President's Council

Biography

Dr. Richard J. Koubek became Michigan Technological University’s 10th president in July 2018, bringing 30 years of higher education experience to the role. In 2015, he was named executive vice president and provost of Louisiana State University (LSU) after serving as dean of the LSU College of Engineering since 2009. Previously, Koubek served as head of Pennsylvania State University’s Harold and Inge Marcus Department of Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering; chair of the Department of Biomedical, Industrial and Human Factors Engineering at Wright State University; and associate dean of research and graduate studies in Wright State’s College of Engineering and Computer Science.

Koubek began his academic career as a faculty member in Wright State University’s College of Engineering and Computer Science. He later served six years as an assistant and associate professor in the School of Industrial Engineering at Purdue University and as a full professor at Wright State, Pennsylvania State University, and LSU. Koubek earned a bachelor’s degree in biblical literature, with a minor in chemistry, from Oral Roberts University, and in psychology from Northeastern Illinois University. He received his master’s degree and PhD in industrial engineering from Purdue University. Koubek and his wife Valerie have three grown children.

Biography

Dr. Andrew J. Storer is Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs at Michigan Technological University. Storer previously served as Dean of the College of Forest Resources and Environmental Science at Michigan Technological University.

Storer joined the Michigan Tech faculty in 2001 to teach and conduct research in the areas of forest insect ecology and forest health. Prior to becoming Dean in the College of Forest Resources and Environmental Science, he held several administrative roles as Associate Dean, Director of Graduate Studies, Director of the University Honors Institute, Senator on the University Senate, Chair of the Graduate Faculty Council, and Chair of the Senate Curricular Policy Committee. He has published over 80 peer reviewed papers, served as lead or Co-PI on over $12M of external research funding, and was major advisor to almost 30 graduate students. He has international experiences in research, academic program development, and development of exchange opportunities.

Storer earned his D.Phil in forest entomology from the Department of Zoology at the University of Oxford, and also holds an MA and a BA in Pure and Applied Biology from St. Annes College, Oxford. He worked for almost 10 years as a Research Entomologist at the University of California, Berkeley. He has additional experience in research and teaching at University of Oxford (England), Université Libre de Bruxelles (Belgium), and Merritt College in Oakland. His research interests include forest insect ecology, impacts of exotic species on forests, and interactions among fire, insects and disease in forested ecosystems.

Biography

William R. Kordenbrock serves as the vice president for governmental relations and leads points of contact with all government entities and agencies to promote, advocate, and communicate the mission and impact of Michigan Technological University.

Bill brings over three decades of experience in government operations to Michigan Tech. He began his career as a lobbyist in Washington D.C., transitioned to chief of staff for the Vice Chairman of the Michigan Senate Appropriations committee, has held several executive positions within Michigan state government as well as represented Fortune 500 corporations’ interests in eight states. Bill has also served as chief legal counsel for the Michigan Department of State.

Bill has two adult sons that share his passion for the outdoors, and motor sports.  He is active with numerous wildlife habitat and conservation organizations, and as a certified hunter safety instructor, has provided leadership in developing youth and women’s hunter access programs.

Biography

John B. Lehman serves as the vice president for university relations and enrollment at Michigan Technological University, overseeing the areas of enrollment, university marketing and communications, and government relations.

John has served at Michigan Tech since 1996. He is a Co-Lead facilitator for LeaderShape and serves as an instructor for various Academic Impressions workshops nationally. John serves on the boards of the Detroit Area Precollege Engineering Program and the Keweenaw Community Foundation.

Biography

Dr. Bill Roberts is the Vice President for Advancement and Alumni Engagement at Michigan Technological University. Roberts joined Michigan Tech in 2002. He oversees operations, planning, and budgeting for the University's fundraising and alumni initiatives. Prior to his current position, he served as the Director of Financial Aid, Senior Associate Director of Financial Aid, Associate Director of Admissions, and Campus Visit Coordinator, all at Michigan Tech.

Roberts has a bachelor of science and master's degree in Public Administration both from Northern Michigan University in Marquette, Michigan. He received a PhD in Higher Education Leadership from Colorado State University in Fort Collins, Colorado. His research focus has centered on financial aid awarding and student success.

Additionally, Roberts has a certificate in Fundraising Management from the Lilly School of Philanthropy at Indiana University and has completed the Excellence in Leadership Program from the Academy for Academic Leadership. He is a member of the Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE) and has been a member of the National Association for Student Financial Aid Administrators (NASFAA), and the Michigan Student Financial Aid Association (MSFAA).

Biography

Athletic director since 2005, Suzanne Sanregret, PhD, has continued Michigan Tech's traditions of excellence both on and off the field of competition. Her vision within the Huskies' athletic programs and work on conference and national committees has positioned Michigan Tech as a leader in collegiate athletics.

Along with the 15 varsity sports under her, Sanregret also oversees the University's Recreation Department and Michigan Tech's Outdoor Adventure Program. She is the Title IX coordinator for Athletics and was added to the President's Council in 2018.

Sanregret, who was named 2009 Division II Central Region Athletic Director of the Year, served a five-year stint on the NCAA Division II Management Council from 2006-11. During that time, she was the chair of the multi-division NCAA Student-Athlete Reinstatement Committee and member of other NCAA committees on strategic budget planning, championships, legislation, and membership. She has served on the NCAA Division II Women’s Basketball Regional Ranking Committee, Division II Men’s Basketball Regional Ranking Committee and the Division II Men’s Basketball National Committee.

In addition to her NCAA work, Sanregret has functioned as the chair of both the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Management Council and the Western Collegiate Hockey Association Executive Committee along with numerous other panels within each league. She has served on the board of directors for the D2 Athletics Directors Association.

Tech teams and individuals have experienced new levels of success during Sanregret's tenure. Fourteen squads have captured conference titles, while a total of 22 teams and multiple individuals have earned bids to NCAA postseason competition since 2005.

Sanregret was . . .

Biography

Sarah H. Schulte serves as General Counsel for Michigan Technological University and as Secretary to the Board of Trustees.  She also oversees risk management and compliance for the university, including the Department of Public Safety and Police Services and Environmental Health and Safety.  Schulte received her Juris Doctorate from the University of Michigan and brings over two decades of experience to her role.  She was in private practice prior to moving exclusively to a higher education practice at the University of Washington and Michigan Tech. 

Biography

Nicholas W. Stevens serves as the Chief Financial Officer and Senior Vice President for Administration at Michigan Technological University, overseeing the areas of finance, administration, institutional research, facilities and information technology.

Stevens has 18 years of leadership and management experience in higher education. He had most recently served as the director of budget and financial planning at Michigan Tech. Prior to joining Tech in 2015, Stevens served as executive vice president for business and finance at Finlandia University, where he had administrative oversight of all business and controller activities.

A native of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, Stevens appreciates the importance of Michigan Tech to the community and the community to Michigan Tech. He earned a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration-Accounting from Michigan Tech in 2002. He currently resides in Dollar Bay, Michigan, with his wife and three children. In his free time, Nick can be found hitting the links, catching a MTU hockey game, sapping a maple tree, and spending time with his family.

Biography

Bulleit serves as Vice President for Student Affairs after working for nearly 10 years as Michigan Tech’s associate dean of students. Bulleit most recently held the position of associate dean of student development, where she oversaw the Office of Academic and Community Conduct and the Center for Student Mental Health and Well-being. Bulleit holds a Bachelor of Science and Master of Science in Civil Engineering from Michigan Tech.

Biography

Andrew served as Professor and Director of the Graduate Program in Acoustics at Penn State until 2024. He has been a faculty member at Michigan Tech in the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering since 2014, serving in roles of assistant, associate, and adjunct professor. He served Director of the Great Lakes Research Center at Michigan Tech from 2019-2021 and Director of the Center for Acoustics and Vibration at Penn State from 2023-2024. He previously was a research associate at the Applied Research Laboratory at Penn State for eight years. He received his BS and MS in Mechanical Engineering from Michigan Tech in 2002 and 2004, respectively. He received a PhD in Acoustics from Penn State University in 2010. Dr. Barnard is Board Certified by the Institute for Noise Control Engineering (INCE). Dr. Barnard has interests in acoustics, noise control, and vibration, as well as water resources and marine technology. Currently, he is interested in commercialization of smart beach safety technology and carbon nanotube (CNT) loudspeakers. He is also interested in the acoustics of ice-covered environments for classification of ice conditions and localization and tracking of moving sources on- and under-ice using machine learning techniques. Finally, he is interested in the implementation of maritime autonomous vehicles in commercial and defense applications.

Biography

Wayne Gersie is the Vice President for Community Engagement at Michigan Technological University. He has been with the University since November 2020 and has led its efforts to create an environment where all individuals feel valued and supported. His work involves collaborating with faculty, staff, students, alumni, and external partners to promote a culture that enhances engagement and fosters a sense of belonging across the University community.

Gersie is responsible for helping leaders develop cultural awareness, forming strategic partnerships with institutions that serve underrepresented groups, and leading training programs that advance understanding and inclusivity. He has been instrumental in securing over $15 million in external grant funding to support programs for students underrepresented in STEM fields. His accomplishments include creating the University’s first strategic plan for engagement and belonging, expanding partnerships with Historically Black Colleges and Universities and other minority-serving institutions, and successfully securing a $1.3 million Ronald E. McNair Scholars grant from the US Department of Education.

Before joining Michigan Tech, Gersie served as Assistant Research Professor and Chief Diversity Officer at Penn State's Applied Research Laboratory. He also founded Oasis Strategic Consulting LLC, a firm dedicated to advising organizations on inclusive practices. Gersie earned his PhD in Workforce Education and Development from Penn State, with a focus on Human Resources, and holds an MEd in Counselor Education from the same institution. He also holds certificates from Harvard University’s Institute for Management and Leadership Education, Cornell University’s School of Industrial and Labor Relations, and the Center for Creative Leadership.

Gersie’s work is driven by a deep . . .