Meet the Presenters

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2027 Women's Leadership Forum Pre-Conference Workshop Presenter

Dr. Erin Hutchinson

Dr. Erin Hutchinson is an experienced finance and information technology executive leader with more than 20 years of service at the University of Colorado. She serves as assistant vice chancellor of Campus IT Finance, Planning, and IT Asset Management and previously held leadership roles in the university’s budget, fiscal planning, and provost’s offices as well as an academic college. A four-time University of Colorado alum, she holds degrees in accounting, public administration, law, and education.

2027 Women's Leadership Forum Presenters

Teri Bump

Teri Bump is a nationally recognized higher education leader, speaker, and strategist known for connecting leadership, culture, and organizational transformation in ways that inspire action.  Her contributions to higher education have been recognized through some of the profession's highest honors, including the NASPA Pillar of the Profession Award, ACPA Diamond Honoree, ACUHO-I Parthenon Award, and the NACAS Outstanding Business Partner Award.  Teri has served American Campus Communities as the Vice President for University and Corporate Partner Relations since 2001.

Ariel R. Cormier

Ariel R. Cormier, MBA serves as Director of Business and Finance for Information and Educational Technology at the University of California, Davis. She brings more than 20 years of experience in administration and finance, helping leaders make difficult decisions, connect resources to their goals, and guide teams through change. For Ariel, leadership starts with building trust, communicating openly, and understanding how decisions affect people. She works closely with executive leaders to address financial challenges while keeping the needs of the campus community in view. She is especially passionate about supporting women in leadership through mentorship and honest conversations about growth, confidence, and pursuing the next opportunity. At this year's Women's Leadership Forum, Ariel will share personal experiences and practical strategies for finding your voice, leading through uncertainty, and building confidence, connection, and resilience in today's ever-changing workplace.

Ahren Crickard

Ahren Crickard, Assistant Dean, Finance and Administration at USD School of Law, is a higher education finance and administration leader with extensive experience driving organizational, financial, and operational strategy within complex academic environments. Most recently, she served as Interim Co-Associate Vice Chancellor for Finance and Administration in Academic Affairs at the University of California, San Diego, where she provided strategic leadership across a broad portfolio supporting academic divisions, student-facing units, and institutional initiatives. Ahren brings deep expertise in budget strategy, organizational transformation, and shared services implementation. Her work focuses on aligning resources with institutional priorities, strengthening financial stewardship, and leading large-scale operational improvements that enhance service delivery and accountability. She has led multiple enterprise-wide initiatives, including business office restructures, financial system enhancements, and process modernization efforts impacting multimillion-dollar portfolios. Known for her collaborative leadership style, Ahren partners closely with senior leaders, faculty, and administrative teams to develop sustainable, data-informed solutions that advance the academic mission.

Dr. Ann Cudd

President Ann E. Cudd joined Portland State University as its 11th president in August, 2023. Prior to joining PSU, Dr. Cudd served as Provost and Senior Vice Chancellor at University of Pittsburgh and Dean of the College and Graduate School of Arts and Sciences at Boston University. She started in academic leadership at the University of Kansas where she served as Vice Provost and Dean of Undergraduate Studies as well as University Distinguished Professor of Philosophy. Dr. Cudd’s research explores themes of oppression, economic inequality, capitalism and gender. She holds three advanced degrees from the University of Pittsburgh, including a doctorate of philosophy and master’s degrees in philosophy and economics. She also holds a bachelor’s degree in mathematics and philosophy from Swarthmore College.

Jasmine Diep

Jasmine Diep, MBA, is the Director of Fiscal Planning in the Division of Administration and Finance at California State University, Los Angeles (Cal State LA), with over nine years of professional experience in higher education. She provides strategic financial leadership, oversees budget planning and resource allocation, and leads financial systems implementation and process improvement initiatives that strengthen organizational effectiveness and institutional decision-making. As a Cal State LA alumna, her journey from student to university leader has shaped her appreciation for higher education and the impact of thoughtful leadership. Passionate about continuous learning and professional development, Jasmine is an enthusiastic advocate for mentorship and women supporting women. She believes in the power of shared experiences, meaningful connections, and empowering one another to grow as confident leaders. Beyond her professional life, Jasmine enjoys basketball, traveling, exploring new experiences, and spending quality time with loved ones and her Chow Chow, Bao Bao.

 Dr. Giselle Flores Martin

Dr. Giselle Flores Martin is an authentic, transformational leader focused on the success of the people she mentors or leads. She believes in the importance of fostering strong relationships; those that embrace diverse talents, cultures and social beliefs. She’s been in leadership roles for two decades and appreciated early on in her career the importance of building bridges, leading with courage and connecting with purpose; leadership qualities she is recognized for! Dr. Martin holds a Doctor of Education in Organization & Leadership from the University of San Francisco. During her doctoral studies she focused on leadership theories and published her dissertation on “Women in Senior Leadership Roles, Career Mobility, Challenges, Success Stories and Need for Future Research “which has reached 6 continents and over 80 countries. Prior to this work, she completed a Master of Public Administration also focusing on leadership theories. Today she strives to inspire others to dream about the possibilities and reach their full potential!

Andria Johnson

Andria Johnson serves as the Vice President for Finance and Administration at Portland State University. With over 15 years of experience in public higher education, she manages PSU’s $650 million budget and oversees vital operations ranging from Facilities and IT to Human Resources and Campus Safety. A PSU alumna who rose through the ranks from student employee to executive leader, Andria utilizes a "People First" approach to foster financial transparency and build inclusive institutional structures. Her work focuses on aligning the university’s financial and operational strategies with its core academic mission to serve the broader Portland region.

Dr. Stephani Langehennig

Dr. Stefani Langehennig is an Assistant Professor of the Practice in the Business Information & Analytics Department at the University of Denver's Daniels College of Business. She is also the lead director for the Center for Analytics and Innovation with Data (CAID) at DU.  As a former data scientist, she has worked with both academic and industry partners in the U.S. and abroad, helping organizations evaluate and implement data science solutions.

Joyce Lopes

Joyce Lopes joined Western Washington University (WWU) as Vice President for Business and Financial Affairs in July 2021. She oversees Facilities Development and Operations, Finance and Business Services, Human Resources, Information Technology Services, Risk, Ethics, Safety, Resilience, & Enterprise Operations, Strategy, Management and Budget, University Police/Transportation Services, and University Residences. Prior to WWU, Joyce was the Vice President of Administrative Affairs at Sonoma State University and California State Polytechnic University, Humboldt.

Throughout her 45-year career in education, Joyce has held finance and administrative management roles at K-12 schools, community colleges, and public and private universities across the US and Europe. Joyce is active in the Bellingham community and serves on the local YWCA Board of Directors. She is a Member-at-Large on the Western Association of College and University Business Officers (WACUBO) Board and sits on WACUBO’s Finance and Annual Conference committees. Joyce also teaches at the annual Business Management Institute and has mentored in the WACUBO Mentor Program for five years.

She is a certified public accountant with an associate degree in business management from the University of Maryland in Munich, Germany; a BA in Business and Management from the University of Maryland European Division; and an MBA from the University of Colorado.

Shelia Martin

Sheila A. Martin , PhD is Vice President for Public Affairs and Chief of Staff at Portland State University. As a key strategic advisor to President Ann Cudd, she recently spearheaded the development of PSU's strategic plan, Future in Focus. Dr. Martin previously served as Director of PSU’s Institute of Portland Metropolitan Studies and Population Research Center. Her extensive leadership background includes roles as Vice President for Economic Development and Community Engagement at the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities, Economic Development Policy Advisor for Washington Governor Gary Locke, and a Program Director in Technology Economics and Policy at RTI International. She holds a Ph.D. in Economics from Iowa State University, an M.A. in International Studies from the University of Kentucky, and a B.A. in Economics and Political Science from Southern Illinois University.

Celeste Mergens

Celeste Mergens is an award-winning author, international keynote speaker, and founder and former CEO of Days for Girls International, a global movement that has reached more than 4 million women and girls in 145 countries.

What began with one question and a willingness to take the next step grew into an extraordinary global movement. Along the way, Celeste discovered that meaningful change rarely begins with certainty. It begins with possibility, courage, and the willingness to start before you're ready.

Award-winning author of "The Power of Days", Celeste brings humor, heartfelt storytelling, and hard-won leadership lessons to audiences around the world. Her work has earned recognition including the AARP Purpose Prize, Global Washington's Global Hero Award, and the Women's Economic Forum's Woman of the Decade recognition. Through her keynotes, Celeste invites audiences to rethink what's possible, celebrate how far they've come, and discover the extraordinary potential of their very next step. She lives in the Pacific Northwest and is married to her best friend of 44 years, Don. They have 6 children.

Amy Shuman

Amy Shuman serves as the Executive Director of Staff Coaching and Professional Development for the Division of Student Affairs at UC Davis, where she leads strategic talent initiatives and coaches staff to maximize their full potential. Drawing on nearly two decades of human resources leadership, Amy partners with executive leaders to elevate communication, deepen employee engagement, and build thriving organizational cultures. As an ICF Professional Certified Coach (PCC) and Gallup-Certified Strengths Coach, she is driven by the belief that professional growth is an ongoing journey powered by reflection, practice, and strong coaching. Amy holds an M.A. in Leadership and uses a strengths-based approach to empower leaders and transform workplace climate.

Dr. Denise Yoshimori-Yamamoto