Gianneschi, Sheffield, Stickler bring deep, broad experience
Barely two months into the new Colorado Mountain College presidency of Dr. Carrie Besnette Hauser, three senior leaders have been appointed to key administrative positions. “Having these talented and experienced people join the CMC team as we finalize and implement our new strategic plan will further enable us to better serve our students and communities,” said Hauser.
Dr. Matthew Gianneschi will join the college March 3 as the chief operating officer, a redesigned position which also includes chief of staff responsibilities. Joining the college March 10 is Roger Sheffield, as vice president for advancement and CEO of the CMC Foundation, also a redefined position which combines the work of the foundation with both internal and external communications and marketing functions. Effective immediately, Lin Stickler, who has been interim vice president for student affairs, takes on that role on a permanent basis.
“I am so pleased that these three well-regarded managers and professionals in higher education have agreed to join Colorado Mountain College at this exciting time in our history,” said President Hauser. “Matt and Roger will bring a fresh injection of energy and ideas they’ve gleaned from their careers in the state, as well as nationally and internationally. Lin has agreed to come out of retirement, for which I am grateful given the stability she brings during this time of transition.”
Hauser expressed appreciation for the work of the college’s search committees and their chairs, employees who sat in on interviews and provided feedback and the CMC Foundation Board for its involvement.
Energy, expertise, stability mark new administrators
Gianneschi is currently the vice president of policy and programs for the Education Commission of the States, a national nonprofit, nonpartisan organization created to help state elected leaders and educational executives develop effective policies and practices. He has also served under three Colorado governors’ administrations, as the deputy executive director of the Colorado Department of Higher Education under the current administration, a senior policy advisor to former Gov. Bill Ritter and chief academic officer for the CDHE during the Owens administration. In addition, Gianneschi has been the vice president of student services at the Community College of Aurora, has taught there and at the University of Denver, and has been the director of operations for the Daniels College Prep and Scholarship Program at the Daniels Fund. He earned a Ph.D. from the Center for the Study of Higher Education at the University of Arizona, as well as Bachelor of Arts and Master of Arts degrees from the University of Denver.
Sheffield is coming to CMC from IES Abroad, one of the nation’s largest not-for-profit organizations providing study abroad programs, where he is the vice president and chief advancement officer. He has also been a philanthropic and financial investment advisor for Citi Smith Barney; vice president for advancement at Doane College, where he led a successful $40 million fundraising campaign; director of development at Lawrence University; and major gifts officer at Colorado College, where he supported a successful $100 million fundraising campaign. He has also worked and consulted regarding fundraising with political campaigns and nonprofit organizations, including the U.S. Olympic Committee. He holds a Master of Public Administration and Bachelor of Science from the University of Nebraska.
In 2010 Stickler retired as executive vice president at Colorado Mountain College, where she had previously been chief student development officer. For more than two decades before joining CMC, she had held numerous positions at Arapahoe Community College in Littleton, Colo., including executive dean of students. She holds a Master of Public Administration from the University of Colorado, a Bachelor of Science from Metropolitan State University of Denver and an Associate of Arts from Arapahoe Community College. A resident of Glenwood Springs since 2005, she is currently a member of the city’s Planning & Zoning Commission and the Valley View Hospital Auxiliary Board, and has served on the Garfield County Senior Advisory Board and on the board of directors of the Roaring Fork Business Resource Center.