Administration

Laura Lawson
Executive Dean of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Office of the Executive Dean
Executive Dean, School of Environmental and Biological Sciences, Office of the Executive Dean
Executive Director, New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station, Office of the Executive Dean
848-932-3600
Martin Hall, Room 104
ljlawson@sebs.rutgers.edu

Executive Dean Lawson provides leadership and oversight for the School of Environmental and Biological Sciences and the New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station. She works closely with university leaders to develop and implement strategic initiatives that reflect and advance the university's research, education, and outreach missions.

Joyce Carlson
Senior Executive Assistant, Office of the Executive Dean
848-932-3503
Martin Hall, Room 104
jmcarl@sebs.rutgers.edu

Joyce Carlson provides executive-level administrative support to the Executive Dean and serves as principle liaison and as a primary point of contact for all senior administrators and outside constituents. She is also responsible for the planning and coordination of meetings and other events requiring leadership from the Office of the Executive Dean. She serves as a member of the Dean's Executive Leadership Team and the Dean's Cabinet.

Margaret (Peggy) Brennan-Tonetta
Senior Associate Director, New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station
Director, Office of Resource and Economic Development
848-932-3776
Martin Hall, Room 111
mbrennan@njaes.rutgers.edu
Website  |   Personnel

Margaret Brennan-Tonetta is responsible for the development and implementation of new economic development initiatives at NJAES such as the Rutgers Food Innovation Center, as well as administrative oversight of existing programs such as the Rutgers EcoComplex, Center for Advanced Food Technology, the Multispecies Aquaculture Demonstration Facility and the NJAES Technology Transfer program. She also provides economic assessments and operational recommendations for NJAES programs.

Wendie Cohick
Senior Associate Director, New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station
Director of Research
Dean of Research and Graduate Education
848-932-3777
Martin Hall, Room 104
cohick@njaes.rutgers.edu
Website  |   Personnel

Paul Elwood
Director, Human Resources, Office of Human Resources
848-932-3551
Martin Hall, Room 104
pelwood@sebs.rutgers.edu
Website  |   Personnel

Paul Elwood is responsible for the overall leadership and management of the Office of Human Resources. He develops and implements the policies and procedures associated with human resource functions and is also responsible for administrative leadership and support for all matters related to the hiring, reappointment, promotion, and tenure process for faculty. He is also responsible for the interpretation and enforcement of employment terms covered by collective bargaining agreements and serves as a university representative in personnel-related activities including affirmative action, grievances, and harassment compliance.

Megan Francis
Director, Global Engagement, Office of the Global Engagement
848-932-6385
Food Science and Nutritional Sciences Bldg. East, Room 122
megan.francis@rutgers.edu
Website  |   Personnel

Megan Francis is engaged in expanding the international agenda for the School of Environmental and Biological Sciences. This includes increasing the opportunities for undergraduates to spend a semester or summer abroad in programs that fit within their curriculum and enhance their educational goals, highlighting and supporting the many international activities among the faculty that already exist within the school, and cultivating an international community at the school. She serves as a resource for students and faculty seeking information on international opportunities.

Carl Leikhram
Senior Director, Office of Public Outreach and Communication
848-932-4200
Martin Hall, Room 113
carl.leikhram@rutgers.edu
Website  |   Personnel

Carl is responsible for managing effective marketing and messaging to support the School of Environmental and Biological Sciences as well as the New Jersey Agriculture and Experiment Station. He ensures that organizational communication needs are met through strategic outreach that executes a mission that promotes diversity, research, and academic achievement. As part of the Dean's Executive Leadership Team, Carl works cross-functionally with university units, to ensure greater organizational effectiveness, consistency, and clarity of all communication campaigns.

Thomas Leustek
Dean of Academic Programs, School of Environmental and Biological Sciences
848-932-3000
Martin Hall, Room 109
leustek@sebs.rutgers.edu
Website  |   Personnel

Thomas Leustek is responsible for all undergraduate and graduate programs, budget, and general administration for the School of Environmental and Biological Sciences. He is also responsible for the administrative aspects of undergraduate education at the School of Environmental and Biological Sciences, including course and curriculum revisions, teaching assistant and part-time lecturer allocations, articulations with New Jersey community colleges, and assessment of school academic programs.

Gabrielle Peterson
Senior Director of Development
848-932-3593
Martin Hall, Room 116A
g.peterson@rutgers.edu
Website  |   Personnel

Gabrielle Peterson is the chief advancement officer for the school and experiment station and is primarily responsible for overseeing all its development operations, including major gifts, corporate and foundation relations, gift planning, and annual giving. She also manages engaging the Executive Dean and key faculty with donors and prospects for the school and experiment station. In addition, Gabrielle oversees forecasting and achieving annual fundraising goals by working in collaboration with colleagues at the Rutgers University Foundation.

Troy Roepke
Associate Dean, Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
848-932-9454
Bartlett Hall, Room 305B
ta.roepke@rutgers.edu
Website

Brian Schilling
Senior Associate Director, New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station
Director, Rutgers Cooperative Extension
848-932-3591
Martin Hall, Room 309
schilling@njaes.rutgers.edu
Website  |   Personnel

Brian Schilling leads all Cooperative Extension programs. Rutgers Cooperative Extension helps New Jersey's diverse population to adapt to a rapidly changing society and improve their lives and communities through an educational process that uses science-based knowledge.

Mazen Shehat
Senior Associate Dean of Finance and Administration, Office of the Executive Dean
848-932-4214
Martin Hall, Room 104
mshehat@sebs.rutgers.edu

Mazen Shehat serves as chief operating officer for SEBS and NJAES. Mazen is responsible for the organization, direction, and management of all administrative and business offices that support the school and experiment station, including finance administration, budget and planning, human resources, facilities operations and planning, and information technology for instructional and research support.

Zenash Tassew
Director, Office of Financial and Business Administration
848-932-3780
Martin Hall
tassew@sebs.rutgers.edu
Website  |   Personnel

Zenash Tassew serves as the chief business officer and controller for the school and the experiment station. Zenash designs financial and business solutions to policy and operational problems that have significant impact on all academic, research, and extension programs at the school and the station. In addition, she provides advice, counsel, and training on all school and station financial and business matters. Zenash is responsible for the development, implementation, and integrity of all necessary state, federal, and internal reporting systems. She oversees the administration of the station's state appropriation, the federal Hatch and Smith/Lever appropriations, and all other financial resources belonging to the school and station. She also directs and manages units responsible for school wide accounting and payroll processes and transactions.

Julie Traxler
Associate Dean for Academic Programs, School of Environmental and Biological Sciences
848-932-3000
Martin Hall, Room 109
traxler@sebs.rutgers.edu

Julie Traxler is responsible for the day-to-day operations of the Academic Services component of the Office of Academic Programs. This encompasses advising, registration, admissions, recruitment, scholastic standing, degree certification/graduation and all areas related to academic policies, procedures and programs.

Regina Williams
Director, Office of Planning and Budgets
848-932-3505
Martin Hall, Room 214
regwilli@sebs.rutgers.edu
Website  |   Personnel

Regina serves as the chief financial officer and financial liaison for the School of Environmental and Biological Sciences and the New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station. She is responsible for the oversight and management of all budgets, financial operations, and fiscal resources for all departments, centers, institutes, and off-campus stations within the school and experiment station. She is charged with the direction, analysis, reporting, and control of all business/financial funds; develops operating plans for personnel, space, physical plant construction, and renovation and facility resources; manages and monitors all funds available to the school and experiment station. As a member of the Executive Dean's Office, Regina serves as an advisor to support individual faculty members, department chairs, center directors, and deans in strategic management of their resources as well as ensures efficient and effective utilization of all funds to best support the strategic goals of the school and the station.