OVPSA Staff and Faculty

Rodney Bennett
Thomas Burke
John Ayoob

David Allen
Eric Atkinson
Jan Davis Barham
Toni Boatwright
Alan Campbell
Mike Campbell
Lisa Collett
Linda edge
Jane Hillsman
Dallin young
angelique jackson
anna gordon
pat poole
ali sabin
beau seagraves
Kyle Tschepikow
Christa Veal
Jen Wells
Wanda William Vice President for Student Affairs & Dean of Students
Associate Vice President for Student Affairs
Assistant Vice President for Student Affairs Budget & Administration

Director of Development
Assistant to the Vice President for Student Affairs
Director of Assessment & Staff Development
Administrative Assistant
Senior Associate Dean for Student Support
IT Professional Specialist
Administrative Associate
adminstrative specialist
senior budget analyst
doctoral intern
administative associate
graduate assistant
administative assistant
web developer specialist
assistant dean for student support
assistant director for staff development
Administrative Assistant
Doctoral Intern
budget analyst

 

Rodney D. Bennett, Ed.D.
Vice President for Student Affairs & Dean of Students
bennettr@uga.edu

I am the Vice President for Student Affairs and Dean of Students at the University of Georgia. I also have an academic appointment of Associate Professor in the Department of Counseling and Human Development Services in the College of Education and previously served as UGA's Interim Associate Provost for Institutional Diversity.

As Vice President I am responsible for overseeing the following Student Affairs units/departments: the Department of Campus Life & the Tate Student Center which includes Greek Life and the Center for Leadership and Service; the Disability Resource Center; University Testing Services; Recreational Sports & the Ramsey Student Center; ; the University Health Center; University Housing; the Department of Student Support which includes Judicial Programs, the LGBT Resource Center, and the Office of Violence Prevention; and the Department of Intercultural Affairs which includes Multicultural Services and Programs, International Student Life, and the African American Cultural Center.

I received my undergraduate degree from Middle Tennessee State University in Murfreesboro, Tennessee and my Doctor of Education degree from Tennessee State University in Nashville, Tennessee.

Prior to serving at the University of Georgia, I was Dean of Students at Winthrop University in Rock Hill, South Carolina.

Most likely, you will see me around campus interacting with students, faculty and the administrators of the University of Georgia. Additionally, I serve on the Board of Directors for the Girl Scouts of Northeast Georgia, Community Connections in Athens, Georgia, and on the St. Mary's Hospital Board of Directors.

Thomas H. Burke, Ph.D.
Associate Vice President
for Student Affairs
tburke@uga.edu

I'm the Associate Vice President for Student Affairs and an adjunct assistant professor of College Student Affairs Administration at the University of Georgia. I hold a B.A. from the University of North Carolina at Asheville and a master's and Ph.D. from Florida State University. Before joining the staff at UGA, I worked at High Point University (NC), Georgia Southwestern College and State University, University of Alabama, and Middle Tennessee State University. Here at UGA, my primary supervisory responsibilities include University Housing, Disability Resource Center, University Testing, the University Health Center, Counseling and Psychological Services and Student Financial Aid.

Growing up in Venezuela, I learned Spanish and English almost simultaneously. Living there greatly influenced much of my life as an adult, and, because of my fluency in Spanish, I have taught undergraduate Spanish courses for many years. Since arriving at UGA in 2000, I have volunteered in the adult literacy program in University Housing, teaching English to native Spanish speakers and Spanish to staff who interact daily with the growing number of native Spanish speakers in the department. In addition, I enjoy traveling to Latin America and have taken students on trips to Costa Rica, Venezuela and Cuba. I believe all University students should have some kind of international experience before graduating.

I have a daughter who recently graduated from UGA, so I understand first-hand how students interact with the University and how the University interacts with students. The University is a friendly and caring place but the system does not always work perfectly. If you are ever in need of assistance with some aspect of the University and do not know where to turn, call or drop by the Office of the Vice President for Student Affairs and ask for me, or another member of the helpful staff in the office.

John Ayoob, M.Ed.
Assistant Vice President
for Student Affairs Budget
& Administration
jayoob@uga.edu

I provide leadership to the Division for fiscal and budgetary matters, including financial accounting and reporting; human resources and EEO compliance; payroll; financial management systems; and fund management (state appropriated, auxiliary operations, student activity fee accounts and UGA Foundation monies). Additionally, I serve on several campus-wide committees: Committee for Applied Instructional Technologies (CAIT), Student Technology Fee (STF), and Major Repair and Rehabilitation (MRR).

I graduated from the University of Maine at Presque Isle in 1981 earning a B.S degree in Physical Education, Recreation and Health with a minor in Coaching.  I attended and graduated from Plymouth State University earning my M.Ed.in School Guidance and Counseling (K-12) in 1984.  I have also earned designations from the Building Owners Management Institute and The Association of Higher Education Facilities Officers and the College Business Management Institute.

I joined the University in 1986 as a member of the University Housing Department. An avid outdoor person, having lived and worked in Alaska, New Hampshire, and Maine prior to moving to Georgia.

David Allen
Director of Development
diallen@uga.edu

As the Director of Development for Student Affairs, I am responsible for identifying, cultivating, and soliciting private support for student programs and services in the Division. UGA students are directly impacted by the generosity of our donors. 

I hold a B.S. degree in psychology from Georgia Southern University, M.A. degree in organizational development psychology from West Georgia University, and Doctor of Education degree in sports management from the United States Sports Academy. Prior to coming to UGA, I worked in development supporting the College of Business Administration at the University of Central Florida. I also served as the Director of Admissions at the United States Sports Academy for three years. In addition, I worked as a business consultant for Andersen Consulting. 

My wife and I live in Athens and have two dogs, a boxer and a boston terrier, named Jasmine and Bosco.    We enjoy fishing in the North Georgia Mountains and spending time with family in Atlanta.

Eric Atkinson, M.Ed.
Assistant to the Vice President
for Student Affairs
atkinson@uga.edu

In my role as Assistant to the Vice President for Student Affairs, I work closely with the Vice President, serve as a member of the central office staff, and leadership team for the division. My general responsibilities include the following: assist with division wide planning and reporting communications; assist with the coordination of division-wide community building activities; serve as an advocate for various student populations; participate in division budget development, strategic planning, and goal setting; provide staff support for the Vice President’s initiatives, and contribute to the collaborative efforts to enhance the total educational experience for all University of Georgia students.  In addition, I supervise the Greek Life Office and work closely with registered fraternities and sororities affiliated with UGA’s Interfraternity Council, Multicultural Greek Council, National Pan-Hellenic Council, and Panhellenic Council. 

I received my Bachelors Degree from Troy State University in Troy, AL and earned my Masters Degree in College Student Affairs Administration at the University of Georgia.

Jan Davis Barham, Ph.D.
Assistant to the Vice President
for Assessment & Staff Development
davisjk@uga.edu

As a native North Carolinian, I, of course, attended the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill where I received a Bachelors Degree in Communication Science. I then journeyed to Appalachian State University and received a Masters in Human Development and Psychological Counseling. I most recently graduated from the University of Georgia with a Doctorate in Student Affairs Administration.

It was during my tenure as a Doctoral student at the University of Georgia that I began to see the importance of assessment in a quality Student Affairs program. I believe research is the cornerstone of understanding students. With informative data, practitioners can provide more intentional programs that contribute to the growth, development, and learning of students.

My responsibilities within the Division of Student Affairs are two-fold. First, I provide leadership for the division in the areas of assessment, strategic planning, and annual reporting processes. Secondly, I coordinate the staff development activities and learning opportunities for the staff within the division. I am thankful to have the opportunity to oversee these two areas for I believe them to be two of the most important to the university community.

Prior to coming to my current position, I worked at the University of Tennessee- Knoxville as a Hall Director, Wake Forest University as an Area Coordinator, and the Department of University Housing at the University of Georgia as a Doctoral Intern.

 

Toni Thibodeaux Boatwright
Adminstrative Assistant
tonib@uga.edu

I joined the Office of Student Support Services in November 2008. As an assistant to Dr. Alan Campbell, Beau Seagraves and Linda Edge, I am also entrusted with establishing an approachable and responsive atmosphere where students, their families and faculty members obtain support with hardship situations. I receive and assist callers, clients, and visitors along with providing help with special projects, events and assignments.

Prior to joining the UGA community, I worked as an Administrative Assistant with the Adult Literacy Program at Athens Technical College, operated my own authentic Cajun café and enjoyed freelance writing for local magazines. 

My husband Paul and I have a small farm in Madison County where we care for a menagerie of animals and grow seasonal garden plants. We have two adult children and enjoy our free time taking weekend trips around the state where we visit historical sites, garden districts, farmer’s markets and art museums.

 

Alan Campbell, Ph.D.
Senior Associate Dean
for Student Support
dralan@uga.edu

I am the Senior Associate Dean for Student Support at the University of Georgia. In my role, I am responsible for assisting students who experience hardship circumstances. I work closely with students and faculty to help them understand and follow relevant University policies and procedures. At some point in time for many students, the University can seem like a large, impersonal bureaucracy. I try to offer personal guidance and information to help students navigate through the system. I also oversee the follwing departments: Judicial Programs, the LGBT Resource Center, and the Office of Violence Prevention.

I earned a B.A., an M.A., and a Ph.D. at the University of Georgia. I also completed a pre-doctoral internship and a Post-Doctoral Fellowship at UGA. In addition, I worked as a Licensed Psychologist at the University Health Center before beginning my current position. From the many years I have spent learning and working at the University, I can appreciate many of the challenges that students face on our campus. I am knowledgeable about many of the various campus and community resources available to students. If a student is ever feeling lost or confused about where to turn for help or assistance on our campus, please contact me or Linda Edge. We will gladly help the student figure out where to go or who to contact on campus for assistance.

Mike Campbell, B.S.
IT Professional Specialist
mikecamp@uga.edu

Hello! I am the Technology Professional for the Office of the Vice President for Student Affairs. I am involved in all aspects of technology that can be used to better equip our office to meet the demands of our day-to-day business. I support all computer functions for the office and serve as the technical liaison between our office and campus community. I work closely with the Assessment office creating surveys, assessment tools and web pages. I earned my bachelor's in education from UGA, with an emphasis in science and education. I've been working in the computer field for over 20 years.

Lisa Collett, B.A.
Administrative Associate
lcollett@uga.edu

I provide administrative support for Jan Barham, Director of Assessment and Staff Development, and for David Allen, Director of Development. I am a native of Nashville, TN and graduated from Davidson College in 2006 with a degree in political science. Prior to my current position, I worked for two years as a paralegal at Hughes Hubbard & Reed LLP in Washington, D.C.

Linda Edge
Administrative Specialist
ledge@uga.edu

I have worked in Student Affairs for going on nine years. I assist Dr. Alan Campbell, Senior Associate Dean for Student Support. We are responsible for assisting students with hardship withdrawals, assisting students in crises and assisting faculty who are working with students in crises, locating students for emergency reasons, notifying faculty for students with long-term absences, guiding students through the grade change request process, educating students of available campus resources, and we serve as the initial contact for the notification of student deaths. We sometimes jokingly refer to our area as “the office of explanation” because students, parents, faculty and staff call us when they don't know who else to call. If we don't know the answer, we'll try our best to find it. Please feel free to call or drop by if you need our assistance or if you are not certain whose assistance you need! And as a UGA sophomore, I am proof it is never too late to go back to school!

Jane Hillsman
Senior Budget Analyst
jhillsma@uga.edu

In my position as Senior Budget Analyst, I help resolve budgetary and payroll problems, prepare various budgetary reports, provide information to departments, and assist with all aspects of the Budget Office operation. I've been with the Office of the Vice President for Student Affairs since 1987 and have held a variety of positions during that time.

Angelique Jackson, B.A.
Administrative Associate

As an administrative associate Angel serves as the assistant to Dr. Tom Burke, Associate Vice President for Student Affairs and to Mr. John Ayoob, Assistant Vice President for Student Affairs Budget and Administration.  She is also responsible for greeting guests, directing phone calls throughout the office, updating Division-wide databases, and creating a monthly publication, /In Touch/. Angel graduated from UGA in May of 2006, with a degree in Speech Communication from the Franklin College of Arts and Sciences.  She is currently pursuing her Masters of Public Administration with an emphasis on Higher Education Administration and Organizational Theory.  She and her husband live in Watkinsville with their wonderful son who was born in September of 2007.

Anna Gordon
Graduate Assistant

I am the Graduate Assistant for the Office of Student Affairs Assessment. My primary responsibility is to participate in the assessment efforts within the Division of Student Affairs: training, consulting, developing surveys, and reporting.

Pat Poole
Administrative Assistant I
ppoole@uga.edu

I am the receptionist for the Office of the Vice President for Student Affairs. I provide administrative support and assist staff with typing correspondance, scheduling conference rooms, greeting visitors and other duties as assigned.

Ali Sabin, B.F.A.
Web Developer Specialist
sabin@uga.edu

As a Web Developer Specialist for the Office of the Vice President for Student Affairs, I developed and maintain the OVPSA website and several other sites within the Division. In addition to digital projects, I provide design for print materials including logos, publications, learning/training materials, etc. I also offer training for Division support staff in web maintanance.

I received a B.F.A in Digital Media from the Lamar Dodd School of Art at the University of Georgia, after which I worked as a graphic designer. I have been a digital design professional for over 10 years. Prior to my arrival at the OVPSA, I served as an Administrative Coordinator for the Franklin College Office of Academic Advising.

My interests include animals, printmaking, horror films, and edible gardening.

Beau Seagraves
Assistant Dean for Student Support

I serve as the Assistant Dean for Student Support. My responsibilities include assisting students who are experiencing difficult circumstances by determining their eligibility for hardship withdrawals from their academic courses.  I also work directly with students who have questions, concerns, or complaints about any aspect of the university and seek to facilitate a timely resolution of these issues.     

I received a B.A. in History and Political Science from the Furman University and a M.Ed. in Counselor Education (Student Affairs emphasis) from Clemson University.  I am currently working part-time on my Ph.D. in College Student Affairs Administration here at UGA.  I previously served as the Director of Residence Life and Summer Programs at Presbyterian College in Clinton, SC and as a Housing Area Coordinator at Furman University in Greenville, SC.

Kyle Tschepikow
Assistant Director of Assessment
Kyletsch@uga.edu

Kyle Tschepikow is the Assistant Director of Assessment in the Division of Student Affairs.  He received a B.A. in English Literature from Henderson State University in Arkansas and a M.A. in the same subject from the University of Wales, Bangor in Great Britain.  He previously served three years as the Director of Residence Life and Chief Judicial Affairs Officer at the University of Charleston in Charleston, West Virginia. He is currently pursuing a PhD in Higher Education from the Institute of Higher Education at the University of Georgia.

Christa Veal
Administrative Assistant

As Administrative Assistant, my primary duties include directing students, parents, staff, and other University affiliates to the appropriate resources or individuals both over the phone and in person.  I also provide general administrative support to the Assistant to the Vice President for Student Affairs and other office staff.  I graduated from UGA in May 2009 with a double major in Speech Communication and Sociology along with a Certificate in Personal and Organizational Leadership.

Jen Wells
Doctoral Intern
jbwells@uga.edu

As the Doctoral Intern in the Office for the Vice President of Student Affairs, my primary responsibility is coordinating the student affairs graduate assistantship process.  Other projects include working with mock placement, SAIL, and various other assessment and staff development initiatives.

I received my B.A. in German and History from Albion College and a M.A. in Student Affairs Administration from Michigan State University.  I am currently a full-time doctoral student in the College Student Affairs Administration doctoral program.  I previously served four years as an Area Coordinator at John Carroll University, the Catholic and Jesuit University in Cleveland, OH. 

 

Wanda Williams
Budget Analyst
wwilliam@uga.edu

As Budget Analyst, I process the non-personnel services transactions for the Office of the Vice President for Student Affairs. My responsibilities include accounting, budgeting, and purchasing. I assist the departments of Student Affairs with questions pertaining to the completion of forms associated with non-personnel services. I've been with the Division of Student Affairs for 14 years.