Senior Leadership Team
Nicole Eramo
Chief of Staff
eramon@lafayette.edu
(610) 330-5125
316 Markle Hall
Nicole Eramo joined Lafayette in 2023 and is responsible for planning and managing strategic priorities and projects that drive forward the goals and mission of the College across multiple divisions simultaneously. Working especially closely with President Hurd and the senior leadership team, she plays a critical role coordinating work with partners across the community and manages the day-to-day operations of the president’s office. Prior to Lafayette, Eramo served the University of Virginia for more than 20 years in various leadership roles within the offices of the dean of students and the vice president of student affairs, including her final three years as chief of staff in the vice president’s office. Nicole also earned her B.A. in political and social thought, M.Ed. in social foundations, and Ph.D. in education, all from UVA.
Sherryta Freeman
Director of Athletics
freemasd@lafayette.edu
(610) 330-5470
221 Kirby Sports Center
Sherryta Freeman joined Lafayette in 2018 and is responsible for the College’s 23-sport NCAA Division I Athletics department as well as Recreation Services. Freeman’s time on College Hill has been highlighted by improved competitiveness and a continuation of outstanding academic performance. She was featured by Sports Illustrated among 100 influential black women in sports. She began implementing a five-year strategic plan, Creating a Championship Culture, upon her arrival. In 2020-21, Freeman introduced a diversity, equity, and inclusion initiative that will continue to shape the department. Prior to joining Lafayette, Freeman served as the senior associate athletic director and senior woman administrator at the University of Pennsylvania after multiple roles at Temple University, following the beginning of her career at her alma mater, Dartmouth College, and the Ivy League office. She holds a B.A. in environmental studies with a minor in African and African American studies from Dartmouth and an M.S in sports management from the University of Massachusetts.
Ernest Jeffries
Vice President for Inclusion
jeffriee@lafayette.edu
(610) 330-3210
006A Markle Hall
Regarded as a transformational leader and a collaborative partner, Ernest Jeffries joined Lafayette in January 2024. Jeffries has more than 30 years of expansive leadership experience in higher education, joining Lafayette after serving as the inaugural Vice President of Student Engagement at Mary Baldwin University since 2018. Prior to Mary Baldwin University, he served for 22 years at Davidson College, during which his roles included leadership as Assistant/Associate Dean of Student Life, Chief Judicial Officer, and Director of Multicultural Affairs. His extensive experience in student engagement and inclusion work is complemented by his time spent in the classroom teaching first-year courses focused on ethics, diversity, study skills, decision-making, and time-management skills at each institution throughout his career. Actively engaged in the higher education community, Ernest’s professional affiliations include the Southern Association of College Student Affairs, the Association on Higher Education and Disability, the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators, the Association of Student Conduct Administrators, and the Phi Mu Alpha and Alpha Phi Alpha fraternities. He received his B.A. in music education and M.Ed. in college administration from the University of South Carolina. He earned his M.Div. at Hood Theological Seminary and D.Min. at United Theological Seminary.
Audra Kahr
Executive Vice President for Finance & Administration
kahra@lafayette.edu
(610) 330-3247
316 Markle Hall
Audra Kahr joined Lafayette in 2022 and oversees Finance, Facilities Operations, Public Safety, and an array of critical administrative services. Prior to Lafayette, Kahr served in leadership roles at Cedar Crest College, where from 2010-22 she was the chief financial officer, chief operating officer and treasurer, following five years serving as manager of financial and operational analysis and controller. Prior to Cedar Crest, Audra served as senior auditor at Deloitte & Touche, LLP, and as senior financial analyst at Tyco International. She is a Certified Public Accountant, and a member of the Pennsylvania Institute of Certified Public Accountants and the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants. She currently serves on the Board of Directors and as a member of the Program and Services Committee for Eastern Association of College and University Business Officers, as Vice President of the Moravian Development Corporation, and on the Finance Committee at Camphill School, among other service roles. She earned her bachelor’s degree in management and accounting from DeSales University.
Pete Mackey
Interim Vice President for Communications and Marketing
mackeyp@lafayette.edu
(610) 330-5120
Leading higher education strategist Pete Mackey is serving as Lafayette’s interim vice president for communications and marketing. Mackey is the president and senior strategist of Mackey Strategies and has more than 30 years of experience in leadership roles at private and public institutions in the United States and Europe. Before founding Mackey Strategies, he was the senior communications officer at Amherst College, Bucknell University, the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation, Science Foundation Ireland, and University of South Carolina (USC). He has since provided strategic communications, marketing, and leadership services for more than 45 colleges and universities across the country. Mackey earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in English and film studies from Case Western Reserve University, graduating Phi Beta Kappa; and his Ph.D. in 20th century British literature and literary theory from USC.
John Meier
Provost
meierj@lafayette.edu
(610) 330-5066
219 Markle Hall
Named Provost in 2019, John Meier is Lafayette’s chief academic officer, overseeing all academic departments, programs and operations at the College. John joined the mathematics faculty at Lafayette in 1992 and has taught a wide variety of courses including calculus, applied statistics and a writing intensive class on ethnomathematics. He is the author or co-author of over fifty research articles and three books. His research is in geometric group theory, a field in the liminal area between algebra, geometry, and topology. John has won a number of awards for teaching excellence and his research has been supported by funding from the National Science Foundation and the American Mathematical Society. John holds the David M. `70 and Linda Roth Professorship in Mathematics. In addition to his work as a teacher and scholar, John has served as Dean of the Faculty, Dean of Academic Initiatives, Dean of the Curriculum and Resources, Associate Provost for Faculty Development, and Director of Research Services. He holds mathematics degrees from the University of Virginia (B.A.) and Cornell (M.S. and Ph.D.).
Krishna Memani
Chief Investment Officer
memanik@lafayette.edu
(610) 330-3163
99 Park Avenue, Suite 1810, New York, NY 10016
Krishna Memani joined Lafayette in 2020 and is responsible for managing an endowment of more than $850 million, which ranks among the top 10 percent of American colleges and universities in endowment per student. Prior to joining Lafayette, Krishna served as vice chairman of investments at Invesco, which he joined when the firm combined with OppenheimerFunds in 2019, where he was chief investment officer. Earlier in his career, Krishna led U.S. and European credit analysis at Deutsche Bank headed global credit research at Credit Suisse, and oversaw high-grade and high-yield portfolios at Putnam Investments. Krishna earned an MBA and a master’s degree in economics from University of Florida and a bachelor of engineering degree in mechanical engineering from Birla Institute of Technology and Science in Pilani, India.
Sarah Moschenross
Vice President for Student Life
moschens@lafayette.edu
Sarah Moschenross joined Lafayette in September 2023 and oversees Bailey Health Center, Case Management, Counseling Center, Dean of Students, Educational Equity, Fraternity and Sorority Life, Gateway Career Center, Intercultural Development, Religious and Spiritual Life, Residence Life, Student Advocacy and Prevention, Student Conduct, Student Government, and Student Involvement. She most recently served as Vice President of Student Affairs at Grinnell College, following three years serving as Grinnell’s Dean of Students. Prior to Grinnell, Sarah served as the Director of the McNair TRIO Program at Knox College, and as a Residence Director at Coe College. Active in service to the profession, Sarah has been Iowa’s state liaison for the American College Personnel Association (ACPA) Standing Committee for Women , on the directorate board of the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators (NASPA) Commission for Social Justice Educators for the American College Personnel Association, and as the president of the Iowa Student Personnel Association (ISPA). A native of Iowa, Moschenross received her B.S. from Iowa State University in child and family services and her M.A. from the University of Iowa in student development in post-secondary education. She is currently completing her doctorate in student affairs administration and leadership at University of Wisconsin, La Crosse.
John O’Keefe ‘96
Vice President of Information Technology Services
okeefej@lafayette.edu
(610) 330-5161
One South Third Street, Fourth Floor
John O’Keefe oversees the division of Information Technology Services, and is responsible for the College’s technology strategy and IT operations, including learning and research technologies, user support, web development, digital infrastructure, and data integrations and reporting. In addition to his Lafayette portfolio, John serves as chair of the board of KINBER, a Pennsylvania based non-profit corporation that provides broadband connectivity, fosters collaboration, and promotes the innovative use of digital technologies throughout the state. He has also served as chair of the board of the Consortium of Liberal Arts Colleges (CLAC), an organization that represents IT leaders from the top liberal arts colleges in the country, and the Third Street Alliance, a community-based non-profit that provides housing services for women and children as well as an early learning center, all within an historic mansion in downtown Easton. He holds an A.B. in American studies and music (double major) from Lafayette, and is pursuing an EMBA at Drexel University.
Forrest M. Stuart
Vice President for Enrollment Management
stuartf@lafayette.edu
(610) 330-3304
103A Markle Hall
Forrest Stuart, named Lafayette’s Vice President for Enrollment Management in February of 2023, oversees the College’s Admissions and Financial Aid teams. Forrest joined the Lafayette community in 2019 as our Assistant Vice President for Financial Aid. His 30-plus years in the field include previous service as Associate Vice President for Enrollment Management and Director of Financial Aid at Furman University from 2008-2018 and Director of Financial Aid at Rhodes College from 2000-08. He holds a Ph.D. in educational leadership from Clemson University, concentrating in higher education; a master of art’s degree in higher education administration from the University of Alabama; and a bachelor of art’s degree in human resources management from Birmingham-Southern College.
Kim Verstandig
Interim Vice President for Development and College Relations
verstank@lafayette.edu
(610) 330-5892
A higher education fundraising leader with decades of experience, Kim Verstandig is serving as Lafayette’s Interim Vice President for Development and College Relations. Verstandig most recently served as vice president for advancement at Connecticut College, where she oversaw all aspects of multi-faceted fundraising and alumni and parent engagement efforts and directed a comprehensive campaign that exceeded its $300M goal one year in advance. Her efforts at Connecticut College encompassed five record-breaking fundraising years and six of the largest individual gifts the institution had ever received, ranging from $10 million to $30 million. She previously served as Interim Vice President for Advancement and Associate Vice President for Advancement & Campaign Director at Skidmore College and held key leadership fundraising positions at The Albany Academies, Albany Medical Center, and Bucknell University. Verstandig currently serves as vice president for fundraising and senior strategist at Mackey Strategies, a communications and marketing firm founded by Pete Mackey, Lafayette’s interim vice president for communications and marketing. She earned a M.S. in Education and B.S. in Business Administration from Bucknell University.