OUR TEAM
LEADERSHIP
BRIAN WEINBLATT, PH.D.
Brian Weinblatt, founder of HCS Strategy, specializes in college mergers, drawing on his experience from the University of Toledo's merger with the Medical University of Ohio. His expertise, rooted in doctoral research on decision-making in university mergers, positions him as a sought-after consultant and media expert in this field.
KEVIN CAVANAGH
Kevin is the HCS managing director and an experienced Chief Enrollment Officer in higher education, having played key roles in the Bloomfield College/Montclair State University and Mercy College/College of New Rochelle mergers.
SENIOR ADVISORS
GUILBERT HENTSCHKE, PH.D.
Gib is a former senior adviser at EY-Parthenon and is dean emeritus of the University of Southern California’s Rossier School of Education.
BETSY HOFFMAN, PH.D.
With extensive university administration experience, Betsy notably managed the strategic 2004 consolidation of the University of Colorado at Denver and the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center as president of the University of the Colorado System.
DANA G. HOYT, PH.D., CPA
Dana retired as the thirteenth president of Sam Houston State University, led merger efforts as the Vice President at the University of Colorado at Denver, and led developments to add an osteopathic medical school at Sam Houston State University.
LLOYD A. JACOBS, M.D.
Lloyd A. Jacobs, as President of the University of Toledo, played a pivotal role in the transformative merger with the Medical University of Ohio, creating a new educational and healthcare landscape.
BONITA JACOBS, PH.D.
Bonita Jacobs spearheaded the merger that formed the University of North Georgia, serving as its founding president. Her prior roles included Executive Director at the National Institute for the Study of Transfer Students and Vice President for Student Development at UNT. She has also authored works on higher education mergers and serves on significant educational boards.
KRISTINE SOUTHARD, PH.D.
Kristine is a seasoned leader in higher education with nearly 30 years of experience, including executive roles in both non-profit and proprietary institutions, specializing in accreditation, mergers, and operational consulting.
Advisors
ROBIN BOWLUS
Robin has 25+ years of higher education leadership experience, specializing in external relations, fundraising, marketing, and communication. She most recently served as vice president for Advancement and Enrollment at Bluffton University.
SUSAN DACEY
Susan Dacey is an accomplished and growth-focused leader in higher education with experience in overseeing end-to-end Human Resources to support institutional success. She previously served as Director of Human Resources at Bloomfield College where she played a crucial role in Bloomfield’s merger with Montclair State University.
NICOLE DECAPUA, ED.D.
Nicole is the Principal for Academic Affairs Integration at Montclair State University, where she leads the academic affairs integration following their merger with Bloomfield College.
LAURA DE VEAU, ED.D.
With extensive experience in higher education administration, Laura De Veau specializes in mergers and closure management, serving as the VP of Student Affairs during Mount Ida College's closure.
DAVID F. DONNELLY, PH.D.
David has an extensive background in higher education, having served for over 30 years as Chief Academic Officer (CAO), Dean, and Professor at both private and public institutions. As the CAO, he played a key role in the consolidation of The College of New Rochelle with Mercy College. His specialty area is academic affairs and academic programming, with oversight experience of a broad range of undergraduate and graduate programs.
JOHNNIE L. EARLY, PH.D.
Dr. Johnnie L. Early is a renowned higher education leader with over 36 years of experience in academic and administrative excellence, significant budget and diversity advancements, and numerous prestigious awards.
Jessica Haber, Esq.
Jessica Haber is a higher education executive and Vice President/Chief of Staff at The Cooper Union, with over 20 years of experience in strategic planning and institutional transformation. Her experience includes leading major initiatives at Mercy University, such as the successful transition with the College of New Rochelle.
MARTINO HARMON, PH.D.
Martino, currently the vice president for Student Life at the University of Michigan, played a key role in the University of Toledo's 2006 merger with the Medical University of Ohio.
DONALD E. HELLER, ED.D.
Don Heller is the retired Provost and VP of Academic Affairs at the University of San Francisco and played a crucial role in negotiating three potential university acquisitions.
AUBREY HINKSON
Aubrey, a seasoned marketer in higher education, played a key role in branding and marketing strategies during the Augusta University merger and health system unification.
ANDY JHANJI
Andy’s career experience includes executive leadership at multiple flagship universities, including Florida State University and the University of Colorado at Denver, where he was instrumental in merging the Denver and Health Sciences Center campuses.
PETER LAIPSON, PH.D.
Peter, an experienced higher education leader, has held roles such as Provost of Bard College at Simon’s Rock and now oversees the affiliation of Fort Hays State University with two Kansas technical colleges.
CINDY MCDANIEL
Cindy is an experienced Financial Officer in higher education and is currently the Controller at St Peter's University. She was key in the Bloomfield College/Montclair State University merger, serving as Bloomfield's CFO.
TRAVIS SMITH
Travis, an athletic compliance administrator, specializes in NCAA membership requirements and understands the reclassification process in higher education mergers and institutional changes.
MARK WAGONER
Mark Wagoner, a former Ohio Senator and current legal professional, played a crucial role in the legislative process of the 2006 merger between the University of Toledo and the Medical University of Ohio.
ZACH WASILEW
Zach has extensive experience representing buyers and sellers of proprietary education institutions. He has overseen merger integration, closeouts, and conversions of both non-profit and for-profit organizations. Mr. Wasilew has played key roles for Rasmussen University, K12, Inc. (now Stride), Gersh Autism, and the Childcare Network. Additionally, he has represented strategic operators and investors in the acquisition and disposition of educational institutions.
JONATHAN WEXLER, ED.D.
Dr. Jonathan Wexler, Assistant Vice President for Enrollment Management at Nova Southeastern University, leads enrollment strategies and financial aid oversight, focusing on increasing diversity and institutional growth.
SHEILA WOOTEN
Sheila Wooten is Dean of Students and Director of Athletics at Bloomfield College. She has been highly influential in the success and direction of Bloomfield Athletics, where she guided their successful entry into the NCAA.
RESEARCH & ADMINISTRATION
RICK BURCHFIELD
With extensive higher education experience, Rick played a key role in Bloomfield College's merger with Montclair State University and excels in digital marketing, content marketing, and data analysis.
DREW CALLOW
Drew is skilled in data-driven strategy, focusing on higher education's economic impact. He holds an MPA and BGS from Arizona State and Wichita State University.
MICHAEL ESPOSITO
Mike brings valuable experience in scaling businesses, sales, and project management, complemented by his work at Procter and Gamble.
NOREEN RYAN
As a seasoned higher education administration professional, Noreen has experience in operational roles at Iona College, The College of New Rochelle, Manhattan College, and LIM College.
LUKAS WENRICK, ED.D.
Lukas Wenrick, with a Doctorate in Education from Arizona State University, has a deep understanding of the complexities of college mergers, informed by his experience writing a case study on Wheelock College's successful merger with Boston University.
LONI WENRICK
Loni brings project management and operations experience from Arizona State University and Vanguard, with a track record of building systems, managing cross-functional stakeholders, and keeping complex programs on track.