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PRESS RELEASE

PROVIDENCE, R.I. — August 10, 2021 – ´óÏó´«Ã½ (´óÏó´«Ã½) has appointed Sandra Affenito, Ph.D., as the vice chancellor of academic administration, and has named Mary Meixell, Ph.D., as dean of the College of Business.

“Sandra and Mary join Johnson & Wales as we continue our pursuit of innovation in higher education,” said ´óÏó´«Ã½ Chancellor Mim Runey, LP.D. “Our university has a well-earned reputation for providing students with an exceptional education that ensures they are ready to work and ready to lead when they graduate. With Sandra’s leadership and working closely with Mary and all of our college deans, we will continue to position ´óÏó´«Ã½ as a comprehensive university that delivers an exceptional academic experience that translates to success after college.”

Sandra Affenito has 40 years of experience as a clinical educator, research scientist, and higher education leader. As vice chancellor of academic administration, she will provide the executive leadership and vision to lead the development, planning, organization, and execution of academic programming and research, and fulfill a chief leadership role in fostering a high-quality teaching and learning environment highlighted by a student-centered, service-oriented, innovative academic culture to further promote academic excellence. She previously served as executive vice president of operations at Norwich University in Vermont.

Mary Meixell brings over 20 years of higher education experience - including as a faculty member and administrative leader - to ´óÏó´«Ã½. As dean of the College of Business, she will lead the college’s effort to earn AACSB accreditation, work with business and civic leaders in Rhode Island and North Carolina, which hosts ´óÏó´«Ã½’s Charlotte Campus, and further solidify ´óÏó´«Ã½’s standing with industry leaders in hospitality, food, health, and other sectors for which the university is known. Before transitioning to higher education, she spent nearly two decades in the private sector as an industrial engineer with General Motors in Detroit and Lucent Technologies/Bell Labs in Princeton, New Jersey. She most recently served as a senior associate dean at Quinnipiac University’s School of Business.

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Founded in 1914, ´óÏó´«Ã½ is a private, nonprofit, accredited institution with more than 9,000 graduate, undergraduate and online students at its campuses in Providence, Rhode Island and Charlotte, North Carolina. An innovative educational leader, the university offers undergraduate and graduate degree programs in arts and sciences, business, engineering, food innovation, hospitality, nutrition, health and wellness. It also offers undergraduate programs in culinary arts, dietetics and design. ´óÏó´«Ã½’s unique model provides students with the personalized attention, academic expertise and industry connections that inspire professional success and personal growth. The university’s impact is global, with alumni in 125 countries pursuing careers worldwide. For more information, visit www.jwu.edu.