Colorado Campus Compact

Paul Alexander is Director of the Institute on the Common Good at Regis University. He has extensive experience in facilitating community dialogue and collaborative processes and teaches in both the CPS School of Humanities and Social Sciences and the Regis College Departments of Religious Studies and Peace and Justice. He served for eight years as the Degree Chair for the Master of Nonprofit Management Program (MNM) at Regis and has over twenty years experience in the nonprofit sector. He has traveled extensively and lived and worked in Spain and Latin America. Alexander serves on the boards of Advocates for Younger Generations, Colorado Campus Compact, the Colorado Nonprofit Loan Fund, and the National Coalition for Dialogue and Deliberation. He also serves as an advisor to Governor Hickenlooper on public engagement for statewide public policy development. He has a BA from Williams College, an MA in Economics from the University of Colorado at Boulder, and a Ph.D. in Community Dialogue from the Union Institute and University.

Dr. Michele Haney is the president of Red Rocks Community College, and has been with Colorado Community Colleges since 1992. Since joining RRCC in 2008, Dr. Haney has worked to improve the creative use of technology and web-based resources to expand teaching and learning opportunities. RRCC has also taken the lead on a plan to facilitate a seamless transition of high school students into dual enrollment programs in all the counties that RRCC serves. The renewable energy programs at RRCC have rapidly expanded over the past two years, gaining recognition from both the Colorado Governor and City of Lakewood. During Dr. Haney’s tenure, grant funding has significantly grown, including hundreds of thousands of dollars to support workforce development in the energy fields and jobs for veterans. Between 2008 and 2010, enrollment at RRCC grew by more than 35%. In addition, retention, graduation, and minority enrollment have increased. Prior to RRCC, Dr. Haney served in vice president and chief executive officer roles at Front Range Community College from 1992 to 2003. From 2003 to 2007, Dr. Haney served as president of Morgan Community College, with the state's largest service area of 11,500 square miles. During Dr. Haney’s time at Morgan, the college ranked number one in the state for retention and graduation rates within the community college system.

Bette Matkowski became Johnson and Wales University Denver Campus president in 2004. She oversees the implementation of the university’s strategic plan, FOCUS 2011, and leads the way for further strengthening of academic and student life experiences on campus. Matkowski previously served as the president of Lamar Community College in Lamar, where she was responsible for rebuilding the agriculture and horse training programs, offering free English classes to Hispanic community residents, and committing the college to hosting the central hub of the Pierre Auger Cosmic Ray Laboratory. Matkowski was the first person in her family to graduate from college, and following graduation, she taught high school English for ten years. In 1984, Matkowski became coordinator of instruction at the Community College of Vermont, where she rapidly advanced to the position of dean of enrollment and advancement.

Rev. Michael J. Sheeran, S.J., Host, has served as the president of Regis University since 1993, and prior to that served as academic vice president since 1982. Fr. Sheeran received his doctorate in politics from Princeton University in 1977. He entered the Society of Jesus (Jesuits) in 1957 and was ordained a Catholic priest in 1970. He also holds a Licentiate in Sacred Theology and in Philosophy, master’s degrees in political science and Moral and Pastoral Theology, and a bachelor's degree in Philosophy and Letters, all from St. Louis University. A former chair of Mile High United Way, Fr. Sheeran has served on the boards of Rocky Mountain College of Art and Design, Rockhurst College, Creighton University, and the University of San Francisco. He is currently a board member of the Association of Catholic Colleges and Universities. Throughout his 17 years as Regis University President, Fr. Sheeran has taken special pride in promoting service learning through the course options in all three colleges of the University.