MCC Daily Tribune

Chancellor King Announces 2026 Fellowship Class for SUNY Leadership Institutes

Albany, NY – State University of New York Chancellor John B. King Jr. Friday announced the 2026 Fellowship Class for SUNY’s Leadership Institutes. The announcement comes following the first in-person retreat for the 2026 Leadership Institute fellows, which took place in Albany. The 2026 SUNY Leadership Institute classes are made possible through the generous support of the State of New York.

“Part of our mandate is to ensure that every student has the ability to grow, thrive, and unleash their full potential through the education and experience at the SUNY institution of their choice,” said SUNY Chancellor King. “Through the strong support of Governor Kathy Hochul and state leaders, SUNY is able to uphold our core values and empower our emerging leaders to soar to new heights. I applaud these fellows for their dedication to uplifting every SUNY student, and I know that they will serve as an inspiration to students, faculty, and staff alike.”

The SUNY Board of Trustees said, “Empowering the next generation of New York leaders has been at the core of SUNY since our founding. We applaud Governor Hochul and the State Legislature for supporting our efforts to continue that legacy and ensure every SUNY student is uplifted as they earn an education and prepare for the future. We congratulate our fellows and are confident that they will help ensure SUNY continues to serve as a national leader, and as an example for other schools to follow.”

State Senator Lea Webb said, “As a member of the Senate's Higher Education committee, I am proud to support the SUNY Leadership Institutes and their continued commitment to developing inclusive, forward-thinking leaders across our state. These institutes play a vital role in strengthening our higher education system and ensuring that all students, especially those who face significant barriers, have the support they need to succeed. I am especially pleased to congratulate Elizabeth Richard of SUNY Broome Community College on her selection as a 2026 fellow. Her dedication to leadership, student success, and accessibility reflects the very best of the SUNY system, and I look forward to seeing the positive impact of her work.”

State Assemblymember Alicia L. Hyndman, Chair of the Higher Education Committee, said, “I extend my congratulations to the outstanding fellows selected for the 2026 SUNY Leadership Institutes from among SUNY’s highly regarded faculty and staff. Your commitment to leadership, service, and student success reflects the very best of SUNY, and I encourage you to continue on this path of excellence. Programs like these strengthen our higher education system by developing leaders whose work has a direct and lasting impact on students and campuses across our state. I commend Chancellor John B. King Jr. for his continued leadership in advancing initiatives that support faculty and staff development and elevate student outcomes throughout New York State.”

State Assemblymember Michaelle Solages, Chair of the Black, Puerto Rican, Hispanic & Asian Legislative Caucus said, “Congratulations to this year’s Fellowship Class for SUNY’s Leadership Institute. For far too long, young men and women from marginalized communities have faced some of the greatest hurdles when it comes to higher education, and I applaud SUNY Chancellor John B. King Jr.’s continued support of this necessary initiative. I wish the 2026 Fellowship Class the best of luck as they navigate the professional world and blossom into the leaders of tomorrow.”

SUNY’s Leadership Institutes are designed for faculty and administrative professionals from all backgrounds on a leadership trajectory at their respective institutions who are committed to supporting the success of all students, including those who experience significant barriers to higher education. SUNY’s Leadership Institutes incorporate the Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Leadership Institute, Black Leadership Institute, Disability Support Leadership Institute, and Hispanic Leadership Institute.

Eligibility is open to all faculty and staff who have spent at least one year employed within the SUNY system, including SUNY's colleges and universities, and at least three years of higher education. Leadership institute fellow candidates are selected based on their proven leadership and administrative experience, and evidence of their dedicated pursuit toward a higher education career in administrative and leadership roles within SUNY.

This year's fellowship class includes:

Joyce Dewitt-Parker, State University of New York at Albany
Kelly Gorman, State University of New York at Albany
Alex Kumni-Yeboah, State University of New York at Albany
Tomoko Udo, State University of New York at Albany
Vivian Wilson-Hwang, State University of New York at Albany
Richie Sebuharara, State University of New York at Binghamton
Elizabeth Richard, SUNY Broome Community College
Raquel Schmidt, Buffalo State University
Tyler Ladd, SUNY Corning Community College
Nazely Kurkjian, SUNY Delhi
Steven Posada, Dutchess Community College
Xiomara Giordano, Empire State University
Geraldo Vasquez, Farmingdale State College
Laticha Brown, Fashion Institute of Technology
Elena Romero, Fashion Institute of Technology
Joanna Santos-Smith, SUNY Geneseo
Lamyaa Hassib, Hudson Valley Community College
Raymond Feliciano, SUNY Maritime
Dax Parasnis-Samar, Monroe Community College
Juan Pablo Galvis, SUNY Old Westbury
Napoleon Tiapo, SUNY Oneonta
Guy Linton, Onondaga Community College
Zhanjie Li, SUNY Polytechnic Institute
Susan Lee, State University of New York at Stony Brook
Jennie Williams, State University of New York at Stony Brook
Christy Banks, Suffolk County Community College
Johanna Boutcher, Suffolk County Community College
Jennifer Forni, Suffolk County Community College
Camilo Salazar, Suffolk Community College

The SUNY Leadership Institutes are open to any and all prospective candidates regardless of race, color, national origin, or sex, and are consistent with all current governing federal and state nondiscrimination law. All application submissions will be assessed and evaluated in accordance with the required eligibility criteria.

SUNY is committed to empowering students and amplifying the work of faculty and staff across its 64 campuses through fellowship programs. Dedicated fellowships announced by Chancellor King over the past year include the Civil Discourse and Civic Education Fellowship, Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Social Justice (DEISJ) Fellowship, the Accessibility Advocates and Allies Faculty Fellowship, and the inaugural cohorts of the Sustainability Faculty Fellowship and the SUNY AI for the Public Good Fellowship.

About The State University of New York
The State University of New York is the largest comprehensive system of higher education in the United States, and more than 95 percent of all New Yorkers live within 30 miles of any one of SUNY’s 64 colleges and universities. Across the system, SUNY has four academic health centers, five hospitals, four medical schools, two dental schools, a law school, the country’s oldest school of maritime, the state's only college of optometry, 12 Educational Opportunity Centers, over 30 ATTAIN digital literacy labs, and manages one US Department of Energy National Laboratory. In total, SUNY serves about 1.7 million students across its portfolio of credit- and non-credit-bearing courses and programs, continuing education, and community outreach programs. SUNY oversees nearly a quarter of academic research in New York. Research expenditures system-wide are nearly $1.5 billion in fiscal year 2025, including significant contributions from students and faculty. There are more than three million SUNY alumni worldwide, and one in three New Yorkers with a college degree is a SUNY alum. To learn more about how SUNY creates opportunities, visit suny.edu.

Veronica Chiesi Brown
Community Relations
02/02/2026