The Caldwell University President relies on a cabinet of campus leaders to achieve the University’s mission-driven goals.

Jeffrey D. Senese, Ph.D.

President

Ph.D., Michigan State University, Methods/Statistics, and Criminal Justice
M.A., Indiana State University, Criminology
B.S., Penn State University, Administration of Justice

Jeffrey D. Senese, Ph.D. joined Caldwell University as its 10th President on July 10, 2023.

Prior to his appointment, Dr. Senese was the chief innovation officer at Corvus Education in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania. He previously served as president of Saint Leo University in Florida and as a provost and vice president for academic affairs at several institutions including Saint Leo prior to serving as its president, Cardinal Stritch University and Johnson and Wales University. He was a faculty member at Indiana University and the University of Baltimore where he was tenured. For more than a decade he has engaged in extensive research with the U.S. Department of Justice and the U.S. Department of Defense on use of force and other topics. Dr. Senese was also a tenured faculty member and served as the chief academic officer of one of the Penn State campuses.

President Senese has extensive international work experience in Asia, the Middle East, Europe and South Africa. He earned his bachelor’s degree from Penn State, a master’s degree from Indiana State and a Ph.D. in criminal justice/research methods/statistics from Michigan State. He completed the Institute for Higher Education Management and the President’s Institute at Harvard University, the Academic Management Institute at the National Center for Higher Education Management Systems in Boulder, Colorado, and the Penn State University Leadership Academy and earned certificates in fundraising from the University of Pennsylvania and Diversity and Inclusion from Cornell University. 

He has published a methods book, dozens of articles in professional publications, and has delivered papers, book chapters and other works.

Dr. Senese is a member of the Global Listening Center’s advisory board, and has previously served on the boards of the Tampa Bay Chamber of Commerce including service on the Executive Committee, the Tampa Hillsborough Economic Development Corporation, the Sunshine State Conference President’s Council serving at the president’s council chair, Enterprise Florida and the Urban League of Milwaukee. He has been recognized by the State of Maryland, the City of Baltimore and the Baltimore City Council for his contributions during nearly a decade of service in that community and received the key to the City of Tampa for his contributions. 

Dr. Senese and his wife, Alicia, have two adult children.

Mark Corino, M.A.

Assistant Vice President/Director for Athletics

M.A., Caldwell University
B.A., Kean University

mcorino@caldwell.edu

Mark Corino joined Caldwell University as Director of Athletics & Head Men’s Basketball Coach in August 1988. He was subsequently named Assistant Vice President in 2017. He oversaw the university’s transition from NAIA to NCAA Division II, a process that began in 1998 and was completed in 2002. Under Mr. Corino’s leadership, Caldwell’s athletic offerings have grown to 17 intercollegiate athletic programs. In 2010, Mr. Corino was named the Jostens ECAC Administrator of the Year and was inducted into the Caldwell Athletics Hall of Fame in 2016. He was honored by his CACC colleagues as he was selected as the 2016-17 and 2020-21 CACC Athletic Director of the Year. Mr. Corino also received the prestigious Garden State Award from the Collegiate Athletic Administrators of New Jersey in 2018. He remains actively involved in the intercollegiate athletics community as the current President of the CACC Directors Council and a member of the NCAA Division II Management Council since 2020.

Bob Herr

Vice President for Enrollment Management

B.A. Susquehanna University, History

rherr@caldwell.edu

Bob Joined Caldwell University in 2026 bringing over 35 years of admissions and enrollment management experience in higher education.  He oversees undergraduate and graduate admissions, student financial services, and assists with retention and net revenue initiatives.  Bob most recently served as the Associate Vice President for Enrollment Management at St.  Joseph’s University, New York.  Prior to his tenure there, he was the Vice President for Enrollment Management at Paul Smith’s College and Drew University.  He also previously worked at Wagner College, Seton Hall University, The George Washington University, NJIT, and Stevenson University. Bob serves as the co-chair for the School-College-CBO Relations Committee for the New York State Association for College Admission Counseling (NYSACAC) as well as the Admissions Practices Liaison to the National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC).

Anthony Grosso

Dean of Student Life

M.A., Montclair State University, Educational Leadership
B.F.A., Montclair State University

Mr. Grosso joined Caldwell University as its Director of Admissions in 2024 after a more than 20-year career in public education across New Jersey. He served as a classroom teacher, school principal, and superintendent in multiple school districts, where he focused on building supportive learning environments that addressed the diverse academic needs of students.

During his tenure as a superintendent, Mr. Grosso collaborated with Caldwell University to establish a dual enrollment program, providing high school students with early access to college-level coursework and a head start toward higher education. His career reflects a strong commitment to expanding educational access and strengthening pathways from secondary to postsecondary education.

Mr. Grosso earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts and a Master of Arts in Educational Leadership from Montclair State University. 

Michael Galvin, CPA, CGMA

Chief Financial Officer and Vice President for Finance

BS, Rutgers University

mgalvin@caldwell.edu

Mr. Galvin joined Caldwell University as its CFO and VP for Finance in April 2024 after a 10 year career with Montclair State University where he was appointed Interim Vice President for Finance and Treasurer in March 2022. He had started at Montclair in 2014 as its Controller and was promoted to Associate VP for Finance in 2017. Prior to joining the higher education industry, Mr. Galvin had a 26-year career in the not for profit industry serving as the VP for Finance and Treasurer for the  American Lung Association and Muscular Dystrophy Association. Mr. Galvin earned his bachelor’s degree in Accounting from Rutgers University and is licensed as a Certified Public Accountant and Certified Global Management Accountant in the State. Mr. Galvin is a member of the New Jersey Society of Certified Public Accountants and the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants.

Ellina Chernobilsky, Ph.D.

Vice President for Institutional Assessment, Strategic Planning, and Scholarship
Professor, School of Education

Ph.D. in Education, Rutgers University

echernobilsky@caldwell.edu

Ellina Chernobilsky holds a Ph.D. in Education from Rutgers University and has served as a faculty member of the Department of Education at Caldwell University since 2007. Throughout the years, she held several administrative positions at Caldwell University and, as of September 2025, has assumed the role of Vice President for Institutional Assessment, Strategic Planning, and Scholarship.

Before earning her Ph.D., Dr. Chernobilsky was a classroom teacher and used action research as a means to study and improve her own teaching in order to help herself and her students become better learners. Her current research interests include, but are not limited to, the issues of professional development on all levels of education, student learning, multilingualism, action research in education, use of data and data mining in education. She regularly teaches courses in research in education, technology in education, and teaching in higher education. She also regularly serves as a dissertation advisor and a member of dissertation committees. She has spent time teaching in Uzbekistan, China, and Russia.

Michelle Curtain Stewart, Ed.D.

Interim Vice President for Academic Affairs

Ed.D., Indiana University- Bloomington, Educational Leadership
M.A., Indiana University-Bloomington, Sociology
B.A. Alcorn State University, Political Science

mcstewart@caldwell.edu

Michelle Curtain Stewart joined Caldwell University as its Interim Vice President for Academic Affairs on July 7, 2026. Dr. Stewart has spent more than thirty years in higher education in faculty or leadership roles. Prior to her appointment, she served as President of the Institute for Clinical Social Work (ICSW) in Chicago, and as Vice President of Academic Affairs at Lane College in Tennessee and Interim Provost at Adler University in Chicago. She was a faculty member and department chair in sociology at Lane College where she was tenured. Prior to joining Lane College, she was at the Ostrom Workshop at Indiana University-Bloomington and served as Executive Director of the International Association for the Study of the Commons. In that role, she worked with an interdisciplinary team of researchers, practitioners, policymakers, and donors to support the organization’s global mission in countries like Australia, India, Mexico, Zimbabwe, and the UK. In addition to holding various executive leadership positions, Dr. Stewart has participated in the following regional and national leadership development programs: Tennessee’s Executive Leadership Institute, Higher Education Resource Services, the American Council on Education, the Harvard’s Seminar for New Presidents, and the Anchor Institute Taskforce. 

Dr. Stewart is an accomplished administrator and passionate advocate for higher education, focusing on student access, social justice, and sustainable community development. She has received regional recognition such as the Sterling Award for the twenty most influential women in West Tennessee and Woman of Impact for the American Heart Association. Dr. Stewart has maintained an active involvement in her community through several civic and social service organizations including Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., The Imagination Library, and Rotary Club One of Chicago.

Beth Gorab

Chief of Staff and AVP, University Communications

Beth brings strategic oversight, administrative alignment, and cross-campus storytelling to the executive leadership team.

Prior to stepping into executive operations, Beth established a strong track record in the university’s Office of Institutional Advancement, successfully leading special events, managing the annual fund, and building long-term donor relations. This foundation in advancement, combined with her prior experience as a small business owner, informs Beth’s practical, entrepreneurial approach to higher education strategy and communications. Beth is also the point person for the university’s relationships with government officials and is responsible for managing the education partnership with the New York Jets.

Beth holds a degree from Syracuse University and is a member of the Chief of Staff Association.