Staff
The Graduate School’s experienced and dedicated professional staff further the mission of advancing graduate education and enhancing the graduate student experience by working closely with the equally dedicated staff of the university’s more than 230 graduate programs. The deans, directors, and staff of the Graduate School collaborate with over 120 directors and coordinators of graduate studies to guide applicants, students, and faculty through admissions to completion and every milestone in between and to offer these constituents access to the resources, opportunities, and support needed to succeed now and in the future.
The GS staff have created this website to be a comprehensive and useful tool for UMD students, faculty, staff, and alumni, as well as prospective students and the general public. If you cannot find what you seek on our website, please feel free to contact us by email at gradschool@umd.edu or by phone at 301-405-3644 or toll-free at (800) 245-GRAD (4723).
Office of the Dean
Associate Provost and Dean
301-405-6732
Steve Fetter is Associate Provost and Dean of the Graduate School. He has been a professor in the School of Public Policy since 1988, serving as dean from 2005 to 2009.
Associate Dean for Academic Standards and Policies and Professor, Communication
301- 405-6524
- Manages Graduate Programs, Curricula and Courses Committee (PCC)
- Enforces Graduate School academic policies
- Oversees Graduate Faculty appointments and service
Associate Dean
301-405-4205
- Oversees the Graduate School's central administrative functions
- Works with the Dean on strategic planning and building consensus among the Graduate Council, campus administrators, and graduate faculty and students
- Ensures the operational effectiveness of Graduate School policies and procedures
Fan Tsao
Assistant to the Dean
301-405-4182
- Provides executive administrative support to the dean, associate dean and assistant dean
Amanda Strausser
Assistant to the Dean
301-405-6732
- Provides executive administrative support to the dean, associate dean and assistant dean
- Manages Report of Examining Committee (REC) process
- Coordinates GS events and functions
Simone Warrick-Bell
Graduate Academic Counselor
301-405-0296
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Supports graduate students
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Manages Leave of Absence requests and supports students returning from a Leave of Absence
- Provides programming centered on mental health care
Office of Graduate Diversity and Inclusion
Christopher Pérez
Director, Office of Graduate Diversity and Inclusion
(301) 405-0763
- Manages recruitment, retention, and support initiatives for underrepresented and underserved graduate student populations
- Develops and implements diversity initiatives in graduate education
- Serves as UMD Coordinator for NSF PROMISE AGEP Grant, GEM Fellowship Campus Liaison, and Big Ten Academic Alliance SROP Coordinator
- Diversity Officer for The Graduate School and UMD Big Ten Academic Alliance
Office of Academic and Professional Development
Director, Academic and Professional Development
(301) 405-7882
- Develops and implements campus-wide writing initiatives and programs for graduate students and faculty
- Oversees the Graduate School Writing Center
Susan Martin, EdD
Director, Professional and Career Development
(301) 405-8236
- Develops and implements campus-wide career and professional development programs for graduate students.
Office of Funding Opportunities
Robyn Kotzker
Program Director, Office of Funding Opportunities
(301) 405-0281
- Oversees competitive GS fellowship and award programs and review processes
- Liaison for matters relating to Graduate Faculty Membership Nominations
- Graduate School contact for the Student Health Insurance Plan (SHIP) - compliance and enrollment metters
Office of Postdoctoral Affairs
Blessing Enekwe, PhD
Program Director, Postdoctoral Affairs
(301) 405-6009
- Coordinates programs and outreach to serve postdoctoral scholars.
Ombuds Office
Graduate Ombudsperson, and Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering
(301) 405-3132
- Serves as impartial, independent, and confidential resource for graduate students
- Ombuds Office
GS Operations: Admissions and Enrollment Management
Joe Lindsey
Business Process and Systems Lead
(301) 405-3644
- Provides IT support and training for admissions software system
GS Operations: Student and Faculty Services
Toyin Oguntolu
Coordinator, Student Services
(301) 405-0827
- Manages academic activities and issues of graduate students from enrollment to graduation
Angela Ambrosi
Information and Policy Program Manager
(301) 405-4183
- Manages the graduate catalog
- Manages degree auditing for graduate students
- Oversees Graduate Information Desk
- Coordinator for Graduate PCC
Waqeelat Gaji
Administrative Operations Coordinator
301-226-6280
- Coordinates the operations of the Graduate School Information Desk
- Assists and directs applicants, current students, faculty and staff to the appropriate staff and offices across campus
- Supervise graduate students who support the Information Desk
GS Operations: Graduate Information and Systems
Teddy Wu
Director, Graduate Information and Systems
(301) 405-4181
- Oversees and manages information and systems technologies
- Manages GS Information Desk and communications systems
- Serves as GS liaison with University Division of Information Technology
Alex Ridgell
Systems Analyst
301-314-1178
- Performs operational functions supporting the development and maintenance of graduate admissions, CRM, recruitment, and review systems.
- Provides ongoing operational support to GS staff, campus schools/colleges, and departments on the use of the admissions system
- Manages the FreeApp fee waivers through the Big Ten Academic Alliance
Ross McCool
Coordinator
301-405-3644
- Manages the queues for cloning processes within the TerpEngage application system including admission deferrals, program referrals, and dual-program applications
- Responds to email cases in the TerpEngage support queues
- Assists the Office of the Dean with REC processing
GS Operations: Finance and Administration
Patricia Woodwell
Director, Finance and Administration
(301) 405-0814
- Oversees and manages GS budget, accounts, and personnel
- Administers University/Dean’s/Merit Fellowship program
- Serves as budget officer for the Graduate School and coordinating official for UMD’s NSF GRFP program
Barbara Rhine
Manager, Fellowships and Tuition Accounts
(301) 405-0371
- Manages GS fellowship accounts
- Approves graduate assistant/student overloads
Maria Palmaira
Business Manager, Fellowships and Awards
(301) 405-0404
- Responsible for fellowship budgetary reconciliations, assisting with fellowship budgeting and reporting, funding transfers, and fellowship tracking
Wendy Koch
Business Manager, Operations
301-405-4924
- Responsible for all operational day-to-day activities of the Graduate School
- Reconciles GS operational budgetary reconciliations, travel, procurement, and payroll/personnel
Judith King
Coordinator
(301) 405-0369
- Provides administrative support for GS fellowships and tuition accounting