Administrative Staff

Dr. Jennifer Jones Cavenaugh, Dean
Professor of Theater

Phone: (804) 289-8416
Email: jcavenau@richmond.edu

As dean, Jennifer serves as the head academic officer for the largest school at the University of Richmond, and represents Arts & Sciences to the University and the broader community. Her role includes faculty hiring, reviews, and development; leading Academic Council; strategic planning and budgeting; and setting a strategic direction for A&S. Jennifer is a professor of theater and an active teacher and scholar. Read Jennifer’s full bio.

Dr. Sharon Feldman, Associate Dean, Division I
Professor of Spanish and Catalan Studies
William Judson Gaines Chair of Modern Foreign Languages

Phone: (804) 287-6419
Email: sfeldman@richmond.edu

Sharon serves as point of contact for academic departments and programs in Division I, Arts, Languages, and Cultures. Her additional responsibilities include supervising teaching assignment projections and overseeing contingent faculty hires; coordinating new and revised course proposals and curricular changes; serving as liaison for chairs and interdisciplinary program coordinators on enrollment management; and assisting with the merit review process. Sharon is a professor of Spanish and Catalan studies and holds the William Judson Gaines Chair in Modern Foreign Languages. Read Sharon’s full bio.

Dr. Manuella Meyer, Associate Dean, Division II
Associate Professor of History
Global Studies Concentration Advisor: Politics and Governance

Phone: (804) 287-6374
Email: mmeyer@richmond.edu

Manuella serves as the point of contact for academic departments and programs in Division II, the Humanities and Social Sciences. Manuella’s additional responsibilities include assisting with merit reviews; overseeing academic program review; and serving as liaison to interdisciplinary programs. Manuella is an associate professor of history and a global studies concentration advisor. Read Manuella’s full bio.

Dr. Kelling J. Donald, Associate Dean, Division III
Professor of Chemistry

Phone: (804) 289-8418
Email:kdonald@richmond.edu

Kelling serves as the point of contact for academic departments and programs in Division III, the Natural and Applied Sciences. His additional responsibilities include coordinating the merit review process; overseeing the Undergraduate Research Committee; planning for equipment replacement and physical space renovations; managing the Kresge process. He is also a professor of chemistry. Read Kelling’s full bio.

Dr. Patricia Herrera, Associate Dean, Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging (DEIB)
Professor of Theatre

Phone: (804) 289-8739
Email:pherrera@richmond.edu

The associate dean for DEIB builds capacity for the marshalling, training, and assessment of equity and inclusion efforts in the School of Arts & Sciences. The associate dean for DEIB will coordinate efforts around inclusive pedagogy and classroom climate; coordinate recruiting efforts to ensure diverse candidate pools; and work with departments and offices around campus to strengthen diversity and inclusion initiatives. Read Patricia’s full bio.

Cindy Glavas, Director of Financial Planning & Operations

Phone: (804) 287-6587
Email:cglavas@richmond.edu

Cindy oversees the operational aspects of the School. Her responsibilities include strategic planning, finance and budget, including short term and long range financial planning and projections.

Sarah Orr, Assistant Director of Financial Planning & Operations

Phone: (804) 287-1917
Email: sorr@richmond.edu

Sarah manages and provides accounting, financial, and administrative guidance and direction for the departments and interdisciplinary programs across the School of Arts & Sciences.

Jennifer Lo Prete, Communications Manager

Phone: (804) 289-8926
Email: jloprete@richmond.edu

Jennifer  works in collaboration with the Dean of the School of Arts & Sciences (A&S), Dean’s Office leadership team, department and interdisciplinary programs, and University Communications to pomote the breadth and depth of the School’s departmental and programmatic offerings, events, and faculty and student accomplishments across University channels, websites, social media, and publications. Jennifer also manages advancement communications for the School. 

Liza Williams, Manager of Faculty Administration

Phone: (804) 287-1826 
Email: lwillia9@richmond.edu

Liza performs, coordinates, and analyzes personnel work within the School of Arts & Sciences, specializing in employment matters for all faculty positions.

Robert Plymale, Manager of Finance and Research Administration

Phone: (804) 289-8367
Email: rplymale@richmond.edu

Responsible for fiscal and administrative support of student and faculty research; provides budgetary and fiscal support to the undergraduate and faculty research committees and to A&S departments and programs; and supports grant projects related to pre-award and post-award research administration. Serves as liaison to Grants Accounting, Human Resources, Payroll and faculty principal investigators. Provides administrative support for large institutional external grants. Provides reporting and compliance assistance for the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC).

Stacy Hull, Communications Specialist

Email: shull@richmond.edu

Stacy’s responsibilities include editorial, design, and web-related projects that bolster communication and marketing initiatives, enhance publication quality, facilitate event promotion, and cultivate a sense of belonging within the School of Arts & Sciences.

Carolyn Smart, Assistant to the Dean

Phone: (804) 289-8416
Email: charris6@richmond.edu

Carolyn provides administrative support to the Dean. She manages the Dean’s calendar and correspondence; provides administrative support for faculty meetings and academic council; plans School events; and supports faculty searches and tenure and promotion cases.

Phone: (804) 289-8417
Email: barb.schaible@richmond.edu

Barb provides administrative support to the associate deans including scheduling and calendar management. This position manages several administrative processes and assists in planning School events. This position also provides administrative support to departments and interdisciplinary programs as needed.