CenterState CEO Members Named To The 2021 Higher Education Power 100

Congratulations to our members in the educational industry, who made the cut for The 2021 Higher Education Power 100. They are featured on this list due to their extracurricular activities outside the classroom as they seek to make the state a better place. 

4. Martha Pollack

President, Cornell University

Cornell University, which has long been one of the largest employers based in upstate New York, continues to thrive and expand under the leadership of Martha Pollack. In addition to overseeing Cornell Tech on Roosevelt Island, she announced a range of new initiatives to promote racial justice – including programs to further educate students and faculty, and to support diversity and inclusion on campus. Cornell is also investing in outreach initiatives in K-12 public schools and Break Through Tech, a program for women and underrepresented groups pursuing careers in technology

13. Joanie Mahoney

President, SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry

When Joanie Mahoney was county executive of Onondaga County, she was known as one of Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s most reliable Republican allies. She was appointed by Cuomo to chair the New York state Thruway Authority in 2015, and after she stepped down as county executive she came on at the State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry as chief operating officer. In November, she was elevated to the presidency, making her the first woman to lead the institution.

17. Kent Syverud

Chancellor and President, Syracuse University

Kent Syverud is aiming to take Syracuse University to the next level. In addition to launching a $1.5 billion fundraising campaign aiming to bolster the university’s international reputation and attract high-end faculty, he also recently announced a diversity and inclusion plan that addresses discrimination and accessibility for students and employees with disabilities on campus. Syracuse also plans on investing in interdisciplinary research in 10 fields including quantum information science, biology-inspired materials and policy on autonomous systems.

39. Alex Colvin

Dean, Cornell University School of Industrial and Labor Relations

As the Kenneth F. Kahn ‘69 dean of the Cornell University School of Industrial and Labor Relations, Alex Colvin focuses on employment dispute resolution and on the future of work. He previously served as interim dean before fully assuming the position in 2019, overseeing initiatives such as the opening of ILR’s new Manhattan headquarters at 570 Lexington Ave. and the recruitment and hiring of seven new faculty members.

49. Brian Casey

President, Colgate University

Colgate University President Brian Casey has been at the helm of the school’s remarkable surge in popularity among first-time applicants. The university saw a record 17,000 applications for the class of 2025 – a 102% increase from 2020 that includes a corresponding increase in applications from students of color. Casey’s first five years as president have also been distinguished by a comprehensive review of the school’s diversity and inclusion practices and the construction of three major buildings.

58. Deborah Stanley

President, SUNY Oswego

During Deborah Stanley’s 23-year tenure leading the State University of New York at Oswego, she has established the Presidential Scholarship Program, the Possibility Scholarship Program and the pioneering Oswego Guarantee, which promises that students will be able to complete a degree within four years. Stanley also launched Oswego’s first comprehensive fundraising campaign, garnering almost $24 million, and spearheaded a massive upgrade of campus technology. The school has increased diversity, with 36% of 2018’s first-year class self-identifying as culturally diverse.

66. Greg Morrisett

Dean and Vice Provost, Cornell Tech

Cornell Tech Dean and Vice Provost Greg Morrisett’s impact on New York City’s tech sector now includes a $1 million grant from the Atlantic Philanthropies to jump-start its public interest tech initiative. The school also received part of a $5 million gift that will help Morrisett achieve his goal of doubling the size of the campus’ 30-person faculty body over the next five years. Morrisett has also recruited women and underrepresented communities into STEM fields through the Break Through Tech initiative.