Dr. Christina Sax is the Dean of Extended Studies at Shippensburg University (SU; 2007-date) of Pennsylvania , where she has responsibility for distance education policies, practices, faculty support, and administration, as well as the management of off-campus programs for non-traditional students, continuing education programs, and summer session activities. Chris co-chairs the University’s standing Distance Education Subcommittee, as well as the Academic Master Plan Task Force which is charged with developing the University’s first strategic academic plan. She was co-recipient of the University Continuing Education Association (UCEA) Mid-Atlantic Region’s Program of Excellence Award for SU’s Advanced Studies in Business certificate program, which is delivered via distance education technologies (2009). Prior to SU, Chris served in a number of administrative roles at the University of Maryland University College (UMUC; 1998-2007), where she had direct responsibilities for online course quality assurance and student learning outcomes assessment, online program and course development, and the hiring, staffing, training, and oversight of online faculty. These positions included Interim Senior Associate Dean (2007), Assistant Dean for Social, Behavioral, Natural, and Mathematical Sciences (2004-2007), and Academic Director of Science (1998-2004) in the School of Undergraduate Studies. She has taught online for UMUC since 1997, having authored seven online biology courses, two of which received the UCEA Mid-Atlantic Region's Program of Excellence Award (1999). In addition, she served as the curriculum specialist in the development of 16 additional online science courses. Chris was named Distance Educator of the Year by the Maryland Distance Learning Association (MDLA; 2004). Chris led UMUC’s involvement in the joint National Center for Academic Transformation-University System of Maryland Course Redesign Initiative (2006-2007), the Middle States Student Learning Outcomes Assessment Workshop (2004), the joint American Association of Colleges and Universities-National Science Foundation Science Education for New Civic Engagements and Responsibilities (SENCER) Program (2001-2002), and MarylandOnline’s Faculty Online Technology Training Consortium (2001) and Project Synergy (involving the development of online learning objects, 2000) both of which were funded by grants from the Maryland Higher Education Commission. Chris also served as co-director of the FIPSE-funded Quality Matters grant project (2003-2006), which focused on developing a process and rubric for the inter-institutional quality assurance of online courses. In 2005 this project received the WCET Outstanding Work Award, USDLA’s 21st Century Best Practice Award, and MDLA’s Program of the Year Award. She has served two terms as Vice President of MDLA, and is currently serving on the Board of the UCEA Mid-Atlantic Region. She holds a B.S. in Microbiology from the University of Rochester and a Ph.D. in Genetics from the Medical College of Virginia. She has also completed the Leadership Development Program of the Center for Creative Leadership and the National Leadership Forum of the American Council of Education’s Office of Women in Higher Education. Prior to her career in higher education, she spent eleven years as a research molecular biologist at the National Institutes of Health, with an active publication record.
Dr. Cini began her 20-year career in higher education teaching adult students and has served as an academic administrator at several institutions focused on adult learners. At Duquesne University in Pittsburgh, PA, Dr. Cini was one of the first faculty to teach online in 1996. Prior to becoming Dean of the Undergraduate School at UMUC in February, 2008, she served as associate vice president for Academic Affairs and interim dean of the School of Management at City University of Seattle. During her time there, she reorganized and led the school’s e-campus initiative, while also establishing common curriculum standards, enhancing the Prior Learning Assessment process and linking academic affairs staff in the U.S. more closely with those in the international arena. Dr. Cini has published and presented extensively on topics foundational to adult learning, including leadership development in adult learners, retention and adult learners, program development across cultures, and authentic assessment and academic integrity. Dr. Cini earned her PhD and a master’s degree in social psychology from the University of Pittsburgh, as well as a master’s degree in counselor education from Pennsylvania State University.
Boris Vilic is currently Dean of the College of Continuing Studies at Rider University (Lawrenceville and Princeton, NJ). Prior to joining Rider University, Boris Vilic served as director of technology and faculty team leader for the computer systems technology curriculum for the School of Leadership and Professional Advancement at Duquesne University. His work has earned him critical acclaim: Vilic’s projects won the Creative Uses of Technology Award from the Association for Continuing Higher Education in two consecutive years. He was also honored with the 2005 Nofflet Williams Up and Coming Leadership Award from the University Continuing Education Association and Distinguished Faculty Award from the School of Leadership and Professional Advancement at Duquesne. He published a number of journal articles and book chapters on distance learning and has presented his work at national and regional conferences. Vilic holds an MBA in marketing from Duquesne University and a B.S. degree in administration and management from La Roche College in Pittsburgh.
