President's Executive Council

Sean Bennett, Vice President of Diversity and Inclusion, sbennett@salemstate.edu, ext. 2404.
Sean Bennett, EdD, arrived at Salem State University in 2020 to lead the university’s strategic diversity and inclusion priorities, working collaboratively with stakeholders throughout campus to develop, implement and embed inclusive excellence in all university endeavors. He entered with more than 20 years of leadership experience across Higher Education and K-12 environments. Prior to joining Salem State, Sean has served as Assistant Dean for Academic Operations & Student Success, Director of the Multicultural Center for Academic Success, and Associate Vice President for Institutional Diversity Initiatives and Pipeline Programs. Across positions, Sean has been charged with demonstrating leadership and innovation on projects impacting university administration, faculty, staff, and students. He holds a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from Clarkson University and Master of Education degrees from both the State University of New York at Brockport and Harvard University. Sean completed a doctorate in Higher Education Management at the University of Pennsylvania and most recently worked at the Rochester Institute of Technology in Rochester, NY.

 

Chunju Chen, Executive Director for Strategic Planning and Decision Support, cchen@salemstate.edu, ext. 2046
Chunju Chen, PhD joined the Salem State University community in 2016. Chen has 15 years of experience as executive director of institutional research at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater. She subsequently served as assistant provost of institutional research, planning and assessment at Northern Michigan University. Ms. Chen has extensive experience working across divisions to provide a full range of institutional research functions and strategic planning support to promote a climate of data-driven decision-making. Ms. Chen holds a PhD and an MA in Vocational and Technical Education from University of Minnesota-Twin Cities, and a BA in Foreign Languages for Science and Technology from China University of Geosciences.

 

Rita Colucci, Vice President and General Counsel, rcolucci@salemstate.edu, ext. 6400
Rita Colucci, Esq., joined Salem State in December 2017, as the university’s general counsel. In her role, she also oversees human resources and equal opportunity, and information technology services. Her 10 years of experience in public higher education include roles as general counsel, chief of staff and board secretary, while also overseeing marketing and communications, public safety and human resources. Prior to joining the world of higher education, Colucci worked as a labor attorney and human resources director for several state agencies. Colucci holds a JD from New England/Boston and BS in political science from Southern Connecticut State University.

 

Corey Cronin, Assistant Vice President, Marketing and Communications, ccronin@salemstate.edu, ext. 7500.
Corey Cronin joined Salem State in 2008 and serves as the university’s chief marketing officer and storyteller. He leads the development and execution of comprehensive proactive marketing efforts that define and defend the brand identity of Salem State, ensuring that all campus initiatives are aligned. With nearly 35 years of outreach experience, and a BS in accounting/management and a MS in communications, he has built audiences for several academic institutions and museums. Cronin oversees strategies that support campus-wide recruitment, retention, image, development goals, and overall positioning of the university. He also leads public relations and internal messaging efforts, along with digital marketing initiatives including the university's website and social media.

 

Cheryl Crounse, Vice President of Institutional Advancement, ccrounse@salemstate.edu, ext. 7591
With 23 years of fundraising experience, Cheryl Crounse has worked in increasing roles and responsibilities within Institutional Advancement since she arrived in 2011. Each role has prepared her for her role as Vice President of Institutional Advancement and Executive Director of the Salem State University Foundation, Inc., where Cheryl is responsible for developing and advancing fundraising strategy through alumni relations, annual giving, advancement services, campaign strategies, events, major gift and planned gifts, and communications as well as overseeing the administration, programs and strategic plans for the Salem State University Foundation, Inc., and its 19-member governing board. Prior to joining Salem State, Cheryl led various advancement efforts at Emerson College, Harvard Graduate School of Education and Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. She received her Business Administration degree from Oswego State University and is a proud first-generation college graduate.
 

Bonnie Galinski, Interim Vice President of Enrollment Management and Marketing, bgalinski@salemstate.edu, ext. 2532

Bonnie Galinski, interim Vice President for Enrollment Management and Marketing, has been at Salem State since 2010 and is committed to paving pathways for student success. Bonnie has worked in higher education for over 23 years, successfully leading teams in meeting enrollment and graduation goals at Salem State, Lesley University's Art Institute of Boston, Notre Dame College in New Hampshire, Newbury College and Boston University. She is a collaborative and strategic leader who is energized by the impact that education has on transforming individuals and communities.  Bonnie received her Education Masters in Policy, Planning and Administration from Boston University, her Bachelor of Arts in Communication Arts at the State University of New York at Plattsburgh and studied at Laval University in Quebec City, Canada.  She chaired and serves on the Board of the ACE Women's Network of MA and co-leads the Women's Employee Resource Group at Salem State.  
 

Karen House, Vice President for Finance and Facilities, khouse@salemstate.edu, ext. 6120
Karen House joined Salem State University in 2014 and is responsible for the development of the institution’s annual budget and the multi-year financial plan, including the allocation of fiscal resources in support of the university’s academic and administrative programs; and for overall fiscal accountability. She also oversees capital planning and facilities. A graduate of the University of Virginia in Charlottesville, VA, she holds, in addition, a master’s degree in business administration and a graduate certificate from Plymouth State University in Plymouth, NH. Ms. House has extensive experience in the private sector as an accountant, internal auditor and management accountant. She began her career in academia at St. Mary’s College of Maryland, progressing to associate vice president for business affairs/comptroller before joining Keene State College in 2000.

Lynne Montague, Special Assistant to the President, lmontague@salemstate.edu, ext. 6134

Lynne Montague is a Suffolk University graduate, and long-time Salem resident with over 13 years of government experience. Prior to joining the university, she served as deputy legislative director for the Patrick Administration, chief of staff to State Representative John Keenan and executive secretary to the city of Salem Mayor.

 

Carla Panzella, Associate Vice President and Dean of Students, cpanzella@salemstate.edu, ext. 6401

Carla Panzella, PhD currently serves as the Associate Vice President and Dean of Students and is the Chief Student Affairs officer at Salem State University. Her portfolio includes leadership of all aspects of student life, from athletics to residence life as well as advocating for students and illuminating their voices. Ms. Panzella’s undergraduate and master’s degrees, from Saint Peter’s University and Teachers College at Columbia University, respectively, are in psychology. She received her PhD from Seton Hall. Ms. Panzella has served in student affairs for 20 years, previously served as associate vice president for student life and development at Saint Peter’s University in Jersey City, New Jersey. She also held positions in student affairs at Wagner College, Susquehanna University and Seton Hall University.

Ms. Panzella’s doctoral dissertation was a study of the challenges faced by low-income black and Latino students in their transitions to post-secondary education. She has additional experience with the implementation of assessment systems in student affairs and has served as a deputy coordinator for Title IX.

 

David J. Silva, Provost and Academic Vice President, david.silva@salemstate.edu, ext. 6240
With over 15 years of administrative experience, Provost David Silva, PhD joined Salem State in March 2015. He has served in numerous capacities at the University of Texas at Arlington, including his role as founding department chair of the newly established department of linguistics. In 2007, he was appointed vice provost for academic affairs where he was responsible for a broad portfolio of academic initiatives, and then went on to become the university’s vice provost for faculty affairs. As a scholar of linguistics, Mr. Silva has an extensive research portfolio that focuses on phonetic variation and language change in Korean. He has also published and presented on issues germane to university-level teaching and assessment. His scholarly work has been funded by the Fulbright Program, the Korea Foundation, and the Academy of Korean Studies, among many others. Mr. Silva holds a bachelor of arts degree from Harvard University, a master of arts in linguistics degree and a doctor of philosophy degree in linguistics, both from Cornell University. His teaching career began at the University of Texas at Arlington, where he became a full professor of linguistics.