The 2025 cohort represents the tenth President’s Leadership Institute (PLI) at Clemson University, and each cohort of the PLI comprises 25 faculty and staff members from across the University who demonstrate exceptional performance in their respective areas.
Faculty selected were nominated by their college dean or by the provost, and staff members were nominated by their vice presidents or corresponding divisional heads or senior administrators of the non-academic units. A selection committee reviewed the nominations, and the final cohort was selected.
During the nine-month program, the cohort will meet once a month for an all-day session with meetings taking place at various locations on campus or in Greenville, Charleston or Columbia.
The 2025 President’s Leadership Institute Cohort is comprised of the following faculty and staff members:
Paula Agudelo, Ph.D., Associate Dean for Research, CAFLS
Paula Agudelo is a professor of Plant Pathology at Clemson University, and her research focuses on nematodes of importance in agriculture. Agudelo serves the College of Agriculture, Forestry and Life Sciences as associate dean for research. She also serves as the director of the S.C. Agricultural Experiment Station, which encompasses all research and education centers throughout the state. Agudelo has a B.S. in Agronomy from Universidad Nacional de Colombia, a M.S. in Plant Pathology from Universidad de Caldas, and a Ph.D. in Plant Sciences from University of Arkansas.
Jon Allen, Senior Associate Athletics Director, Athletics
Jon Allen serves as the senior associate athletics director for facilities, operations, and events at Clemson University where he leads a multidisciplinary team overseeing athletic facilities and grounds, capital projects and event operations for Clemson’s 21 athletic programs. With over 17 years of experience in collegiate athletics, Allen has previously held roles at the University of Oklahoma and Louisiana State University. He has worked to implement significant updates to all areas of event operations during his time at Clemson. He contributes to Universitywide planning for all athletic events through key roles on committees focused on safety and security and campus logistics. He serves as the athletic department’s lead on all construction and renovation initiatives. He holds degrees from Louisiana State University (B.S. 2005) and the University of Florida (M.S. 2008) and currently serves on the national board for the Collegiate Event and Facility Managers Association (CEFMA). Outside of work, Allen is a devoted husband to Erin, a teacher at R.C. Edwards Middle School and a proud father to Sammy (11) and Audry (8) and their yellow lab, Sunny. He enjoys quality time with family, community involvement and creating meaningful experiences that bring people together.
Rachel Anderson, Ph.D., Director of Peer Learning Support Programs, ASC
Rachel Anderson serves as the director of peer learning support programs at the Academic Success Center. Anderson began her career at the Academic Success Center eight years ago as the Peer-Assisted Learning (PAL) Program Coordinator and transitioned to her current role in 2021. Her unit employs nearly 200 undergraduate employees each semester as Peer-Assisted Learning (PAL) leaders, individual and small group tutors, and program operations staff. The PAL and Tutoring programs provide learning support to students enrolled in first- and second-year courses that historically pose challenges for retention and/or degree progression. Anderson is a 2024 CU Grow graduate and serves as an associate editor for the Journal of Civil Engineering Education. She enjoys spending time with her husband, Zach, and running their hobby farm in Liberty.
Danielle Arrington, Director of Operations, Office of the Executive Secretary, Board of Trustees
Danielle Arrington is a Newberry, S.C. native and a proud Clemson alum, graduating in 2013 with a bachelor’s degree in communication studies. She also holds a master’s degree in public administration from Arkansas State University. Arrington has over a decade of experience in higher education and public service and has been a part of Clemson University for the past eight years in various leadership roles. She serves as the director of operations for the Office of the Executive Secretary to the Board of Trustees where she oversees operational functions for the Board Office and is the liaison to the Board of Visitors. Prior to this role, she served as director of talent acquisition in Clemson University’s Office of Human Resources where she led efforts to attract and retain top talent. She and her husband, Matt, live in Walhalla with their three children —Rosie, Porter and Grady.
Jarrod Bruder, Assistant Vice President of Governmental Affairs
Jarrod Bruder began serving as the assistant vice president of Governmental Affairs for Clemson University in January 2024. Bruder, who earned a B.A. in Political Science from Clemson University in 2005, has extensive experience in local, state and federal government after advocating on behalf of law enforcement professionals for 15 years. Bruder previously served as the executive director for both the South Carolina Sheriffs’ Association and the South Carolina Law Enforcement Officers Association. He also gained valuable knowledge and experience as a staff member for U.S. Congressman J. Gresham Barrett. Bruder is married to his lovely wife Joy. He and his wife have three children. In his personal time, Bruder volunteers at his church and attends numerous ballet recitals, theater performances and sporting events for his children.
Matthew Burns, Ph.D., Associate Director, Clemson Cooperative Extension
Matthew Burns grew up on a family farm in Pendleton, S.C., with a passion for serving others from an early age. He currently serves as associate Extension director with Clemson Cooperative Extension, where he provides leadership and oversight for staff, programming and strategic initiatives across S.C. With a strong background in agriculture and community engagement, he plays key roles in supporting Extension faculty/staff, guiding professional development, and ensuring the program’s alignment with the University’s land-grant mission while serving the state’s citizens. Known for his collaborative leadership style, Burns is passionate about building effective teams and fostering innovation strengthening both local communities and the broader Clemson Extension system. A graduate of two land-grants — Clemson University (’05, ’12) and Kansas State University (’07) — he brings a deep commitment to public service and lifelong learning. When he is not working, Burns enjoys spending time on the farm with his family. Burns is honored to join the 2025 cohort of the Clemson University President’s Leadership Institute and looks forward to contributing to the continued success and impact of the University.
Pam Davis, Interim VP for Student Engagement, Student Affairs
Pam Davis serves as the senior director of strategic initiatives and interim assistant vice president for student engagement in the Division of Student Affairs. With eight years working in parks and recreation in Greenville, S.C. and over 15 years of experience in higher education, Davis has expertise in community development, student advising, event coordination, strategic planning and project management. She leads high-impact, cross-campus initiatives that strengthen the student experience and drive operational effectiveness. Davis serves as the division’s Excellence Lead in collaboration with the Office of Institutional Excellence. Her leadership spans from large-scale campus events, such as Commencement and ESPN College GameDay, to guiding continuous improvement projects. Davis finds the most meaning in positively impacting the lives of others, especially our students at Clemson.
Laura Eicher, Ph.D., Director of Teacher Residency and Strategic Initiatives, College of Education
Laura Eicher began her career as a high school science teacher in Charleston, South Carolina before earning her Ph.D. in Curriculum and Instruction with a focus in Science Education from Clemson University in 2021. She serves as the director of teacher residency and strategic initiatives in Clemson’s College of Education. In this role, she leads the university’s teacher residency graduate program and works in partnership with school districts across South Carolina to design, implement and sustain innovative programs focused on teacher recruitment, preparation and retention. Her work supports the development of strong teacher pipelines and the growth of veteran educators into teacher leaders, with the goal of ensuring that all PK–12 public school students in South Carolina have access to highly effective, well-prepared teachers. Eicher is the principal investigator on a $6 million Education Innovation and Research (EIR) grant through the U.S. Department of Education and co-principal investigator on the South Carolina Department of Education’s Grow Your Own Grant. She has also secured over $200,000 in tuition reimbursement for teacher residents through registered apprenticeship grant funding.
Melinda Fischer, Grants Administrator, Manager, Office of Research Services
Melinda Fischer, CRA, CPRA, is the pre-award manager for the College of Education, having worked in research administration since 2009. With experience in both pre- and post-award roles, she now leads Clemson’s Office of Research Services, having previously served as manager of the CBSHS support center. Fischer was PI of the RAPIDS project, which developed a professional identity values scale for research administrators, Co-PI on Clemson’s NSF-funded REACH-SC grant, and Co-PI of the global Research Administration as a Profession initiatives (RAAAP-3 2022, RAAAP-4 2025). She has presented internationally for several professional associations and has held leadership roles within her regional professional association, NCURA. Fischer served as president of the Clemson University Staff Senate from 2022-2023, North American editor of The Emerald Handbook of Research Management and Administration Around the World (2023) and is on the editorial board of the Journal of Research Management and Administration (JoRMA). Passionate about faculty development and international collaboration, she works with colleagues across the world to explore the evolving roles of research administrators in wide-ranging settings.
Zack Flathmann, Director of Business Intelligence, Finance and Operations
Zack Flathmann is the director of business intelligence within the Division of Finance and Operations. Flathmann and his team combine functional experience and technology to enable University decision makers to make data-informed decisions, take informed actions and implement more efficient business processes. Before coming to Clemson, Flathmann held various operations, marketing and sales positions in the aerospace industry. He has a B.S. in Marketing from Clemson and an M.S. in Economics from Purdue University, and he is a licensed commercial pilot and flight instructor. Flathmann enjoys riding his bikes and spending time with friends and family when he’s not working.
Dhaval Gajjar, Ph.D., Director of the Center for Roofing Innovation and Leadership
Dhaval Gajjar is an associate professor in Clemson University’s Nieri Department of Construction and Real Estate Development within the College of Architecture, Art and Construction. He also serves as the director of the Center for Roofing Innovation and Leadership at Clemson University. Over the past decade, Gajjar has focused his research on the roofing industry, specializing in construction workforce and talent attraction strategies, project delivery, project close-out and post-occupancy evaluation. He has published more than 50 research articles and proceedings and delivered over 50 presentations to industry professionals, promoting the use of research-driven tools. In addition to his academic roles, Gajjar has held key leadership positions within his department, including undergraduate program director, associate department chair and interim department chair. Certified as a Facility Management Professional (FMP) and Sustainable Facility Professional (SFP), Gajjar also brings extensive industry experience as a project manager for a commercial general contractor and as a construction owner representative for a major U.S. owner company.
Alyssa Gamaldo-Roddy, Ph.D., Professor, Department of Psychology
Alyssa Gamaldo-Roddy is a professor in the Department of Psychology at Clemson University and affiliated with the Institute for Engaged Aging. She received a Ph.D. in Lifespan Developmental Psychology from North Carolina State University. She completed a post-doctoral fellowship in the Laboratory of Behavioral Epidemiology and Laboratory of Behavioral Neuroscience at the National Institute on Aging. Her current research concentrates on social determinants of health and well-being in older adult populations as well as identifying sensitive measures for detecting cognitive health risks. Gamaldo-Roddy is affiliated with the South Carolina Alzheimer’s Disease and Research Center (SC-ADRC). On the SC-ADRC, she serves as the director of the Outreach, Recruitment, and Engagement ORE core and as a faculty team member on the Research Education Core (REC).
Jesse Godfrey, Executive Creative Director, Marketing and Communications
Jesse Godfrey is executive creative director at Clemson University, where he leads integrated creative strategy across design, video, photography, web and social media. A Clemson alumnus (Graphic Communications, ’11), Godfrey began his career at Leo Burnett in Chicago before returning to Clemson, where he has led the Design Services team since 2017. In his role, he helps steward the Clemson brand, offering creative direction and consultation across the University. Godfrey oversees Brand and Design Services, a multidisciplinary team that supports University priorities through strategic brand design, visual storytelling, digital content and brand resource management. He is committed to innovation and storytelling that elevate Clemson’s identity and impact. Godfrey also serves as an adjunct lecturer, teaching “Brand Design and Creative Direction” for both Graphic Communications and the Erwin Center for Brand Communications, mentoring students through Cadency, Clemson’s student-led brand consultancy.
Chris Hibbs, Associate VP of Network Services, CCIT
Chris Hibbs has over 25 years of experience in technical operations leadership, with a focus on improving performance through team development, delegation, collaboration and relationship building. As associate vice president of network services at Clemson University, he leads CCIT Network Services, responsible for the design, implementation, operation and support of the network infrastructure for Clemson. Additionally, he is CEO of SC-REN, the Research and Education Network for South Carolina. Before joining Clemson in 2022, Hibbs held leadership positions at several cable and internet service providers, including Charter, Time Warner, Insight and Cox Communications. At Charter, his team supported and expanded the network infrastructure serving four states and 1.4 million customers, driving improvements in network performance and reliability as well as leading disaster recovery efforts. Prior to working in the cable industry, Hibbs was a network administrator, as well as a student assistant at Texas Tech University where he earned his BBA in Management Information Systems. He is also a graduate of the MOR IT Leadership Program and the Executive Leadership Program at Dartmouth College.
Nikki Hood, Associate Director of Academic Operations, Provost and Academic Affairs
Nikki Hood, a native of Greenville, S.C., attended Clemson University and earned a B.A. in sociology in 2008 and a master’s degree in criminology and criminal justice from the University of South Carolina in 2010. Hood serves as the associate director of Academic Operations where she assists in providing executive-level, strategic, creative and innovative solutions to managing the academic physical assets and operational resources. Hood transitioned to the Provost staff in November of 2023 after spending seven years in the Registrar’s Office as the assistant registrar for scheduling. During her time on the registrar’s staff, she oversaw many of the challenges presented by COVID-19. She began her Clemson career in the Admissions Office in 2010, where she processed student applications and was an implementation team member as Clemson transitioned to the Banner and iROAR. She and her husband, David, have a strong Clemson connection, and they have two boys, Eli and Easton.
Anjali Joseph, Ph.D., Spartanburg Regional Health System Endowed Chair in Architecture + Health Design
Anjali Joseph is a leading expert in healthcare design, with a focus on the impact of the built environment on patient and staff safety. As the Spartanburg Regional Health System endowed chair in Architecture + Health Design and director of the Center for Health Facilities Design and Testing at Clemson University, she partners with healthcare systems to conduct groundbreaking, evidence-based healthcare design research. Using advanced simulation and prototyping techniques, Joseph develops and tests design solutions for high-risk patient care environments. She has secured millions in funding from organizations such as AHRQ, Kresge Foundation and the U.S. Green Building Council. Her pioneering work on operating room design led to a widely adopted prototype used in surgery centers nationwide. Joseph was awarded the 2025 Senior Researcher of the Year award by Clemson University.
Jessica Larsen, Ph.D., Carol and John Cromer ’63 Family Endowed Associate Professor, CECAS
Jessica Larsen received her B.S. in Chemical Engineering at the University of Virginia, and her Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering from Auburn University. Her research focuses on polymer-based nanotechnology to enable treatment of neurologic conditions, delivering drugs across the blood-brain and blood-nerve barriers. She was selected as the recipient of the 2020 Phil and Mary Bradley Award for Mentoring in Creative Inquiry and the 2021 Outstanding Faculty Woman at Clemson University. She received the NSF CAREER Award in the Spring of 2021, the Governor’s Young Scientist Award for Excellence in Scientific Research in 2022 and has been an invited speaker at the American Institute of Chemical Engineers and the World Biomaterials Congress. Her work has been funded by the NSF, NIH and multiple disease-specific foundations. Larsen is passionate about compassionate leadership, which has been highlighted by TED and Science. She has served Clemson as a Faculty Senator/Research Chair and an advisory board member for Creative Inquiry.
Christopher McMahan, Ph.D., Associate Director for Graduate Studies, College of Science
Christopher McMahan is a professor and the associate director for Graduate Studies in the School of Mathematical and Statistical Sciences at Clemson University. McMahan received his bachelor’s degree in mathematics from Austin Peay State University, followed by his master’s degree in mathematics from Western Kentucky University. He went on to earn a Ph.D. in Statistics from the University of South Carolina. McMahan joined Clemson University as an assistant professor in 2012 and has since been promoted to the rank of Professor. His research lies at the intersection of statistical methodology and interdisciplinary applications. Methodologically, his areas of expertise include categorical data analysis, group testing, survival analysis, nonparametric methods, measurement error models, spatio-temporal modeling, statistical computing, Bayesian parametric and nonparametric estimation, high-dimensional regression techniques, and machine learning. McMahan applies these methods across a diverse set of domains, including vector-borne disease modeling, neuroimaging (e.g., automated structure detection), genetics, agriculture, cancer research, sexually transmitted disease studies, coupled engineering systems, environmental monitoring, epidemiology, public health, and other biomedical applications.
Jordan Perkins, Executive Director, Corporate and Foundation Relations
Jordan Perkins leads Clemson’s Corporate and Foundation Relations team, advancing the University’s mission by securing philanthropic support from strategic partners. His career spans higher education, nonprofit leadership and local government. Prior to joining Clemson, he managed corporate relations and key foundation accounts at the American Council on Education (ACE) in Washington, D.C., which represents most U.S. colleges and universities. Perkins was also the founding executive director of Solutions for Urban Agriculture, where he built public-private partnerships to launch a nationally recognized education initiative. He previously led partnership development and fundraising efforts for the city of Irvine, California. A Clemson alumnus and Certified Fund-Raising Executive (CFRE), Perkins holds a law degree from Whittier College. He enjoys living in Clemson with his wife Garland and their two sons, Jackson and Wyatt.
Renee Roux, Senior Associate General Counsel
Renee Roux is originally from California where she graduated from UCLA and University of California Law San Francisco (formerly UC Hastings). She worked as a litigation attorney in San Francisco, Ventura and Los Angeles before moving to South Carolina. She has worked at Clemson University since 2002 as a Legal History lecturer, in the Office of the Secretary to the Board of Trustees, the Provost’s Office and the Office of the General Counsel where she currently serves as senior associate general counsel. Renee specializes in Higher Education law including but not limited to student affairs issues, student academic matters, faculty personnel and governance matters, First Amendment law and anti-discrimination laws. She feels fortunate to represent Clemson University, an outstanding institution of higher education committed to teaching, research and service that is beloved by so many of its students/graduates, employees, and others in South Carolina and beyond.
Alison Starr-Moss, Ph.D., Principal Lecturer, Department of Genetics and Biochemistry
Alison Starr-Moss is a principal lecturer in the Department of Genetics and Biochemistry at Clemson University. She earned her B.S. in Animal and Veterinary Sciences from Clemson in 2003, followed by a Ph.D. in Genetics from Texas A&M University in 2007. Returning to Clemson in 2008, Starr-Moss focused her research on canine genetics and genomics. She currently serves as the director of advising and instructional programs and M.S. program coordinator, where she is dedicated to undergraduate and graduate student development through degree planning and professional growth. Starr-Moss is recognized for her excellence in advising and teaching, having received the 2013 Frank A. Burtner Award for Excellence in Advising and the 2020 Dr. Ted G. Westmoreland Award for Faculty Excellence. In addition to her administrative and mentoring roles, she is currently helping develop online courses in genetics and bioinformatics for graduate students.
Celena Stoner, Director of Business Operations and Faculty Affairs, CECAS
Celena Stoner is the director of business operations and faculty affairs for the College of Engineering, Computing and Applied Sciences. She graduated from Clemson with a B.A. in International Business and Spanish and earned her master’s in health administration from the Medical University of South Carolina. Before returning to Clemson in 2020, Stoner spent several years in large health systems, focused on strategic project management initiatives for quality improvement and cost savings. In her current role, she oversees faculty recruitment, retention, and recognition, and manages communications and projects tied to CECAS’s strategic priorities. Outside of work, Stoner enjoys time with her husband, Ben, and their daughters, Sienna and Darcy — aspiring Tiger fans and future Clemson graduates in training.
Chris Vinson, Head of Digital Strategies, Clemson Libraries
Chris Vinson is the head of digital strategies at Clemson Libraries, where he provides leadership, strategic planning, project management and budget development for technology initiatives and systems implementations across the libraries and with campus partners. Additionally, he supports the associate dean for organizational performance and administration as a special assistant on efforts related to focused strategic planning, organizational process improvement, collaborative projects and employee recruitment and retention. He also serves as the principal investigator and project director on numerous grants related to the Open Parks Network, a program that has digitized over 250,000 cultural artifacts from the National Park Service and S.C. State Parks. Vinson received his MLIS from the University of South Carolina and his B.A. in English from Winthrop University. Originally from Spartanburg, he joined Clemson Libraries in 2011 and currently resides in Greenville.
Reed Watson, Director of the Hayek Center for the Business of Prosperity, Wilbur O. and Ann Powers College of Business
Reed Watson is the director of the Hayek Center for the Business of Prosperity and a professor of practice in the John E. Walker Department of Economics at Clemson University where he facilitates but (politely) refuses to teach. Taking direction from Thomas Green Clemson’s will, Watson and his Hayek Center colleagues are dedicated to understanding how competition in the marketplace advances human flourishing, focusing on ways to alleviate poverty in Upstate South Carolina. Watson also coordinates the business professionalism curriculum in the Wilbur O. and Ann Powers College of Business, challenging his students to consider not just the “how” of business but also the “why” of business. Watson won the 2025 Wilbur O. and Ann Powers College of Business Senior Teaching Excellence Award.
Joel Williams, Associate Dean for Graduate Studies, CBSHS
Joel E. Williams is the associate dean for graduate studies in the College of Behavioral, Social and Health Sciences and has been a faculty member in the Department of Public Health Sciences since 2007. He received his M.P.H. and Ph.D. degrees from the University of South Carolina’s Arnold School of Public Health. Williams’ area of expertise is the implementation and evaluation of interventions for health promotion and disease prevention. His work has primarily focused on promoting physical activity and healthy eating behaviors, and chronic disease self-management in clinical and community settings.