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Faculty and Staff News
appointments
Catherine Edmonds, Ed.D.
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Chief of Staff
Catherine Edmonds, Ed.D., was appointed as chief of staff.
Dr. Edmonds will advise, support, coordinate and collaborate on initiatives for NCCU’s Chancellor Dr. Johnson O. Akinleye. She will provide leadership and direction for change management initiatives, project management and program development on behalf of Chancellor Akinleye, as well as plan and direct all administrative, financial and operational activities for the Office of the Chancellor.
A distinguished leader, Dr. Edmonds comes to NCCU with almost 30 years of experience, including numerous leadership roles in primary, secondary and higher education, including serving as deputy state superintendent for the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction.
Dr. Edmonds earned a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics from North Carolina A&T State University, a Master of School Administration in Educational Leadership from North Carolina State University and an Ed.D. in Educational Administration from North Carolina State University.
Stephen W. Fusi
Chief Brand Officer
Stephen Fusi was named NCCU’s first chief brand officer, with a mission to create an aspirational brand identity for the university to engage and attract students. Fusi will be tasked with showcasing how the NCCU ecosystem of faculty, staff, alumni, corporate partners, and donors work together to create a meaningful and inviting learning experience. He will be responsible for bringing the brand identity to life through digital and traditional media, while also shaping marketing strategies as student career interests and future employer needs evolve.
Fusi is the former managing director of the Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation at Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business. He previously served as chief marketing officer for The Safe + Fair Food Company and was vice president, Customer Experience and Marketing Technology, at Fidelity Charitable, the largest public charity in the United States.
Fusi holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in electrical engineering from the University of Wisconsin – Madison and an MBA from Duke University.
Mohammad Ahmed, Ph.D.
Dean, College of Health and Sciences
Dr. Mohammad Ahmed, a professor of physics and mathematics at NCCU, was named inaugural dean of the newly reorganized College of Health and Sciences. He will serve as the unit’s chief academic officer and provide administrative oversight for all aspects of academic life within the college.
Ahmed earned a bachelor of science degree in Physics and a Ph.D. in Physics from the University of Houston. He performed research at Los Alamos National Laboratory, Brookhaven National Laboratory and Triangle Universities Nuclear Laboratory at Duke University, and was an assistant research professor of physics at Duke until his arrival at NCCU in 2011.
Derrick Magee was named associate vice chancellor of Campus Enterprises, formerly Business and Auxiliary Services. He previously served as interim director of the office.
Magee joined NCCU in October 2015 as associate athletics director for Finance and was named senior associate athletics director for Finance and Administration in 2017. Magee previously held roles in the athletics departments and business offices of Alabama State University, the University of Cincinnati and University of the Pacific.
Magee earned his MBA from California State University and is pursuing a Doctor of Business Administration degree from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte.
Dr. Deepak Kumar was appointed interim associate provost and dean, Research and Sponsored Programs.
Kumar is a tenured professor of pharmaceutical sciences and will continue serving as director of the Julius L. Chambers Biomedical Biotechnology Research Institute (JLC-BBRI), a dedicated institute for health disparities research at NCCU. As director of BBRI, Kumar serves as the scientific leader of NCCU’s JLC-BBRI research facilities in Durham and Kannapolis, N.C. (North Carolina Research Campus-NCRC).
Louis “Skip” Perkins, Ph.D.
Director of Athletics
Louis “Skip” Perkins was named director of athletics, a role he has held at three different NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision institutions, with teams capturing 10 conference championships during his tenure.
Perkins joined NCCU from Morgan State University, where he was assistant vice president for development, helping to secure record fundraising contributions during the 2020-2021 academic year.
Prior to his role as senior development officer at Coppin State University, Perkins was the associate vice president and director of athletics at Delaware State University from 2015-17. During that time, the Hornets secured four Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference championships and boasted the highest grade point average in the athletics program history. He was director of athletics at Howard University from 201015 and held the same role at the University of Arkansas Pine Bluff from 2007-10. He also served as an assistant athletics director at NCCU from 2006-07. Perkins holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science and master’s degrees in public administration and instructional media, all from NCCU, and a doctorate in Education from Delaware State University.
appointments
Susan Hester
Vice Chancellor for the Division of Institution Advancement
Susan Hester was appointed vice chancellor for Institutional Advancement.
In this role, Hester will oversee the division and manage the overall operation of fundraising efforts for the university.
She joined NCCU two decades ago and has held numerous roles, including serving as interim vice chancellor, associate vice chancellor and director of Corporate and Foundation Relations for Institutional Advancement and executive director of the NCCU Foundation.
Will Guzmán, Ph.D.
Will Guzmán was named assistant vice chancellor for International Programs and Community Engagement. As NCCU’s senior international officer, he will expand study abroad and global exchange experiences. He will also create community collaborations with the University’s government, corporate and nonprofit partners. Guzmán has 27 years of administrative experience.
He previous served as director of Florida A&M University’s Office of Black Diasporan Culture, where he was a liaison to the Bahamas. Guzmán holds a Ph.D. in history from the University of Texas-El Paso, a master’s degree from Florida State University and a bachelor’s degree from FAMU. BAILEY PRICE
Michael Bailey, M.A.
Director of Undergraduate Admissions
Michael Bailey was named director of Undergraduate Admissions. He leads the office in planning and participating in recruitment events; monitoring the application processes; and marketing to and attracting diverse groups of prospective students, parents and educators. He previously served as coordinator of transportation and parking services at NCCU.
Kweneshia Price, Ph.D.
Associate Dean of University College
Kweneshia Price was appointed associate dean of Univesrity College. As associate dean, Price will oversee critical areas within University College, including the Aspiring Eagles Academy, Tutoring and Supplemental Instruction, Writing and Speaking Studio, Title III, Project Success, Rock the Lyceum Lecture series, and other student access and engagement initiatives.
Price holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in English and Master of Arts degree in Urban Community Counseling from Norfolk State University, and a doctorate in educational leadership from East Carolina University.
Johnny Hill, Ph.D.
Director of Corporate and Foundation Engagement
Johnny Bernard Hill was named director of Corporate and Foundation Engagement, where he will facilitate engagement and strategic relationships between NCCU, corporations and private foundations in support of institutional priorities and initiatives.
Hill previously was dean of Shaw University Divinity School and co-director of the Center for Racial and Social Justice. Before that, he was department chair and professor at Claflin University in Orangeburg, S.C.
Hill holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in sociology from Morehouse College, Master of Divinity and Master of Theology degrees from Duke University, and a Ph.D. in philosophical theology from Northwestern University.
Charnequa Kennedy, M.Ed., Ed.S. Director of the Counseling Center
Charnequa Kennedy was named as the NCCU Counseling Center director and oversees mental health services and resources the university provides to students. Kennedy previously served as director of counseling services at Tennessee State University.
HILL KENNEDY
Frank Hartfield Jr., M.S.
Director of COVID Management and Response
Frank Hartfield Jr. was appointed director of COVID Management and Response and provides guidance for the university vaccine clinic; testing, reporting and contact tracing of students; and quarantine and isolation policies for students. He previously served as the interim associate director and assistant director of administration in the Office of Residential Life.
Genesis Wallace
Genesis Wallace was named HR Manager for Employment, Classification and Compensation. From 2007 to 2012, Wallace served as the administrative support associate for the NCCU Department of Physics and later for the Department of Biology. In 2012, Wallace matriculated to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill where she served as the business service coordinator, human resources specialist, human resources consultant, and business officer.
HARTFIELD WALLACE
