retention, persistence, and graduation. Bradford completed her BS in Biological Science at SIUE and both her MS in Workforce Education and PhD in Educational Administration & Higher Education at SIUC.

Kelly Heath is the director of Study Abroad in the Office of Study Abroad at Webster. In this role, she manages the daily operations of the Office of Study Abroad and oversees study abroad programs and services for the University. She is involved in various University committees, including the Division of Global Education Advisory Committee, the International Studies Committee and the Accessibility Committee, as well as initiatives that help provide more equity and access to education abroad for Webster students. Heath completed her BA in Spanish at Bates College, with a study abroad experience in Cuernavaca, Mexico, and Salamanca, Spain, and received a master’s degree in higher education (MEd) with a focus in student affairs administration from Loyola University Chicago, with a study abroad experience in Rome, Italy. Heath also received a CELTA certificate in Teaching English as a Second Language in Sevilla, Spain, and taught English there for two years.

Kyle McCool provides leadership to the Academic Advising Center, which includes both undergraduate and graduate advising. In addition, the advising team provides training and resources to faculty advisors and other student service professionals across the global network. She is also a co-lead for the Student Success Portal, powered by Starfish, a retention and case management tool used across the University. She is a member of the Global Advising Council and serves on Curriculum Committee, Graduate Council, Global Citizenship Committee, Graduate Tuition Refund Appeal Committee and the Academic Progress Committee. She is also involved in NACADA, the Global Community for Academic Advising. She earned her Master of Science in Education, Higher Education & Student Affairs from Indiana University, her Bachelor of Music Education from the University of Tulsa, and is a graduate of the 2017 Â鶹ÊÓƵ Global Leadership Academy.

Erik Palmore is the director of the Faculty Development Center (FDC) which provides professional development and support for the teaching efforts of Webster faculty worldwide. Palmore leads Webster’s learning analytics efforts, developing tools and methods to identify opportunities to positively impact student success, with particular emphasis on supporting leaders throughout the University with insights that impact academic planning, retention, and graduation. Palmore received his MA in Education and Human Development from The George Washington University, and his BA in English and Film from Â鶹ÊÓƵ.

As director, Academic Resources and Planning, Rita Smith works closely with academic leadership worldwide and student affairs to develop annual budgets and manage academic