Nova Chat: Higher Education Chiefs of Staff
Join us for a special 90 min Nova Chat on November 7 2024 at 11am CST when Nova Chief of Staff and our Founder, Maggie Olson, will be hosting three panelists that are current or former Chiefs of Staff at prestigious universities such as Cornell, Lafayette, and the University of Michigan in Flint.
During this chat Maggie and our panelists will explore:
What skills and experience each panelist brought to their Higher Education CoS role.
How their varied backgrounds and experiences led them into CoS roles.
Key similarities and differences between core responsibilities as a CoS for their own leader.
Where they are at now and where they see themselves in the future.
And much more!
This discussion is not to be missed if you're curious about what a Higher Education CoS does on a daily basis, or you care to be inspired by these three truly exceptional strategic leaders.
As always with our Nova Chats, we will leave some room at the end of the chat for some Q&A from our attendees.
We're blown away by our panelist's expertise and know you will be, too. See you there!
Melanie Ciotoli Bio:
Melanie Ciotoli is the Chief of Staff to the Vice President for Student Life at Cornell University, bringing over twenty years of progressively responsible experience in executive support and organizational leadership. With a career dedicated to driving organizational success, Melanie has a proven track record in leading strategic planning processes, overseeing core business functions, and implementing systems and tools to build organizational alignment.
As a Chief of Staff in higher education, Melanie provides high-level support to the Vice President, optimizes the time and priorities of the executive leadership team, and mobilizes internal and external resources to achieve strategic goals. She plays a crucial role in shaping a large and complex organization with a $350 million budget and close to 4,000 staff members, serving a diverse array of constituents, including students, parents, faculty, alumni, and the Board of Trustees.
Melanie has a Bachelor of Science in Labor and Industrial Relations from Cornell University and a Masters of Hospitality Management from the Cornell Peter and Stephanie Nolan School of Hotel Administration.
Nicole Eramo Bio:
Nicole Eramo joined Lafayette in 2023 and is responsible for planning and managing strategic priorities and projects that drive forward the goals and mission of the College across multiple divisions simultaneously. Working especially closely with President Hurd and the senior leadership team, she plays a critical role coordinating work with partners across the community and manages the day-to-day operations of the president’s office.
Prior to Lafayette, Eramo served the University of Virginia for more than 20 years in various leadership roles within the offices of the dean of students and the vice president of student affairs, including her final three years as chief of staff in the vice president’s office. Nicole also earned her B.A. in political and social thought, M.Ed. in social foundations, and Ph.D. in education, all from UVA.
Tess Barker Bio:
Dr. Tess Barker is the Executive Director of ASCA. In this role, Barker serves as a voice and advocate for nearly 2650 ASCA members and the conduct profession generally.
Before ASCA, she served as Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs and Enrollment Management at Indiana University Kokomo (IUK), where she oversaw student life, conduct, counseling, career services, accessibility, athletics, admissions, and financial aid. She is most proud of having secured funding to establish a Multicultural Center at IUK, the first among IU regional campuses, to promote inclusion and belonging on campus.
Barker previously served as Chief of Staff to the Chancellor at the University of Michigan-Flint, where she managed high-level initiatives, including development of the strategic plan and responding to the Flint Water Crisis. She also served as Executive Director for the Iowa Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics, during which time the chapter was twice a finalist for National Chapter of the Year; and at NASPA coordinating the Center for Women; the Minority Undergraduate Fellows Program; and the James E. Scott Academy for Leadership.
Dr. Barker earned both her law degree and PhD in education policy from the University of Iowa and her master’s in college student personnel from the University of Maryland – College Park. Barker teaches higher education law at the University of Iowa, Indiana State University, and Eastern Michigan University. In her free time, she loves to read, listen to podcasts, and travel. She resides in Kokomo, Indiana, with her spouse Bill, daughter Isabella, and dog Rooney.
Maggie Olson Bio
Maggie Olson is the Founder of Nova Chief of Staff, the premier and first-of-its-kind destination for Chief of Staff education, certification, and development. She has 20 years of experience in retail, food and beverage, and technology sectors and has held leadership roles at Nordstrom and T-Mobile. At T-Mobile, Maggie's impressive work led her to become the Chief of Staff to the President of the T-Mobile Business Group. In this role, she built the Chief of Staff model from the ground up, creating a highly efficient team and establishing an executive back-office structure, supporting the President, SVPs, and over 5,000 employees. She also built a Chief of Staff team, defining all roles, processes, and systems. Through Nova Chief of Staff, Maggie continues to shape the future of business leadership, providing the tools and resources necessary for Chiefs of Staff to excel in their roles and drive company success.