Senior Administration

Dr. Lisa Blazer serves as Senior Vice President of Strategic Enrollment Management. In this role, she leads strategic enrollment efforts, including oversight for Admissions, Registrar, Enrollment Technology, Financial Aid, International Admissions and Services, Webster University Online and Metro Campus Operations. In collaboration with academic units and university departments, campuses and partners, Blazer oversees the development and implementation of the University’s strategic enrollment plan, expanding offerings for students to attend Webster’s online and face-to-face undergraduate and graduate programs. Most recently, she spearheaded the Continuing Education and Lifelong Learning global initiative offering new certificates, workshops, seminars and other learning opportunities. She was formerly the Vice President of Enrollment Management.

Prior to joining Webster, Blazer served as the Associate Vice President of Enrollment Services at Texas A&M University and served in multiple roles at the University of Texas at San Antonio, including Senior Associate Vice Provost for Academic Innovation, Interim Vice President for Strategic Enrollment and Associate Vice President for Financial Aid and Enrollment Services. Blazer is the recipient of the Alan W. Purdy Distinguished Service Award from the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (NASFAA). She served as the 2016-2017 NASFAA National Chair, and served as president in state and regional associations. She earned her bachelor’s degree in Piano Performance from Missouri Baptist University, and her master’s degree in Organizational Development and her doctoral degree in Education with a Focus on Organizational Leadership from the University of the Incarnate Word in San Antonio, Texas.

Dr. John Buck joined Webster University in 2000. He provides leadership for all functional areas of student affairs, works closely with campus student leaders, develops student life policies and procedures and consults with colleagues throughout Webster’s worldwide network on student life issues. Prior to joining Webster, Buck spent nine years working in student affairs at Saint Louis University.

Buck's responsibilities include Campus Dining Services, Career Planning and Development Center, Counseling and Life Development, Dean of Students Office, First-Year Experience Program, Housing and Residential Life, Multicultural Center and International Student Affairs, Office of Student Engagement, Student Health Services, Student Conduct and the University Center.

As an Adjunct Full Professor at Webster, Buck has taught courses on leadership thought and theory for undergraduate and graduate students. His research interests include decision making in crisis situations occurring on college campuses, which was the focus of his dissertation. Buck is also a long-time faculty member for the Foundation for Teaching Economics “Economics for Leaders” program.

Buck holds a bachelor’s degree in Sociology from Colorado State University, a master’s degree in Management and Leadership, and a doctorate in Management (DMgt), both from Webster. He is also a 2014 graduate Webster University’s Global Leadership Academy.

Charles Burton is Webster's Senior Vice President of People, Mission, Legal and Chief of Staff, overseeing human resources, mission integration and legal affairs, and serving as the University’s corporate legal representative and liaison with outside counsel. He originally joined Webster University as Chief Human Resources Officer in June 2024 after a distinguished 20-year career with St. Louis Public Schools, where he spent his last seven years there serving as Chief Human Resources Officer. 

A graduate of Washington University School of Law and Monmouth College, Burton brings extensive experience in strategic leadership, labor relations and organizational development. His career includes negotiating historic union agreements, implementing innovative recruitment and retention strategies, and guiding organizations through complex operational challenges. He is deeply committed to fostering inclusive, mission-driven environments that support excellence and equity.

 

Eileen Condon leads all aspects of operations and programming in Webster’s global library network, whose mission is to empower Webster’s diverse, global community of students, faculty, staff and alumni to fulfill their research, learning, and information needs now and in the future. She oversees all areas of library operations, including development, provision, and management of resources, collections and services. She coordinates with staff at Eden Theological Seminary on the operation of the Webster-Eden Library System, a cooperative program that supports the teaching, research and intellectual pursuits of Webster University and Eden Theological Seminary. Condon serves as editor of the Webster University Press, managing the existing catalog, as well as acquisition and publication of new titles.

Condon holds a master’s in Library and Information Science from the University of Missouri-Columbia, and a bachelor’s in English with a minor in Spanish from Truman State University. She has been with Webster since 1992.

Stephanie Dane serves as the Vice President of the Office of Global Marketing and Community Resource Development. She leads a unit that advances the University’s mission and provides strategic leadership in marketing, communications, public relations, stewardship and fundraising.

With over two decades in the nonprofit sector, philanthropy has remained a fundamental part of her career through her work in marketing, communications and storytelling. She spent more than 20 years of her career at the Gateway Region YMCA; 14 of those years focused on marketing and communications to support member acquisition and retention, growing program enrollment and fundraising campaigns. In 2021, Dane transitioned to higher education.

She joined Fontbonne University as the Director of Integrated Marketing Communications before accepting the opportunity to return to her alma mater in 2022. Dane was appointed Chief Communications Officer in 2024 before transitioning to the VP role in 2025.

A dual alumna of Webster’s School of Communications, she holds a BA in Advertising and Marketing Communications and an MA in Media Communications.

Dr. Thao Dang-Williams leads efforts to improve degree progression, retention and completion for graduate students. She will also manage programming to strengthen undergraduate enrollment and student success, including Dual Credit, and will help to build and improve services and programs for adult learners.

Previously, Dang-Williams served for six years as Dean of Extended Education for Webster’s St. Louis metropolitan locations at Gateway, Westport and WingHaven. In that position, she worked with Webster University's schools and colleges to enhance student services, led a coordinated enrollment effort, strengthened programs for both undergraduate and graduate students, and built educational partnerships in the St. Louis metropolitan area.

Dang-Williams has had an extensive career in higher education. At Ranken Technical College, she held the positions of Assistant Registrar, instructor, and then later became the first female department chair of the college. She then assumed the position of Dean of the Humanities and Social Sciences Division at St. Louis Community College. She has been with Webster since 2010, serving first as the Associate Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences and then as Interim Associate Vice President and Director of the Online Learning Center, prior to her appointment as Dean of Extended Education in 2014.

Dang-Williams earned her Bachelor of Arts Cum Laude with a double major in Communication and Government with a minor in the Classics from Monmouth College. She also holds an Master of Arts in Communication and an EdD in Higher Education Administration, both from Saint Louis University.

Bill Donovan began working at Webster University in January 2024. He has served as CFO, vice president and financial director for several companies in the past two decades. He has worked in financial planning and analysis, investment banking, corporate development, private equity and accounting team leadership across multiple sectors, including real estate, manufacturing, services, renewable energy and cleantech. He was the CFO for Sansone Group LLC from 2021 until joining Webster earlier this year.

Donovan holds bachelor’s degrees in both International Studies and Mechanical Engineering from the University of Missouri at Columbia, and a master’s degree in Business Administration from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania.

Ryan Elliott is the Vice President of Facilities and Operations at Webster University, where he provides visionary leadership and strategic oversight for the University’s operational infrastructure. In this role, Elliott is responsible for ensuring Webster’s facilities and systems align with the institution’s mission and long-term goals, driving efficiency, innovation and sustainability across all areas of campus operations.

Elliott’s impact during his 24 years at Webster University is marked by transformative initiatives that have strengthened the University’s technological and operational foundation. He led the successful implementation of a new enterprise resource planning (ERP) system, a project that streamlined processes and enhanced data integration across departments. Additionally, Elliott directed the conversion of the Advancement team from Jenzabar CX to the Jenzabar JX Advancement system, improving functionality and supporting the University’s fundraising and engagement efforts. His leadership as Project Lead for Webster’s Operation Focus initiative underscored his ability to guide complex, institution-wide projects that deliver measurable results.

Prior to his current role, Elliott served as Interim Chief Information Officer and Associate Vice President for Advancement. In these capacities, he managed critical technology and advancement operations, ensuring that Webster remained agile and responsive to evolving institutional needs. His experience spans both strategic planning and hands-on execution, making him a leader in navigating change and fostering collaboration across diverse teams.

Elliott earned a Master of Arts in Media Communications with an emphasis in Public Relations from Webster University in 2004. He holds dual Bachelor of Arts degrees in Sociology and History from the University of Missouri, along with a certificate in Fundraising from the IUPUI Lilly Family School of Philanthropy. He is a multiple-time Ironman finisher.

Elsa Fan is a medical anthropologist whose research looks at how global health practices travel across different social and cultural contexts. Her book, “Commodities of Care: The Business of HIV Testing in China” (University of Minnesota Press, 2021), examines how scaling up HIV testing unfolded in unexpected ways across communities of men who have sex with men in China. She has published papers in Critical Public Health, Global Public Health and Medicine Anthropology Theory about metrics, the portability of standardized global health interventions and how categories transform subjectivity and sociality. Fan's research has been supported by the National Science Foundation, Wenner-Gren Foundation and UC Institute on Global Conflict and Cooperation among others. Her areas of research expertise include medical anthropology, critical global health, humanitarianism, development studies and gender and sexuality studies.

She previously worked and consulted in international development and philanthropy with organizations like UNDP, Global Fund for Children and Give2Asia, and lived in Asia for years as part of her development career.

Fan holds a Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology and Psychology from the University of California at Berkeley, a Master of Science in Anthropology and Development Studies from the London School of Economics and Political Science, and a PhD in Anthropology from the University of California at Irvine.

Since 2018, Vincent C. Flewellen (he/him/his) has served as Webster University’s Associate Vice President and Chief Diversity Officer. During his tenure, he has transformed the Office of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI) from a very externally facing role, working with community partners such as The St. Louis American Charitable Foundation and the Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis, to an office that supports the University campus by providing consultation and support to students, faculty, staff and alumni.

Flewellen introduced the YWCA “Witnessing Whiteness” program for employees, and expanded the University’s annual Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Conference. This conference, which will celebrate its 10th anniversary in February 2025, has grown from around 100 local attendees, to becoming the Midwest's largest DEI conference, attracting thousands of in-person and virtual registrants from across the globe. Flewellen significantly increased external funding for the conference, in collaboration with the Office of Development, through corporate sponsorships. The event has featured well-known speakers such as authors Michele Norris, Shelly Tochluk and Michelle Zauner, as well as U.S. Olympians Laurie Hernandez and Jackie Joyner-Kersee. In response to the murder of George Floyd, Flewellen launched “Webster Speaks: Dialogues on RACE, EQUITY and INCLUSION,” serving as host in the virtual series.

With nearly 30 years of experience integrating DEI into the culture of education in the St. Louis area, he has made several appearances on local and national news outlets as a thought leader in DEI on topics such as white privilege, affirmative action and critical race theory. He was honored as one of the Diverse Business Leaders by the St. Louis Business Journal in 2020, and received the DELUX Power 100 Award in 2019 for his exemplary leadership.

Flewellen formerly served as the Director of DEI at The College School. Prior to that leadership role, he taught middle school history and English in several independent and public schools in the St. Louis area. He served as an adjunct professor at Washington University in St. Louis' Brown School of Social Work for six years, while also providing DEI consultation to various community organizations, independent schools and public school districts.

A proud member of the LGBTQ+ community, Flewellen is a lifelong resident of the City of St. Louis. In 2024, he was appointed by St. Louis City Mayor Tishaura O. Jones to serve as a Commissioner of the Civil Service Commission of St. Louis City. In 2023, he joined the Missouri Historical Society as a member of the Education and Visitor Experience Committee, and was elected Vice President of the city’s first LGBTQIA+ Advisory Board, to which he was appointed by Jones in 2022. He also joined the Board of Trustees for Crossroads College Preparatory School, an independent middle and high school in the City of St. Louis, in 2022. Since 2018, he has served as a member of the Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Committee for Opera Theatre of Saint Louis.

Flewellen is currently pursuing a doctoral degree at Webster University’s School of Education. He holds a Master of Social Work from Washington University in St. Louis' Brown School of Social Work and a Bachelor of Arts in Education from Maryville University of St. Louis.

Dr. Ryan Guffey is the Executive Vice President of Webster International. Presently, Webster offers degree programs in Athens, Greece; Bukhara, Samarkand and Tashkent, Uzbekistan; Chengdu and Shanghai, China; Geneva, Switzerland; Leiden, the Netherlands; Tbilisi, Georgia and Vienna, Austria.

Prior to Webster, Guffey was Vice President of Student Development and Global Affairs at Lindenwood University, where he was also an Associate Professor of International Relations and Education and Chair of the departments of International Relations and Chinese Studies.

He is a two-time United States Fulbright recipient. His first Fulbright Scholar Award took him to Chulalongkorn University in Bangkok, Thailand, followed by a Fulbright Specialist Award with the Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Innovation in Tashkent, Uzbekistan.

Guffey holds bachelor’s degrees in Political Science, Public Management and Nonprofit Administration from Lindenwood University; an MA in International Politics from the Queen’s University of Belfast, Northern Ireland; a MBA from Lindenwood University; a MS in Finance from Webster University and a PhD in Higher Education from Saint Louis University. He is also a graduate of the Harvard Institute of Educational Management program and completed his undergraduate study abroad experience at NYU in Florence, Italy.

Dr. Michael (Mike) R. Hulsizer is Vice President of Academic Affairs. He was previously the Dean of the College of Science and Health, Interim Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, and the Acting Dean of the School of Education.

Hulsizer has been a full-time faculty member in the Psychology Department since he arrived at Webster in 1997 and previously served as department chair. He teaches introduction to psychology, social psychology and biopsychology, as well as applied psychology classes on topics such as motivation and emotion, prejudice and discrimination, and advanced statistics. He is also a fellow in Webster's Institute for Human Rights and Humanitarian Studies.

Hulsizer has written about various topics related to the teaching of psychology, research methods, peace psychology, social justice, hate groups and genocide. He is co-author, with fellow Webster professor Linda M. Woolf, of "A Guide to Teaching Statistics: Innovations and Best Practices" (Wiley-Blackwell). He is a past recipient of the William T. Kemper Award for Excellence in Teaching at Webster University and the Emerson Excellence in Teaching Award, and he has received or shared multiple awards for research and instruction from the Society for the Teaching of Psychology.

Hulsizer holds a BA in Psychology from State University of New York at Buffalo and an MA and a PhD in Experimental Psychology from Kent State University.

As the Associate Vice President of Enrollment Management at Webster, Michelle Loyet, PhD, provides leadership and strategic direction in managing online recruitment and enrollment.

In this capacity, Loyet also works with teams across the institution, as well as external partners to develop effective recruitment and enrollment plans in both established and emerging markets. In addition to her current role, she has been Associate Vice President of Online Learning and Strategic Enrollment, and previously, was Associate Dean, Military Campuses and Online Learning.

Loyet began her career at Webster University in 2007 as Assistant Director of Academic Advising, leading the team to provide support for the growing population of online students at Webster University. Upon moving to the Online Learning Center in 2014, she continued to focus on student support and services, as well as licensure and state authorization. Prior to joining the staff at Webster, she earned her PhD in Anthropology in 2003 at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, and has authored a number of online courses for Webster University. She occasionally teaches Human Origins and Introduction to Archaeology for the College of Humanities and Social Sciences.

Dr. Stephanie Mahfood is Dean of the School of Education, Director of Field Experience and an Associate Professor of Special Education in the Department of Teacher Education. She has taught K-12 learners with special needs in a variety of settings, including Tunisia, North Africa, where she was assigned for two years as a Peace Corps volunteer.

Mahfood's research interests center on bridging the research to practice gap to support individuals with disabilities and best prepare preservice teachers. Her past research publications address interventions for dental phobia in individuals with severe developmental disabilities, library collaborations to support graduate students in applied research experiences and the use of social media communities of practice to promote preservice teacher resilience. Mahfood's current research and practice interests focus on how to design field experiences to develop teachers who are reflective, innovative, collaborative and skilled. She has designed and implemented innovative field experiences embedding applied research projects that preservice teachers co-design and implement with cooperating teachers in the field.

She is currently investigating the effects of Mursion classroom simulation technology and video-enhanced observation (VEO) on teacher reflection about instructional practice. Mahfood's teaching philosophy is anchored in teaching teachers how to teach by teaching. Her course experiences are deliberately designed to model instructional practices such as co-teaching, instructional differentiation, executive function strategies and instructional scaffolding. She has designed curricular experiences and instructional tools focusing on assisting preservice teachers in systematically assessing and developing their teacher presence in the classroom.

Mahfood has regularly provided trainings and consultation to a variety of organizations within the St. Louis community including the Down Syndrome Association of Greater St. Louis, The Soulard School and Lafayette Industries.

Dr. Mary Lai Preuss has a background in plant cell biology, exploring the mechanisms by which molecules move for cell growth to occur. Currently she has a diverse array of research interests, including microbial diversity in freshwater systems, duckweed-mediated bioremediation of water systems and bacteriophage discovery. She earned her BS in Biology with an Emphasis in Plant Biotechnology at Cornell University and her PhD in Plant Cell Biology at the University of California, Davis. She completed postdoctoral work at the Danforth Plant Science Center in St. Louis.

Dr. David Schmidt is a seasoned administrator with over 35 years of broad-based experience as an executive academic leader and faculty member, spanning a wide range of public, private and international institutions.

Before joining Webster University as Interim Provost, Schmidt served as President of The American University of Ras Al Khaimah, as President of the American University in Dubai (AUD), and Vice Provost for International Affairs, and Professor of Global Studies at Middle Tennessee State University. He has held various leadership positions, including the University of the Pacific, the University of Wisconsin System, and Yale University.  He holds a BA from the University of Wisconsin, an MA from Ohio State University and a PhD from Saint Louis University.

Dr. Stephanie Schroeder grew up in St. Louis. She earned a BS in Biochemistry from Purdue University and a PhD in Molecular Physiology and Biophysics from Vanderbilt.

She completed a postdoctoral fellowship in Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics at the University of Colorado Health Science Center in Denver, where she also began teaching (for the University of Colorado Dental School and Denver Community College). Schroeder fell in love with teaching and in 2003, felt she found her dream job at Webster University, where she has been able to combine research and teaching, while also returning home to St Louis.

Her main research focuses on how gene expression changes in response to environmental challenges in two model systems (Drosophila and Cancer). In Drosophila, Schroeder and her students have looked at conditions that increase the incidence of seizures, kidney stones and learning/memory (Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, exposure to volatile anesthetics). The human cancer lines that students have explored are brain, breast, liver, melanoma, ovarian and stomach. They have analyzed the effect of various compounds on growth, viability and apoptosis.

Schroeder welcomes undergraduate students interested in research to conduct independent research with her as early as their second semester at Webster. She also works with Nurse Anesthesia students in the DNAP program on how anesthetic and other clinical agents affect Drosophila at young and older ages.

Dr. Paul Steger is the Dean of the Leigh Gerdine College of Fine Arts. He was previously Director of the School of Performing Arts at Virginia Tech, and the Inaugural Director of the Johnny Carson School of Theatre and Film at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

Steger is a fight director, action designer, director and actor with credits on Broadway and in numerous regional theatres. He is a Certified Teacher with the Society of American Fight Directors and holds certificates from the British Academy of Stage and Screen Combat, the Nordic Stagefight Society, and Fight Directors Canada. He recently worked in Ireland creating fights for the History Channel series Vikings with his colleague Richard Ryan and was invited to participate and present at the inaugural “World Combat Teachers Conference” in Toronto.

He is a member of AEA, SAG and the National Theatre Conference among others. Recent speaking engagements included the 2018, 2017, 2016 and 2015 National Association of Schools of Theatre Conferences (NAST). He is a member of the Board of Trustees for the National Theatre Conference, previously served on the Board of Directors for NAST, and has directed more than 50 productions for the educational and professional theatre. His collaborations with a variety of video and performance artists have played such venues as Franklin Furnace (NYC), Randolph Street Gallery, Club Lower Links, The Museum of Contemporary Art (Chicago), The Contemporary Museum of Art (Glasgow) and the Ljubljana Festival (Slovenia).

Steger shares his joy of art, dance, music and theatre with his wife, Sara Bucy, and their daughter, Cooper.

Laura A. Wainz joined Webster University in 2004, and in all, has worked in higher education for more than 25 years. She advanced through multiple roles at the University before being named Vice President of Data Analytics and Information Technology Management.

In her most recent role as Chief Data Officer, she was instrumental in moving the University’s global SIS system from Jenzabar CX to J1. As Associate Vice President of Enrollment Management Operations and University Registrar, she led the Admissions Processing and Enrollment Technology teams and the Office of the Registrar through the successful implementation of the global rollout of the new Slate CRM, which included specialized programming for each international location, metro locations and military-affiliated students. Her team partnered with IT and integration teams to effectively and efficiently establish candidate SIS access, new online applications, marketing drip campaigns, texting platform, student/applicant portal, enrollment funnel reporting and KPI dashboards.

Wainz serves on several decision-making teams where she employs her expertise in data management, problem solving, analysis and SQL report writing. Building strong relationships during her time at Webster has enabled her to collaborate and partner with various cross-functional teams to implement design and functional enhancements and help identify and develop key metrics for use in optimizing operations.

A Webster alum, Wainz earned both an MA in Management and Leadership in 2014, and a BA in Management in 2012 from the University. Also in 2012, she earned a Certificate from the Global Leadership Academy. She has been an adjunct faculty member in Webster’s George H. Walker School of Business & Technology since 2016.