People

In additional to the academic deans, the provost oversees the following areas of the institution.

View the Office's Org Chart


Office of the Provost

  • Joy K. Ward

    Joy K. Ward, PhD

    Provost and Executive Vice President
    Professor
    Department of Biology
    College of Arts and Sciences

    Email: provost@case.edu

    Phone: 216.368.4346

    The provost and university vice president is the chief academic officer of the university. In this capacity, Ward is responsible for providing leadership that supports all aspects of the academic enterprise of Case Western Reserve.

  • Susan Karaba

    Susan Karaba

    Executive Assistant to the Provost
    Office of the Provost

    Email: susan.karaba@case.edu

    Phone: 216.368.4346

    Karaba provides administrative and secretarial support to the provost.

  • Deanna DePenti

    Deanna DePenti

    Coordinator of Schedule and Travel
    Office of the Provost

    Email: deanna.depenti@case.edu

    Phone: 216.368.1052

    DePenti manages the schedules of the provost and executive vice president as well as the deputy provost for academic strategic initiatives. She assists with several projects as well as the day-to-day operation of the office.

  • Heather Murray

    Executive Aide
    Office of the Provost

    Email: hxm508@case.edu

    Phone: 216.368.5573

    Murray manages the schedules of the Senior Director of Finance as well as the Senior Vice Provost for Undergraduate Education and Academic & Faculty Affairs. 

Strategy & Operations

  • Lee Thompson headshot

    Lee Thompson, PhD

    Deputy Provost for Academic Strategic Initiatives
    Office of the Provost
    Professor
    Department of Psychological Sciences
    College of Arts and Sciences
    Associate Director
    Provost Scholars Program

    Email: lee.thompson@case.edu

    Phone: 216.368.5507

    Thompson collaborates with leaders in the Office of the Provost and in the college and schools to develop and implement initiatives that enhance faculty and postdoc engagement and advancement, that drive student success and retention, and that improve the central operations of the Provost’s Office, such as financial and budgeting processes and strategies, human resources, and communications. 

  • Andrea Hauser Headshot

    Andrea Hauser , PhD

    Assistant Provost for Strategic Initiatives
    Office of the Provost
    Executive Director
    President's Leadership Development Program

    Email: amh362@case.edu

    Phone: 216.368.1610

    Hauser provides expert advice and strategic direction on a wide range of issues and opportunities related to the university's educational offerings and administrative functioning. She also serves as the executive director of the President's Leadership Leadership Development Program, a role she has held since 2022.

  • Jocelynn Clemings Headshot

    Jocelynn Clemings

    Manager for Communications & Special Projects
    Office of the Provost

    Email: jocelynn.clemings@case.edu

    Phone: 216.368.8890

    Clemings is responsible for advancing strategic initiatives of the university through development and implementation of communications plans and messages—as well as creation of speeches, correspondence and more.

  • Potrait of Craig Zullig

    Craig M. Zullig, MBA

    Senior Director, Finance
    Office of the Provost

    Email: craig.zullig@case.edu

    Phone: 216.368.8752

    As the Senior Director of Finance, Zullig (he/him/his), provides oversight of a comprehensive management model for the schools, programs, and offices reporting to the Office of the Provost.

  • William Breeze

    William Breeze, PhD

    Administrative Director, Faculty Advancement and Postdoctoral Affairs

    Email: wxb163@case.edu

    Breeze works with the Office of the Provost, as well as the college and schools, to create programming and initiatives that support and enhance faculty and postdoc engagement and advancement.

Academic Administration

  • Travis Apgar

    Travis Apgar

    Vice President for Student Affairs

    Email: travis.apgar@case.edu

    Phone: 216.368.2021

    Apgar leads the Office of Student Affairs and provides leadership in the development of services and programs that enrich student life, extend and enhance the academic experience, and contribute to an environment that encourages personal growth and development.

  • portrait of Rick Bischoff

    Rick Bischoff

    Vice President for Enrollment Management
    Division of Enrollment Management

    Email: richard.bischoff@case.edu

  • Eddie Bolden Headshot

    Edward Bolden, PhD

    Senior Director
    Institutional Research

    Email: edward.bolden@case.edu

    Phone: 216.368.1500

    Bolden is responsible for leading the department in delivering accurate, consistent, and timely information about CWRU to stakeholders through the provision and communication of data in multiple formats to support strategic decision-making. 

  • Portrait of Jeffrey Capadona

    Jeffrey Capadona, PhD

    Vice Provost for Innovation
    Donell Institute Professor
    Department of Biomedical Engineering
    Case School of Engineering, School of Medicine
    Principal Investigator
    Department of Biomedical Engineering
    Capadona Lab
    Senior Research Career Scientist
    Louis Stokes Cleveland Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center

    Email: jeffrey.capadona@case.edu

    Phone: 216.368.5486

    Capadona leads efforts to leverage artificial intelligence and other emerging technologies to enhance the university's educational offerings while overseeing the staff and faculty leadership of Sears think[box]. 

  • Yolanda Cooper

    Yolanda Cooper

    Vice Provost and Lindseth Family University Librarian
    Kelvin Smith Library

    Email: yolanda.cooper@case.edu

    Phone: 216.368.2992

    Cooper manages the Kelvin Smith Library, a dynamic, technology-rich, highly collaborative organization with resources, services, tools, and expertise to advance the success of students, faculty, and staff at Case Western Reserve. 

  • Don Feke Headshot

    Donald Feke, PhD

    Senior Vice Provost for Academic and Faculty Affairs
    Distinguished University Professor
    Professor
    Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering
    Case School of Engineering

    Email: donald.feke@case.edu

    Phone: 216.368.4343

    Feke oversees faculty and academic affairs across all of CWRU’s schools, oversees the Office of the Registrar and UCITE, and maintains CWRU’s institutional accreditation.

  • Kathleen Horvath

    Kathleen Horvath

    Professor
    Department of Music
    College of Arts and Sciences
    Director of Orchestras
    Department of Music
    College of Arts and Sciences
    Associate Provost for Academic Affairs

    Email: kathleen.horvath@case.edu

    Phone: 216.368.1613

    Horvath provides leadership and guidance in focused initiatives carried out by the Office of the Provost, such as institutional accreditation. She is currently exploring the student experience at Case Western Reserve as it relates to rates of persistence toward degree completion.

  • Dan Lacks Headshot

    Daniel Lacks, PhD

    Vice Provost for Interdisciplinary and International Initiatives
    Office of the Provost
    C. Benson Branch Professor of Chemical Engineering
    Department of Chemical Engineering
    Case School of Engineering

    Email: djl15@case.edu

    Phone: 216.368.4238

    Lacks leads the university’s efforts in developing and enhancing interdisciplinary and international collaborations across campus and with affiliated partners. He oversees the Inamori Center for Ethics and Excellence, Office of Interprofessional and Interdisciplinary Education and Research, Siegal Lifelong Learning, Social Justice Institute and Veale Institute for Entrepreneurship.

  • Rachel Lutner

    Rachel E. Lutner

    Vice President of Equity and Title IX Coordinator
    Office of Equity

    Email: rachel.lutner@case.edu

    Phone: 216.368.3066

    Lutner leads the Office of Equity to implement the university's nondiscrimination and anti-harassment policies by providing incident assessment, investigation and formal and informal resolution strategies; identifying appropriate disability accommodations for students and staff; conducting dynamic training and providing education on discrimination, harassment, Title IX, consent, support matters for students and employees to increase awareness.

  • Male with glasses and dark sport jacket

    Marvin T. Nieman, PhD, FAHA

    Vice Provost and Dean for Graduate Studies
    Professor
    Department of Pharmacology
    School of Medicine
    Member
    Molecular Oncology Program
    Case Comprehensive Cancer Center

    Email: nieman@case.edu

    Phone: 216.368.0250

    Nieman provides strategic leadership to support graduate student success in research and teaching, as well as holistic guidance for well-being and career development.

  • Associate Professor Peter Shulman

    Peter A. Shulman

    Associate Provost for Curriculum
    Office of the Provost
    Elizabeth and Raymond Armington Professor and Associate Professor of History
    Department of History
    College of Arts and Sciences

    Email: peter.shulman@case.edu

    Phone: 216.368.2261

    Shulman oversees the undergraduate curriculum beyond individual schools and the College, including the Unified General Education Requirements (UGER), Pre-Major Advising, and the Explore program. He reviews course proposals, collaborates on advising, program assessment, curricular policies, and enrollment analysis, and organizes the annual undergraduate awards ceremonies, including the Wittke and Jackson awards.