Staff Profile: Ken Cody
Vice Chancellor and Treasurer
ken.cody@usnh.edu
Ken Cody assumed the role of vice chancellor for financial affairs and treasurer of the University System of New Hampshire in July 2009. Ken is responsible for the corporate-wide functions of financial planning and policy, budget, controller, internal audit, purchasing and contracts, capital planning and development, debt financing, investments, risk management, treasury and related financial operations. After working as a CPA in public accounting and private industry for several years, he joined USNH in 1983 and has since served in a variety of executive level capacities. Most recently, Ken was the chief financial officer and associate treasurer at USNH, and prior to that, he served the University of New Hampshire as Assistant Vice President for Finance.
Ken holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Plymouth State University and a master’s degree in finance from Bentley University. Ken has a continuing interest in professional development of higher education financial management having served on various committees and presented at many regional and national educational conferences. He presently serves as 1st Vice President of the Eastern Association of College and University Business Officers, which represents over 650 institutions of higher education. He also serves on the board of directors of the National Association of College and University Business Officers.
Staff Profile: Ronald F. Rodgers
General Counsel and Secretary
ron.rodgers@usnh.edu
Ron Rodgers provides the full range of legal services to the University System of New Hampshire, its Board of Trustees and component institutions and affiliated organizations, including legal advice and counsel; document drafting, negotiation and review; and representation in litigation before all levels of local, state, and federal courts and administrative agencies. Ron also maintains, certifies and provides access to the University System's corporate records.
Prior to his appointment as general counsel in 1988, Ron was a senior assistant attorney general and chief of the civil bureau for the State of New Hampshire. Ron is a member of the American and New Hampshire Bar Associations and serves on the New Hampshire Right-to-Know Oversight Commission as well as the NH Supreme Court’s Commission on the Status of the Legal Profession. Ron received his B.A. from the University of Delaware in 1978 and J.D. from Harvard Law School in 1981.
Staff Profile: Kathleen K. Salisbury
Associate Vice Chancellor for Government Affairs
kathleen.salisbury@usnh.edu
Kathy Salisbury serves as the first point of contact for the Chancellor and Board in all government relations matters. Focusing primarily, but not exclusively, on state relations, the Government Affairs Office provides internal administrative support for the presidents and the campuses through a Council for Government Affairs (CGA). Presidents appoint liaisons to this council in order that legislative events and other advocacy activities might be planned seamlessly system wide. Much of the Board of Trustees’ government-related activity is coordinated in concert with the trustee Executive and External Affairs Committees.
Through a tracking, monitoring and reporting procedure, an average of 80 bills are “covered” by the Government Affairs office each year. Advocacy activities and the planning of strategies surrounding numerous bills (including budgets) is based out of the Government Affairs office with direction by the Chancellor and Trustees. There is significant coordination with business, alumni, faculty and student leaders as well.
Kathy served as President and CEO of the Exeter Area Chamber of Commerce (1985- 1989) and Greater Portsmouth Chamber of Commerce (1989-1993) and remains involved within the business community on behalf of USNH. She is a former sixth grade teacher and has served on numerous boards, government authorities and commissions. She received a BS in child development from the University of Maine in Orono and completed several courses at the University of Delaware's Institute for Organizational Management while carrying out her chamber responsibilities. She has served on the chancellor's team since 1993 as Associate Vice Chancellor.
Staff Profile: Joan M. Tambling
Director of Human Resources
joan.tambling@usnh.edu
Joan Tambling is responsible for the University System's human resources office and has been in the position of director of human resources since 1989. Responsibilities include development of policy and practice initiatives to support the principles and infrastructure for the delivery of effective human resources at USNH institutions. The primary areas of responsibility include benefits design and administration, compensation and classification structures, oversight of human resourse compliance with legal requirements, human resource information systems and labor and employee relations. Joan's credentials include a bachelor's degree in history and a master's degree in business administration, 7 years of experience in human resources for a Fortune 500 company, and 25 years in higher education. Joan has received several awards for HR competence including the Ford and Dickerson awards, and has served in leadership roles on several boards for professional associations including the College and University Personnel Association and the National Center for the Study of College Bargaining in Higher Education and the Professions.
Staff Profile: Dr. Mary Ellen Fleeger
Associate Vice Chancellor for Academic and Student Affairs
me.fleeger@usnh.edu
Mary Ellen Fleeger is the director of academic and student affairs and joined the system office in 2003. She is responsible for research, assessment and issue analysis in support of Board activities, priorities and initiatives; collection, analysis and general reporting for fact book and other reports; support for System Academic Planning Council (SAPC) and academic program review; support for Board of Trustees Programs and Services committee and for student affairs sub-committee; and support for USNH-CCSNH partnerships, including the Joint Management Committee and the joint Transfer and Articulation workgroups.
Prior to joining USNH in 2003, she was Vice President for Research and Communication at Southern Oregon University. Prior to becoming vice president, she was dean and professor of nursing. She brings extensive experience to the University System as a professor and researcher. Her administrative experience includes creating a campus assessment team, working with all campuses and the system to develop performance indicators for the University System, developing business-education partnerships, conducting a needs assessment and planning seamless education delivery with Oregon and California higher education institutions. She helped plan, fund and still teaches research methodology in a master's of management program delivered at the Universidad de Guanjuanto, Mexico.
Mary Ellen holds a bachelor's degree in nursing from Mankato State University in Minnesota, a masters degree in public health nursing from the University of Minnesota and a PhD in higher education administration from the University of Oregon.