New editor takes over Almanac

Marguerite Miller

Photo by Andrew Miller

Marguerite Miller, long-time Associate Editor of the Almanac, the crowded journal of record for committee reports and administrative initiatives as well as other campus news, has been appointed Editor effective Nov. 1. Miller follows in the footsteps of Karen Gaines, who is retiring after having served at the Almanac for 25 of its 28 years. Asked about the highlight of her tenure, Gaines said, Its been a long 2,000 years, but when Mel Brooks gets the screen play , hell flip. Miller, no fly-by-night herself, has been with the Almanac for 19 years, and has served as Associate Editor for 13. She foresees some changes in the Web version, which people use mostly to search for specific articles. We had in excess of 20,000 hits [on our Web site] two days running in August, so Im hoping to add some reports from the pre-Web era that people frequently request. The hard copy will also continue publication. We treasure both formats, she said.

Lisa Prasad

Photo by Crane Photography

Lisa Prasad has been named Associate Vice President for Business Development in the Division of Business Services. Her responsibilities will include identifying ways for the University to make money and overseeing the Bookstore. Prasad, Executive Director for the Office of the Executive Vice President for the past two years, worked on a wide range of operational and strategic issues. Her prior experience includes three years in the Higher Education Consulting Practice at Coopers & Lybrand and four years in the Executive Office of Resource Planning and Budget here at Penn.

Beverly Edwards

Photo by Crane Photography

Beverly Edwards has accepted the position of Executive Director of Learning and Education in the Division of Human Resources. Her appointment is part of the restructuring of training operations within the University. Edwards responsibilities include developing a comprehensive, multidisciplinary training program for the University. She holds a Ph.D. in English from Lehigh, and comes to this new role from her position of Senior Director of Training in the Division of Finance. Prior to that she served as Director of Whartons Aresty Institute.

Mary DiStanislao has been appointed Associate Director of Athletics effective September 27. As associate director, she will serve as the senior womens administrator, responsible for overseeing womens athletics.
DiStanislaos previous experience in intercollegiate athletics includes positions as head basketball coach at both Northwestern University and the University of Notre Dame. DiStanislao earned an MBA at the Kellogg Graduate School of Mangagement at Northwestern University. She comes to the Athletic department from the Wharton School, where she served as Associate Director of the MBA Career Management Program.

I. William Ferniany

I. William Ferniany, Ph.D., has been appointed to the newly created position of Senior Vice President for Administrative Services in the Penn Health System. Ferniany comes to this post after having served as senior vice president for professional services. In his new position, Ferniany oversees marketing, medical affairs, information services, telecommunications, human resources, facilities, venture and industry relations, and support services. Ferniany first came to Penn in 1992 from the University of Alabama, where he earned a B.S. in manpower and industrial relations, an M.S. in hospital and health administration, and a Ph.D. in administration and health services.

Michael Awkward

Michael Awkward, Ph.D., has been named director of the Center for the Study of Black Literature and Culture. Awkward, a cum laude graduate of Brandeis University who went on to earn both an M.A. and a Ph.D. from Penn, has extensive experience in the field of black literature. He served on the faculty of the University of Michigan as a professor of both English and Afro-American and African Studies. Awkward also headed Michigans Center for Afro-American and African Studies and is widely published on the subject of black literature and criticism; his work includes several major books and articles.