ALL IN Challenge — Presidents' Council Leadership

Higher Education Presidents' Council Chair

Jonathan Green has been president of Susquehanna University since 2017.

During his tenure, Susquehanna University has joined the American Talent Initiative, successfully completed the university’s largest capital campaign, added a TRiO program, completed the largest solar array of any campus in PA, secured support from Act 101, Title III, and the Department of Justice, and greatly expanded the University’s Freshwater Research Institute, including a partnership with the Chesapeake Conservancy.

Green is chair of the board of the Annapolis Group, chair emeritus of the Association of Independent Colleges and Universities of Pennsylvania, and serves on the boards of the Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency and the National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities.

Since arriving at Susquehanna, he has twice been named to the City & State Pennsylvania’s Higher Education Power 100, and he has received numerous awards for his higher education blog.

Green was previously Provost and Dean of the Faculty at Illinois Wesleyan University where he was named the first recipient of the Outstanding Advisor Award, and Dean of the College and Vice President for Academic Affairs at Sweet Briar College where he received the Excellence in Teaching Award.

He earned a B.Mus. and received an Outstanding Alumnus Award from SUNY Fredonia. He holds a M.M. degree from UMass Amherst where he was an Ornest Fellow, and a D.M.A. in conducting from UNC-Greensboro where he was a University Excellence Fellow and has since been named a Distinguished Alumnus of the College of Fine Arts.

Green is an award-winning composer of over 160 musical works and the author of eight music-reference books.

Leadership Team

The Chair is joined by other current sitting and emeritus presidents.

Jonathan R. Alger is American University’s 16th president.

President Alger is an experienced and visionary higher education leader who spent the last 12 years as president of James Madison University (JMU).

Under his leadership, JMU created and implemented a bold and visionary strategic plan focused on engaged learning, community engagement, and civic engagement, and developed many new initiatives such as the Valley Scholars Program for first-generation students, the comprehensive and highly successful Unleashed fundraising campaign, and the comprehensive Task Force on Racial Equity. President Alger also led JMU to achieve the R2 national research university designation and helped to grow the university’s external research funding by 92 percent from 2019 to 2023.

President Alger is a nationally recognized scholar and speaker on higher education policy and law, who has published numerous articles for scholarly journals and publications such as The Journal of College and University Law and The Law of Higher Education.

A national leader in the field of civic engagement in higher education, Alger received the ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge Standout Campus President Award in 2019 and is past chair of that organization’s Presidents Council. He co-taught a leadership seminar in JMU’s Honors College and previously taught graduate and undergraduate courses at Rutgers University and the University of Michigan in law, higher education, public policy, and diversity.

President Alger currently serves as vice chair of the national board of directors for the American Association of Colleges and Universities, as chair of the Association of Governing Boards’ Council of Presidents, and on the Knight Commission on Intercollegiate Athletics. He also is a member of the Council on Competitiveness, Council on Foreign Relations, and Institute of Citizens and Scholars’ College Presidents for Civic Preparedness. He is past board chair of Campus Compact and the National Association of College and University Attorneys and has served in many other higher education board and national leadership roles.

President Alger previously served as senior vice president and general counsel at Rutgers University, and as assistant general counsel at the University of Michigan, where he played a key leadership role in the university’s efforts in two important Supreme Court cases on diversity and admissions and coordinated one of the largest amicus brief coalitions in Supreme Court history. Earlier in his career he worked for the American Association of University Professors and the US Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights.

President Alger earned his bachelor of arts with high honors and Phi Beta Kappa from Swarthmore College, majoring in political science with a public policy concentration and a minor in history and his juris doctor with honors from Harvard Law School.

President Alger was born and raised outside Rochester, New York. He and his wife, Mary Ann, have a daughter named Eleanor, who holds degrees from Miami University (Ohio) and the Savannah College of Art and Design. President
Alger has sung with acclaimed choral groups that have toured internationally, made professional recordings, and performed on national television. His other interests include travel, history, tennis, hiking, and coin collecting.

Nancy Cantor is President of Hunter College of the City University of New York. She is recognized nationally and internationally for emphasizing the role of universities as anchor institutions in their communities, especially by forging diverse, cross-sector collaboratives and leveraging publicly engaged scholarship to advance racial equity and equitable growth.

A fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and member of the National Academy of Medicine, she previously led Rutgers University – Newark, Syracuse University and the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, and was provost at the University of Michigan, where she was closely involved in the defense of affirmative action in 2003 Supreme Court cases Grutter and Gratz.

She co-chairs the Presidents’ Alliance on Higher Education and Immigration Steering Committee and the Anchor Institutions Task Force Advisory Council, and co-edits the book series Our Compelling Interests from Princeton University Press with Earl Lewis. She has received the Robert Zemsky Medal for Innovation in Higher Education; American Council on Education Reginald Wilson Diversity Leadership Award; Frank W. Hale, Jr. Diversity Leadership Award from the National Association of Diversity Officers in Higher Education; Anti-Defamation League Woman of Achievement Award; National Council for Research on Women Making a Difference for Women Award; and 2008 Carnegie Corporation Academic Leadership Award, one of higher education’s highest honors.

A distinguished scholar, teacher, and college administrator, Crawford became president of University of Puget Sound in 2016. Crawford’s academic work and achievements as a senior administrator are closely aligned with the values and aspirations of Puget Sound, and with the key areas of challenge and opportunity facing higher education today.

Crawford came to Puget Sound following service as provost and chief academic officer of Seattle University (2008–16), where he directed the Division of Academic Affairs and oversaw the university’s schools and colleges, libraries, enrollment, information technology, institutional research, and offices supporting student academic achievement, faculty affairs, and global engagement. From 2004 to 2008, he was dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at Loyola University Chicago, where he joined the faculty of the Department of Psychology in 1987.

Crawford earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology from St. Louis University, and master’s and doctoral degrees in clinical psychology from DePaul University. He is an accomplished clinician and well-published scholar in the areas of health promotion, human sexuality and the training of mental health professionals, and the recipient of numerous national awards, including three from the American Psychological Association.

Crawford serves on the board of directors for the American Council on Education, Independent Colleges of Washington, and the Northwest Conference, as well as Providence St. Joseph Health and Providence Health Plan.

Dr. Keith Curry is the President of the Compton College and CEO of the Compton Community College District. Dr. Curry is responsible for overseeing all departments and functions of Compton College and the District and serves as secretary for the CCCD Board of Trustees. He brings an abundance of energy and innovative ideas to Compton College, along with a wealth of experience as a postsecondary education administrator.

Dr. Curry is an active member of the Foundation for Compton Community College District, the Statewide Association of Community Colleges (SWACC), and the President’s Roundtable. He has participated in Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges (ACCJC) Visiting Teams, serving as Accreditation Team Chair four times since fall 2017.

Dr. Curry co-founded and chairs Black Student Success Week. He currently serves as chair of both the National Panel on Black Student Enrollment and the Black Student Enrollment Expert Advisory Committee. He is also a member of the California Alliance for Open Education Steering Committee and the University of Southern California Racial Equity in Guided Pathways Commission Taskforce.

His recent honors include 2024 Diverse Issues in Higher Education – Diverse Champion Award,
2023 California Conference for Equality and Justice Humanitarian Award, 2022 California Community Colleges Chief Instructional Officers Equity Champion Award, and 2022 California Legislative Black Caucus Unsung Hero Recognition (35^th California Senate District).

In June 2020, Dr. Curry was invited by Governor Newsom’s Senior Policy Advisor for Higher Education Lande Ajose to serve on the California Higher Education Recovery with Equity Task Force.

At the 2019 Community College League of California Annual Conference, Dr. Curry was honored as one of three 2019 Champions of Equity by the Campaign for College Opportunity and the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials Educational Fund. The award honors those who prioritize student-centered policies that produce equitable outcomes and expand opportunities for Californians.

In 2018, Dr. Curry received the Harry Buttimer Distinguished Administrator Award. The Association of California Community College Administrators bestows the award to administrators who demonstrate integrity, principle, compassion, strength in leadership, and who have made significant contributions to the college district and community.

Since spring 2021, Dr. Curry has served as a Distinguished Research Fellow/ Adjunct Faculty at the California State University, Los Angeles Charter College of Education.

Dr. Curry earned his doctorate in educational leadership from the University of California, Irvine, and a bachelor’s degree in American studies from the University of California, Santa Cruz.

Dr. Mary K. Grant is a nationally recognized leader in public higher education with more than 30
years of experience. Known for her commitment to access, equity, and the power of creative
education, she has spent her career expanding opportunities for students and strengthening the
role of higher education in building stronger communities.

She currently serves as President of Massachusetts College of Art and Design—the nation’s only independent public college of art and design—where she brings a clear vision, deep care, and a lifelong belief in the value of creativity.

A dedicated advocate for public colleges and universities, she has also led the University of North Carolina Asheville as Chancellor and served more than a decade as President of her alma mater, the Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts (MCLA), advancing civic learning, student success, and institutional growth. President Grant also served as chair of the Board for the Council of Public Liberal Arts Colleges (COPLAC) Throughout her career, Dr. Grant has emphasized that education is not only about earning a degree—it’s about discovering purpose and preparing for a meaningful life. She is a strong voice for public service, civic dialogue, and the role of education in shaping the next generation of citizens and leaders.

Beyond campus, she contributes her leadership to several regional and national organizations. She is Vice Chair of the Board of the Norman Rockwell Museum, Chair of the National Campus Compact Board, Secretary of the Association of Independent Colleges of Art and Design, and serves on advisory and nominating panels for EdVestors, Boston Public Schools, and the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce. She’s also a regular guest on GBH’s The Culture Show with Jared Bowen.

Her previous roles include President and CEO of the Edward M. Kennedy Institute for the United States Senate and Senior Administrative Fellow for Civics and Social Justice at the Martin Richard Institute at Bridgewater State University. In every role, she’s worked alongside students, faculty, and community members to lead with creativity, care, and purpose. A first-generation college graduate, Dr. Grant understands firsthand the impact of higher education—and continues to champion its promise every day.

John B. King, Jr. is the 15th Chancellor of the State of New York (SUNY), the largest comprehensive system of public higher education in the United States.

Prior to his appointment as Chancellor, King served as the president of The Education Trust, a national civil rights nonprofit which seeks to identify and close opportunity and achievement gaps for students from preschool through college.

Chancellor King served in President Barack Obama’s cabinet as the 10th U.S. Secretary of Education. Upon tapping him to lead the U.S. Department of Education, President Obama called King “an exceptionally talented educator,” citing his commitment to “preparing every child for success,” and his lifelong dedication to public education as a teacher, principal, and leader of schools and school systems.

Before his appointment as Secretary of Education, Chancellor King fulfilled the duties of Deputy Secretary of Education, overseeing all policies and programs related to P-12 education, English learners, special education, and innovation.

His service in Washington, D.C., followed King’s tenure as New York State’s first African American and first Puerto Rican Education Commissioner, a role in which he oversaw all elementary and secondary schools, as well as public, independent, and proprietary colleges and universities, professional licensure, libraries, museums, and numerous other educational institutions.

Chancellor King holds a Bachelor of Arts in Government from Harvard University, a J.D. from Yale Law School, as well as both a Master of Arts in the Teaching of Social Studies and a Doctorate in Education from Teachers College at Columbia University.

You can follow Chancellor King on Twitter @JohnBKing.

Dr. Jonathan GS Koppell, Montclair State University’s ninth president, is a nationally recognized scholar of policy, organization and management with a reputation as a visionary leader in higher education emphasizing public service and solutions-oriented engagement in the community.

Brad L. Mortensen is the 18th president of Utah State University, a Carnegie R1 land-
grant institution, a role he has held since November 2025. He is a nationally recognized
higher education leader with more than two decades of experience across university
leadership, public policy, and economic development, including nearly seven years as
president of Weber State University and prior service with the Utah System of Higher
Education and the Governor’s Office of Planning and Budget.

He is deeply committed to student access, success, and affordability. Guided by the question “Are we the
problem?” President Mortensen leads Utah State with a focus on expanding statewide
educational and economic access, ensuring student success through high return on
investment, driving world-changing discovery across critical industries, and instilling
core values of integrity and civic mindedness. President Mortensen holds a Ph.D. in
educational leadership and policy from the University of Utah, a master’s degree in
public administration from the Syracuse University Maxwell School, and a bachelor’s
degree in political science from Utah State University.

Dr. Yves Salomon-Fernández became Urban College of Boston’s President on August 7, 2023. With over 20 years of higher education experience, including a decade working at both public and private colleges in New England and the Mid-Atlantic region, Dr. Salomon-Fernández joins UCB with a proven track record that demonstrates her steadfast commitment to ensuring that all students receive a high-quality education in a welcoming environment. Previously the President of Greenfield Community College and Cumberland Community College, Dr. Salomon-Fernández most recently served as Senior Vice President for Operations Planning at Southern New Hampshire University (SNHU).

As the current Chair of Mass Humanities, Dr. Salomon-Fernández advocates for greater inclusion of historically underrepresented histories and people, and is committed to closing the digital divide in rural and urban areas. She periodically serves as a reviewer for the National Science Foundation and Johns Hopkins University Press. Dr. Salomon-Fernández is the former Chair of the American Council of Education’s Learner Success Lab Advisory Council and a member of the Job for the Future’s Policy Leadership Trust.

In March 2018, Diverse Issues in Higher Education named her one of the Top 25 Women in Higher Education. She received the American Association of Colleges and Universities (AAC&U)-Cengage Inclusion Scholarship in January 2021, recognizing her accomplishments as an inclusive leader in higher education whose efforts have reduced equity gaps, improved inclusion and belonging for minoritized students, and/or promoted diversity in hiring practices.

Dr. Salomon-Fernández emigrated with her family from Haiti and is a graduate of Boston Latin School. She received her undergraduate degree from the University of Massachusetts Boston and holds a certificate from the University of Oxford. Her master’s degree is from the London School of Economics and her PhD is from Boston College. In addition to Haitian Creole, Dr. Salomon-Fernández is fluent in French and Spanish.

Dr. Michael J. Sorrell is the longest-serving President in the 153-year history of Paul Quinn College. During his 18 years of leadership, Paul Quinn has become nationally celebrated for its ability to continuously identify innovative ways of addressing the needs of today’s students and their communities.

Fortune Magazine named Dr. Sorrell one of the World’s 50 Greatest Leaders. He is the only three-time recipient of the HBCU Male President of the Year Award, has won Education Dive’s Higher Education’s President of the Year award and was listed by Time Magazine as one of the “31 People Changing the South. He also has been named “Father of the Year” by the City of Dallas and received the President George W. Bush Institute’s Trailblazer Award.

Michael received his J.D. and M.A. in Public Policy from Duke University and his Ed.D. from the University of Pennsylvania. He graduated from Oberlin College with a B.A. in Government and captained the men’s varsity basketball team twice.

Staff

The ALL IN Presidents’ Council was launched in 2020 with the charge of supporting senior leaders in higher education to foster campus communities inclusive of nonpartisan democratic engagement endeavors. The inaugural leadership of ALL IN’s Presidents’ Council included:

Shirley Tilghman, President Emerita, Princeton University (Presidents’ Council Chair 2020-2021)
Jon Alger, President, James Madison University
Beverly Daniel Tatum, President Emerita, Spelman College
Biddy Martin, President, Amherst College
Eric Kaler, President Emertius, University of Minnesota
Eduardo Padron, President Emertius, Miami Dade College
Mitch Daniels, President, Purdue University
Larry Bacow, President, Harvard University
Ronald Daniels, President, John Hopkins University
Valerie Smith, President, Swarthmore College
Becky Blank, Chancellor, University of Wisconsin – Madison
Ruth Simmons, President, Prairie View A&M University
Janet Napolitano, President, California State System
Gregory Williams, President, Odessa College
L. Rafael Reif, President, Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Presidents’ Council Leadership

Higher Education Presidents' Council Chair

Jonathan D. Green

Leadership Team

Jonathan Alger

Nancy Cantor

Isiaah Crawford

Keith Curry

Mary Grant

John King

Jonathan Koppell

Brad Mortensen

Yves Salomon-Fernández

Michael J. Sorrell

Staff

Jennifer Domagal-Goldman

Stephanie King