Steering Committee

The FIT Future//Forward committee will steward a reflective and inclusive process that is firmly rooted in FIT’s values, complies with SUNY and MSCHE standards for planning, and considers our unique offerings and position.

Committee members are expected to serve as a bridge between the steering committee and their division / constituency. They will communicate with their area and use that input to inform committee decisions, while simultaneously communicating the committee's actions and rationale back to their division.

Members will serve a one-year term from April 2026 through April 2027. At a minimum, members will meet twice monthly during the academic year and once a month during the summer.  In April 2027 this committee will end and a new implementation committee will be formed to carry out Future//Forward initiatives.

Expectations

The steering committee will work closely with the strategic plan firm hired by the college, along with support from the President’s Office and the Office of Institutional Research and Effectiveness, to accomplish the following goals:

  1. Engage the FIT community throughout each step of the process;
  2. review FIT’s mission, vision and core values;
  3. conduct an internal scan, including trend data and insights from internal stakeholders, and a deep and wide-ranging external scan, including regional/global data and insights from external stakeholders;
  4. prepare a SWOT analysis from the environmental scan;
  5. identify 3-5 strategic goals with action steps and measurable outcomes for each that align with FIT’s values and informed by the SWOT analysis; and
  6. design a framework for implementation that includes mechanisms for review, assessment, and resource allocation.

Membership

Jackee de Lagarde, Trustee, FIT Foundation Board of Directors and Alum
Gabrielle Fialkoff, Trustee, FIT Board of Trustees
Dr. Paul Clement, Professor, Social Sciences, School of Liberal Arts and Sciences and UCE President
Jeffrey Riman, Assistant Professor, Center for Excellence in Teaching and Faculty Senate President
Ainsley Poulit, Secretary for Campus Affairs, Student Government Association and Interior Design major
Beniam Abrehe, Acting Senior IT Manager, Unified Help Desk, Information Technology
Jennifer Bentivegna, Associate Professor, Fashion Business Management, Baker School of Business and Technology
Dr. Deborah Berhanu, Chair and Professor, Science and Math, School of Liberal Arts and Sciences
Juliana Cho, Assistant Professor, Fashion, School of Art and Design and Alum
Brenda Cowan, Professor, Exhibition and Experience Design, School of Graduate Studies
Aaron Duncan, Associate Chair and Associate Professor, Global Fashion Management, School of Graduate Studies and Alum
Jocelin Engel, EEO and Title IX Training Associate and Alum
Shelci Graham, Senior Associate Vice President, Finance and Administration
Dr. Susan Hayes, Executive Director, Strategic Planning, Institutional Research, & Effectiveness and chair of the committee
Dr. Tardis Johnson, Vice President, Enrollment Management and Student Success
Renee Leibler, Associate Professor, Entrepreneurship, Baker School of Business and Technology
Jennifer Loturco, Chief of Staff
Shannon Maher, Dean, Baker School of Business and Technology
Liz Manalio, Assistant Vice President for Advancement, FIT Foundation
Dr. Corie McCallum, Assistant Vice President, Student Success and Dean of Students, Enrollment Management and Student Success
Jasonpaul Mccarthy, Executive Director, Precollege Programs, Academic Affairs
Dr. Alexander Nagel, Associate Professor, History of Art, School of Liberal Arts and Sciences
Dr. Vanessa Nichol-Peters, Dean for International Education, International Programs, Academic Affairs
Daniel Shefelman, Chair and Professor, Illustration and Interactive Media, School of Art and Design
Suikang Zhao, Chair and Professor, Fine Arts, School of Art and Design

Contact Us

For more information, contact [email protected].