UW-Green Bay names leaders at Marinette, Manitowoc and Sheboygan campuses
Campus Executive Officers to Play Critical Role in Reshaping Region’s Higher Education Footprint
GREEN BAY — Longtime higher education administrators Rachele Bakic and Jennifer Williamson-Mendez have been named the Campus Executive Officers at University of Wisconsin-Green Bay’s Manitowoc and Sheboygan campuses, respectively. UW-Green Bay Provost Greg Davis made the announcement Friday, July 20, 2018.
The appointments finalize the leadership positions at the new, one university, four-campus University of Wisconsin-Green Bay. The Campus Executive Officers manage the day-to-day operations of the campuses to ensure they run smoothly and efficiently, while serving as liaisons between the branch campuses and the Green Bay campus.
Cindy Bailey now fills the role as Campus Executive Officer at the Marinette Campus. Since 2016, Bailey has had a dual role as Campus Administrator and Regional Associate Dean for Student Affairs & Enrollment Management for both UW-Marinette and UW-Marathon County.
“Our University community is ecstatic to have three new leaders at UW-Green Bay,” said UW-Green Bay Chancellor Gary L Miller. “Our Campus Executive Officers will be the first-line support in connecting with businesses, government officials and community members, while working with faculty, staff and students to continue to bring a quality higher education experience to Northeast Wisconsin, and now across a 16-county footprint.”
Rachele Bakic
Rachele Bakic comes to Wisconsin from Clark College in Vancouver, Washington, where she served as Associate Dean of Instructional Operations since 2015. She had served in various roles at Clark College since 2013 including Interim Director of Academic Services and program manager of the Health e-Workforce Consortium Grant. She has worked in higher education roles since 2004 in New York, Hawaii and Florida. She begins her new role on August 13, 2018.
“We found Rachele to be a passionate advocate of the higher-education experience, as well as a motivated leader and strategic planner. She will be an exceptional advocate for, and on behalf of, the Manitowoc community,” said Davis.
Jennifer Williamson Mendez
Jennifer Williamson-Mendez comes to Sheboygan from UW-Platteville, where she served as Director of Career and Professional Development since 2017. She served as UW-Platteville’s Director of Academic and Career Advising Center from July of 2014 to May 2017, and prior to that served six years as Director of Adult Education at Lakeland College. She begins July 30, 2018.
“Jennifer has broad and encompassing experience in higher education — from career development and communication planning, to assessment, enrollment and operations,” said Davis. “Her demonstrated leadership and collaborative experience will set the perfect tone at our Sheboygan campus.”
Cindy Baily
An alumna of UW-Marinette, Cindy Bailey began working in UW-Marinette Student Affairs in 1997 and was named Assistant Campus Dean in 2002. She received the Academic Staff of the Year Award each year from 1998 to 2005 and in 2007 and 2012, and was named the UW Colleges Outstanding Academic Staff Member in 2001. She received the Marinette Area Chamber of Commerce “Achievement in Education” Award in 2002 and was named the UW-Marinette Kaplan Fellow in 2005. She received the UW Colleges Nora McGuire Outstanding Academic Staff Member award in 2014 and most recently was recognized by the Marinette School District with a Community Marine Way Propel Award in 2017. She is closely tied to the Marinette community.
“Appointing Cindy as the campus executive officer, especially considering her exceptional knowledge-base and her collaborative spirit, was an easy decision. She is a valued member of the Marinette campus and a beloved member of the Marinette community,” said Provost Davis.
From new Manitowoc Campus Executive Officer Rachele Bakic
“I’m deeply honored to serve as the Campus Executive Officer at UW-Green Bay at Manitowoc. I am excited to work with the faculty, staff and local leaders to provide higher education access to students in the greater Manitowoc community. As we join together with UW-Green Bay and its branch campuses, we will work tirelessly to advance the idea of Project Coastal.”
From new Sheboygan Campus Executive Officer Jennifer Williamson-Mendez
“I am thrilled and honored to be joining the UW-Green Bay family during this time of transition and reinvention. As we join the four campuses into one unified University, the work we do together will ensure that our students are prepared for their future, the needs of our communities are met and the University grows stronger in the years to come.”
From new Marinette Campus Executive Officer Cindy Bailey
“I’m extremely excited to continue to work with and support the Marinette community and our students. Our campus currently has so much to offer the citizens of our region, but we’ll have even more moving forward. We have the opportunity for great partnerships with business and industry, and I look forward to leading the campus in this new direction.”
About the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay
The University of Wisconsin-Green Bay is a comprehensive public institution offering undergraduate and graduate programs to nearly 8,000 students in four campus locations. The University transforms lives and communities through exceptional and award-winning teaching and research, innovative learning opportunities and a problem-solving approach to education. For more information, visit www.uwgb.edu.
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