Keuka College has announced a significant leadership change.
Dr. Heather Maldonado has been appointed interim provost and vice president for Academic Affairs.
Filling her previous role as vice president for Student Development, also on an interim basis, will be Dr. Elizabeth Lambert, who previously held administrative positions at the College from 2014 to 2019.
Dr. Maldonado, who joined Keuka College in 2021, brings a wealth of experience and passion to her new role. As provost, she will oversee the College’s academic integrity, including reaccreditation matters, academic program development and review, faculty development, the hallmark Field Period® program, and other operations within the Division of Academic Affairs. She also aims to elevate academic programs and ensure that Keuka College continues to recruit and retain top-tier faculty and staff.
“I’m thrilled to channel my vision, experience, and leadership skills to further the goals and mission of Keuka College,” said Dr. Maldonado. “Our students come to us with high expectations, and I’m dedicated to not just meeting but exceeding them.”
Before joining Keuka College, Dr. Maldonado served as assistant provost for academic success at Buffalo State College (now Buffalo State University). She holds a Ph.D. in Social & Philosophical Foundations of Education from the University of Buffalo, a master’s degree in Higher Education & Student Affairs from The Ohio State University, and a bachelor’s degree in political science from SUNY Geneseo.
A frequent participant in higher-education discussions at the national and regional levels, Dr. Maldonado was an invited plenary speaker at the annual meeting of the National Council of Faculty Senates this spring in North Carolina and delivered the closing keynote address for the College Student Personnel Association of New York’s annual Leadership Engagement Conference, which Keuka College hosted last month.
“Heather has proven herself a dedicated leader during her three years with us,” said College President Amy Storey. “We need someone in this role who is both experienced in shared governance and committed to student success, and Heather embodies both of these qualities.”
Dr. Lambert returns to the College after five years at Elmira College, where she was vice president of Campus Life and Dean of Students. She served as Keuka College’s dean of Student Engagement and Success before taking the Elmira position in 2019.
Interim Vice President for Student Development Dr. Liz Lambert says she is "dedicated to creating an inclusive, supportive environment where Keuka College students can grow and develop holistically to reach their personal and professional goals.”
“Liz was an engaged and effective advocate for student success during her five years at Keuka College,” said President Storey, who worked with Dr. Lambert from 2014 until her departure. “Her substantial higher-education experience in a variety of leadership roles will enable her to quickly and comprehensively assume her new duties.”
Dr. Lambert will serve on the College’s Executive Cabinet and oversee functions including Housing and Residence Life; Student Life; Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion; and Athletics.
"It is exciting for me to return to Keuka College and to be part of this student-centered community,” said Dr. Lambert. “Keuka College holds such memorable moments of professional accomplishment for me, and it is a place where I believe I performed the most meaningful work of my career. I’m looking forward to reconnecting with colleagues and making positive contributions to the strategic initiatives for moving the institution forward.”
Her previous tenure at the College garnered national honors. In 2018, the national education consulting firm EAB named Dr. Lambert as the winner of its Visionary Leadership Award, one of only five such awards it issued that year, and the only one to go to an individual recipient.
Dr. Lambert earned a Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) degree from St. John Fisher University, a master’s degree in Student Personnel Administration from Buffalo State University, and her bachelor’s degree in Liberal Studies from Excelsior University in Albany, N.Y.
“This is a challenging but exciting time in higher education,” said President Storey. “With the strong leadership team we have in place, I am confident in our ability to advance the mission of the College and serve the needs of our region.”
