The Chair Academy

Worldwide Leadership Development For College and University Leaders

Paul A. Elsner Excellence in Leadership Award Honorees

The Paul A. Elsner International Excellence in Leadership Award is named after Dr. Paul A. Elsner, Chancellor Emeritus of the Maricopa County Community College District, where he held the chancellorship from 1977 until retiring in 1999. Dr. Elsner serves on numerous boards both in the public and private sector and has received numerous awards and recognitions. Dr. Elsner is recognized nationally and internationally as an exemplary leader in community and technical colleges and higher education

BRUCE BARKER

President,
Chippewa Valley Technical College

DEBBIE NELLIS

Professor/Director
Post-Secondary Articulation
and Program Development
Nova Southeastern University

 


About Bruce Barker

Bruce Barker is a graduate of Ripon College and Marquette University Law School.

He began his career as an Assistant City Attorney with the City of Eau Claire, Wisconsin.  He moved from public to private practice when he joined the Milwaukee-based law firm of Mulcahy & Wherry, SC.  He specialized in the areas of labor, employment, government, and education law. 

Bruce left private practice and entered the corporate world of health care as Vice President of Human Resources/Legal Counsel for Luther Hospital.  He served in that capacity during Luther Hospital’s merger with a large, local physician practice, Midelfort Clinic, and, subsequently, another merger where they became part of Mayo Clinic. 

He joined Chippewa Valley Technical College in 1999 as the Director of Human Resources.  The following year he became the Vice President of Operations where he supervised all of the college’s business operations, facilities, and human resources, and served as the college’s primary spokesperson with the employee unions.  In 2008 he was selected as the 10th President of Chippewa Valley Technical College.  His presidency has focused on providing quality programming—emphasizing certification, accreditation, and compliance with industry quality measures. 

Bruce is a member of the Chair Academy’s International Presidents’ Advisory Board and is the Presidential Liaison for the Wisconsin Leadership Development Institute.  Through these experiences, he has developed a very unique perspective of what it takes to succeed.  Bruce is active with the Wisconsin Technical College System (WTCS) and was instrumental in developing the Wisconsin Advanced Leadership development program, which started in June 2014.  Bruce led the initiative to bring the advanced program to Wisconsin which will serve executive leaders for years to come.  Bruce is also the President Sponsor for the Wisconsin Leadership Development Institute (WLDI) and has been since 2008.  The WLDI program serves 40-50 post-secondary educational leaders in their professional development each year.  Approximately 300 leaders have completed the program since 2008.  As the President Sponsor, Bruce advocates funds for the program, monitors program effectiveness and fosters a strong relationship with the Chair Academy team.  Bruce is committed to leadership development locally and within the state of Wisconsin.  He stresses the close alliance between education and business and industry. Bruce strongly believes that business needs are student opportunities.

 

  


About Debbie Nellis

Dr. Debbie Nellis served as Professor/Director of Post-Secondary Articulation’s and Program Development until she retired in June 2014 after twenty-one years of service at Nova Southeastern University (NSU).  Debbie is currently adjunct faculty for the Abraham S. Fischler School of Education (FSE) teaching in the leadership programs.  Debbie developed partnerships for FSE with higher education institutions such as the Chair Academy, League for Innovation, and the Association of Florida Colleges. Debbie developed articulation agreements for Nova Southeastern University, Abraham S.  School of Education programs with community and state colleges in Florida and throughout the United States. She also developed training for NSU counselors and community and state college counselor regarding partnerships and articulation agreements. Debbie served on the President’s Academic Review Committee for Curriculum and Program Development.

As a result of working with higher education leaders, Presidents, and Chancellors a need was demonstrated for leadership degrees that would help future community college leaders obtain career advancement. Debbie served as the lead faculty for the development and implementation of the Community College Leadership programs.  The programs are currently being taught by Presidents and Chancellors throughout the United States.  Debbie was responsible for training the new faculty for the online program delivered via the Blackboard format.  Led by Debbie, NSU’s Fischler Center for Education completed a partnership with the Chair Academy in 2005 that included a tuition grant for members and staff entering the FSE doctoral program and transfer of graduate credit to those who completed the Chair Academy Foundation Training or the Advanced Training.

In 2012 Debbie successfully established a partnership with the Chair Academy conducting a Florida and International Chair Academy Foundation Training at Nova Southeastern University main campus in Davie, Florida.  Joint marketing was completed between the Fischler School of Education, the Association of Florida Colleges and the Chair Academy.  The 2012-2013 training was conducted at NSU with the first group consisting of students from the United States and other countries.  The second session was held at the NSU Orlando regional campus.  A second group for 2013 -2014 met in Orlando at the Association of Florida Colleges conference and the second session at the NSU Orlando regional campus. 

Debbie’s career in higher education began at Truckee Meadows Community College where she served nine years as a counselor being promoted to Director of Recruitment and Outreach Services. Examples of her service include developing a model recruitment program for community colleges in Nevada, developing and implementing a Widening Opportunities for Woman Leadership Conference for the Single Parent/Displaced Workers program and the Job Training Partnership Program for Northern Nevada. She also developed and conducted outreach programs for business and industry, local Chamber of Commerce and the American Society Training and Development.

Debbie has served on the National Displaced Homemakers Advisor Board Region IX. Western State Youth Services Region IX Board as Vice President and Legislative Chairperson and Northern Nevada Counseling Association as President.  Debbie received the National College of Juvenile Court Judges Awards for the Self Discipline Project and Emergency Shelter program. She also received the America’s Outstanding Young Woman’s Award for Nevada and the Nevada State PTA Lifetime Membership Award for the work with legislation and services to youth and community.

Debbie is married and has two sons, a daughter-in-law and three grandsons.