Clemson Chair Academy
New Chair Onboarding Program
Foundational support for department chairs
Watch the inaugural New Chair Onboarding program cohort celebration video
New Chair Onboarding, the first program from the Academy, is a nine-month program for individuals new to the role of department chair and new to leading a department at Clemson. The program covers foundational topics such as institutional values, mission-critical processes and best practices in leadership.
The sessions capitalize on inter-college collaborations and facilitated activities to develop department chairs across a range of leadership styles critical for leading others, managing teams, addressing issues and achieving desired outcomes.
The program includes:
- Monthly cohort sessions
- Executive-level skill development
- Success coaching
- History and culture through "Lunch & Learn" sessions
- Collaborative problem-solving and strategic planning
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2025-26 New Chair Onboarding program graduates
- Julia Brumaghim, associate chair of the Department of Chemistry in the College of Science
- Amanda Cooper Fine, assistant chair of the Department of Marketing in the Wilbur O. and Ann Powers College of Business.
- Carol Doran, assistant chair of the John E. Walker Department of Economics in the Wilbur O. and Ann Powers College of Business
- Alex Feltus, associate chair of the Department of Genetics and Biochemistry in the College of Science
- Jonathan Fogle, acting chair in the College of Veterinary Medicine
- Faiza Jamil, assistant chair of the Department of Education and Human Development in the College of Education
- Ramesh Jeganathan, chair of the Department of Food, Nutrition, and Packaging Sciences in the College of Agriculture, Forestry and Life Sciences
- Alexander Leonessa, chair of the Department of Mechanical Engineering in the College of Engineering, Computing and Applied Sciences
- Brandon Lockhart, acting chair of the Department of Finance in the Wilbur O. and Ann Powers College of Business
- Chris McMahan, associate director of the Department of Mathematical and Statistical Sciences in the College of Science
- Lisa Melonçon, chair of the Department of Interdisciplinary Studies in the College of Arts and Humanities
- Noelle Paufler, assistant chair of the Department of Educational and Organizational Leadership Development in the College of Education
- Svetlana Poznanovikj, associate director of the Department of Mathematical and Statistical Sciences in the College of Science
- Robert Prucka, chair of the Department of Automotive Engineering in the College of Engineering, Computing and Applied Sciences
- Hugo Sanabria, associate chair of the Department of Physics and Astronomy in the College of Science
- Mindy Spearman, assistant chair of the Department of Teaching and Learning in the College of Education
- Robert Tamura, interim chair of the John E. Walker Department of Economics in the Wilbur O. and Ann Powers College of Business
- Lesly Temesvari, associate chair of the Department of Biological Sciences in the College of Science
- Matt Turnbull, associate chair of the Department of Biological Sciences in the College of Science
- Dan Whitehead, associate chair of the Department of Chemistry in the College of Science
Contact Us
Want to get involved or support the Clemson Chair Academy?
Contact Tia Dumas, Ph.D., Associate Vice President for Strategic Alliances, at tdumas@clemson.edu.
