CIIS Administration
Joseph L. Subbiondo, President
Joseph L. Subbiondo, president of CIIS since June 1999, has an accomplished background in both administration and academics. He brings a 30-year history of achievement in higher education, including appointments on several international academic committees; and he has been active on many accreditation teams for the Western Association of Schools and Colleges.
Subbiondo's publications include extensive writings on the history of linguistics. Among his publications are studies of the history of philosophical language, 17th Century British educational reform, and the relation between language and the evolution of consciousness. Prior to coming to CIIS, he served as dean of the School of Liberal Arts at St. Mary's College of California; vice president for academic affairs at the University of the Pacific; dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at Santa Clara University; and as a professor of English and linguistics at four universities. See a bibliography of President Subbiondo's published works here.
Judie Wexler, Academic Vice President
Dr. Judie Wexler has been at CIIS since 2002. Her focus in higher education is on creating and enhancing academic programs that combine cognitive and personal growth and community service. A professor of sociology, Dr. Wexler has been teaching for more than 25 years and served as chair for both the Department of Sociology and the Division of Business Administration and Social Sciences at Holy Names College.
Between 1992 and 1997, Dr. Wexler held the positions of vice president for academic affairs and dean of faculty at Holy Names College in Oakland, where she focused her energies on creating a faculty development program to incorporate multicultural materials into the curriculum, among other projects. Before coming to CIIS, she was associate executive director at the Western Association of Schools and Colleges.
Michael Griffin, Dean of Admissions and Financial Aid
Mike Griffin joined CIIS in the spring of 2008. He brings an extensive resume to the Institute, having served as assistant vice chancellor for enrollment at the University of Denver, preceded by roles there as associate dean of Admission and Enrollment Services and director of Marketing Communications. Mike also worked for six years at the University of Denver's School of Art and Art History as director of Admission and Student Recruitment, and has served as a consultant to the College Board. He earned a BA in Sociology at Colorado State University and an MA in Mass Communications at the University of Denver.
Chip B. Goldstein, Dean of Academic Planning and Administration
Dr. Goldstein joined CIIS in fall 2006 from Stanford University where he was the chief finance and administrative officer for Undergraduate Advising Programs and the Freshman Dean's Office. Dr. Goldstein also served for 10 years as registrar at Notre Dame de Namur University and as a senior project manager in the higher education division at Oracle Corporation. He has held academic administration posts at the University of Michigan and University of Detroit Mercy. A native of Philadelphia, he completed his undergraduate work at West Chester University, a master's at Michigan State University and a doctorate in Higher Education Administration and Policy at Nova Southeastern University.
Shirley Strong, Dean of Students and Director of Diversity, Institute Disability Officer
Shirley Strong has been engaged in education, philanthropy, community building, and social action for nearly 30 years. Her academic experience includes service as an administrator and counselor at a variety of colleges and universities including the University of New Mexico, San Francisco State University, California State University East Bay, and Mills College.
Prior to coming to CIIS, Strong spent 13 years as the Executive Director of Project Change, a Tide Center organization founded by the Levi Strauss Foundation that develops and supports multi-racial community coalitions, partnerships, and alliances in local community building. In 1997, Project Change became a partner in a national joint anti-racism venture with Claremont Graduate University's Institute for Democratic Renewal, where she is a senior fellow.
Strong holds a master's degree in educational psychology/counseling from the University of Illinois, and she has studied in the doctoral program in counseling psychology at the University of San Francisco. Visit the Dean of Students Office page.
Marisol Nealon, Director of Financial Aid
Marisol Nealon began her career working in academia at the University of California, San Francisco. She moved to Golden Gate University where she changed her career from Records and Registration to Financial Aid. Prior to joining academia, Nealon was an advocate of the Friends of the San Francisco Public Library for six years where she actively promoted the San Francisco Public Library Annual Book sales and solicited donors to assist Project Read, the library's adult literacy program. She completed her undergraduate and graduate work at Golden Gate University in San Francisco. Learn about financial aid at CIIS.
Richard Buggs, Dean of Alumni and Director of Travel Programs
Richard Buggs has been CIIS Dean of Alumni since 2006 and is responsible for cultivation of alumni relations with the Institute's 3,400 alums, now living in 29 different countries. He has traveled across the country bringing alums together and creating CIIS Alumni Circles in Seattle, New York, San Diego, Los Angeles, Boston and Hawaii.
Buggs is also a member of the CIIS Advancement Group. He created the CIIS Travel Program in 2004 and annually leads alumni and friends trips to India. In 1996 he earned his PhD in Clinical Psychology from CIIS and has a BA from San Diego State University. He is a licensed psychologist and maintains a private practice in psychotherapy.
Buggs previously served on the board of directors for Haight-Ashbury Psychological Services and on the board of the California Psychology Internship Council. He also served at CIIS as dean of students (1998-2007) and as director of Career and Field Placement (1994-1998). Visit the Travel Programs page.
Michelle Eng, Director of Undergraduate Studies
Michelle Eng, MA, has over 14 years of experience in higher education, as an administrator and as faculty. She earned her undergraduate and graduate degrees in English Literature from the University of Hawaii at Manoa. Prior to joining CIIS, Eng served as assistant dean of students at Chaminade University of Honolulu where she developed the curriculum for the First Year Experience course, which focuses on transitioning to college, cultural sensitivity, career planning, and community service. She has also taught writing and literature at TransPacific Hawaii College, Chaminade University, and the University of Hawaii. Visit the Bachelor's Completion Program page.
Dan Gurler, Registrar
Prior to joining CIIS in June of 2007, Dan Gurler held several administrative positions at Golden Gate University, including admissions counselor, records office manager, director of student retention, and associate registrar. He also earned his MBA from Golden Gate University. A Midwest native, Gurler received his bachelor's degree in theatre and English from the University of Iowa, and has stage-managed plays for many small theatre companies in the Bay Area. Visit the Registrar's Office page.
Dorotea Reyna, Director of Development
Since March 2004, Dorotea Reyna has served as director of development. Prior to coming to the Institute, she was a fundraiser for Dominican University of California, the University of California at San Francisco, and the National Hispanic Scholarship Fund. Reyna received a bachelor's degree in English from Stanford University (1980), and a master's degree in English from the University of Texas at Austin (1984). Read more information about CIIS's Development Office.
James David Martin, Director of Communications
Jim Martin comes to CIIS with more than 15 years of experience in communications and marketing in both for-profit and non-profit environments. After graduating from UC Berkeley, he began his career in higher education as publicist for UC Berkeley Extension where he led the grand opening campaign of its Redwood City Center. He then worked for many years in the entertainment industry, serving as personal publicist for film and television actors and directors, and as an art director and production manager for film premieres.
Prior to CIIS, Martin worked as a media advisor and freelance communications consultant. He is on the board of directors for Visual Aid, a San Francisco-based non-profit dedicated to helping artists with life-threatening illness continue their creative work.
S. Michelle Coleman, Director of Human Resources
Michelle Coleman came to CIIS from the American Automobile Association (AAA) of Northern California, Nevada, and Utah, where she served for two years as the human resources strategic business partner for the Division of the Chief Financial Officer and two years as program manager in Corporate Affairs.
Coleman has also worked as the director of Diversity Training and Development at Charles Schwab & Company and as assistant Vice president for human resources at Bank of America. She has been active in the areas of community service and spirituality for many years, and was initially attracted to CIIS by the appeal of its mission and Seven Ideals. Michelle is a graduate of the University of San Francisco with a BS in Organizational Behavior.
Ken Abiko, Controller and Director of Finance
Ken Abiko has held his current position at CIIS since 2002. Along with a BS degree in Business Administration from UC Berkeley, Abiko brings to CIIS several years of experience in accounting operations, general ledger, taxes, budgeting, financial modeling, data analysis, and project control. He has worked in diverse industries such as retail, capital equipment leasing, high tech systems engineering, and insurance, with short stints with organizations involved in business consulting, publishing, and non-profit activism. During his many failed attempts to escape the world of finance, Ken learned concepts of computer programming and database development, both of which serve him well in managing financial processes and systems.
Scott Ciliberti, Director of Information Technology Services
Scott Ciliberti came to CIIS as a systems analyst in May of 1999 and became director of IT Services in April of 2001. Hailing from Philadelphia, he moved to San Francisco after completing his BS in Business Administration at New York Institute of Technology. Before college Scott held various management positions in the restaurant industry. Learn about computing and technology resources at CIIS.
Jonathan Mills, Director of Facilities and Operations
Jonathan Mills first became a member of the CIIS community in 1997 when he moved to the Bay Area to study Buddhism in the Asian Comparative Studies program. In 2002, after a hiatus of more than three years, he returned to lead the Facilities and Operations department and has since guided the Institute's expansion from 40,000 square feet to over 130,000 square feet, including the purchase of the Institute's main building at 1453 Mission and opening an additional counseling center.
Mills' background in facilities management and operation includes several positions in the business services departments of other non-profits, including UC Extension and the California Medical Review, Inc. He has a BA in Philosophy from Haverford College and earned a master's degree in East-West Psychology from CIIS. Aside from establishing workflow improvements for the department and greening the Institute's operations, Mills' current projects include building a new space for the Institute's library.
Lise Dyckman, Library Director
Lise M. Dyckman joined CIIS as Library Director in 2001. Prior to that she worked in large university libraries (New York University and UC Berkeley) and smaller college libraries (Haverford and Bryn Mawr Colleges); taught at Baruch College/CUNY; and supervised library services for teaching hospitals, non-profit organizations, and experiential education programs.
Dyckman's pre-librarian work life included creating social history programs and museum exhibits. She holds an MLIS from Drexel University and a BA/MA in American Culture/Museum Studies from the University of Pennsylvania. Visit the Laurance S. Rockefeller Library page.
Karim Baer, Director of Public Programs
Karim Baer became the Director of Public Programs in 2004. He has worked in a variety of fields including human resources, social work, and business management. Prior to coming to CIIS, Baer was the Director of 7th Heaven Body Awareness, a center in Berkeley specializing in yoga and other contemplative arts. Baer is also an alum of Naropa University. He envisions programs integrating body, heart, and mind in relation to service in the world. Visit the Visit the Public Programs page.
Becky McGovern, Director of MCP Field Placement and CIIS Clinic Sites
Becky McGovern has also served as core faculty in Somatic Psychology and clinic director at Center for Somatic Psychotherapy at CIIS, where she developed several partnership programs between community agencies and CIIS counseling students in field placement. She is a licensed marriage and family therapist, supervises students, and maintains a private practice in psychotherapy. Prior to joining CIIS, she worked for 15 years in a variety of publishing positions, including 7 years as a senior acquisitions editor for psychology and health administration books. She earned BA and MA degrees from an interdisciplinary program in Work/Culture/Society from the University of Illinois, Springfield, is ABD in sociology from the University of Oregon, and earned a second MA in Counseling Psychology from CIIS.
CIIS Board of Trustees
Shankar Bhattacharya, Vice President (retired), Pacific Gas & Electric Company
Margy Boyd, Owner, Margy Boyd Art Tours
Keith Cich, President, Financial Mechanics LLC
Brendan Collins, Professor, CIIS East-West Psychology and Integral Counseling Programs
Helen Desai, Civic Leader
Stuart Diamond, President, Empowered Media Corporation
Richard Giardina, Interim Provost, Notre Dame de Namur University
Lynne Kaufman, Director of Special Events, Joseph Campbell Foundation; Playwright, Novelist
Jessie Kostosky, Program Coordinator, CIIS Philosophy, Cosmology, and Consciousness
Kishore Kripalani, Owner, Gaylord India Restaurants
John Paul Lenney, Senior Vice President, ALEKS Corporation
Tamar March, Senior Fellow, Association of American Colleges and Universities; Founder and Director, The Arden Institute
Elizabeth McCormack, Associate, Rockefeller Family & Associates
Elijah Nella, Student, Integral Counseling Psychology
Ricki Pollycove, MD, OBGYN, California Pacific Medical Center
Arvind Peter Relan, Chairman, YouWeb, LLC
Joseph L. Subbiondo, President, CIIS
Ashok Vaish, Principal, Balanced Growth Fund
Prasad Vepa, Chair; Management Consultant
Savita Wakhlu, Honorary Member; Managing Director, Jagriti Communications
Daphne White, Clinical Psychologist, Writer
Zeppelin Wong, Attorney at Law
Officers
Joseph L. Subbiondo, President
Prasad Vepa, Chair
Ricki Pollycove, Vice Chair
Keith Cich, Vice Chair and Treasurer
Judie Wexler, Secretary, Dean of Faculty / Academic Vice President, CIIS
Dustin Smith, Staff to the Board
CIIS Council of Sages
The CIIS Board of Trustees established the Council of Sages, a group of distinguished individuals, to serve the Institute in an advisory capacity. The council assists the president in addressing the concerns of the school, forging its direction, and supporting its mission. Members of the council are appointed by the president in recognition of the prominence they have achieved in their respective careers and endeavors. Collectively, they have made a significant contribution to the arts, humanities, sciences, and spiritual practices.
Angeles Arrien, President, Foundation for Cross-Cultural Education and Research
Lauren Artress, Canon for Special Ministries, Grace Cathedral
Alexander Astin, Author; Professor Emeritus of Education, UCLA; Director of the Higher Education Research Institute
Helen Astin, Author; Psychologist; Professor Emerita of Education, UCLA; Associate Director of the Higher Education Research Institute
Thomas Berry, Ecologist; Author
Jean Shinoda Bolen, Psychiatrist, Author
Andre Carothers, Executive Director, Rockwood Leadership Program
Carol P. Christ, Director of Ariadne Institute for the Study of Myth and Ritual
Ram Dass, Spiritual Teacher, Author
Riane Eisler, Author; Co-director, Center for Partnership Studies
Duane Elgin, Ecologist; Author
Barbara A. Garcia, Deputy Director of Health, San Francisco Department of Health
John Grim, Senior Lecturer and Scholar, Yale University; Co-Director of the Forum on Religion and Ecology
Joan Halifax, Buddhist Teacher
Michael Harner, President, Foundation for Shamanic Studies
Alan Jones, Dean, Grace Cathedral
Jack Kornfield, Buddhist Teacher, Spirit Rock Center
Jon Kabat-Zinn, Founding Executive Director, Center for Mindfulness in Medicine, Health Care, and Society
Stanley Krippner, Professor of Psychology, Saybrook Graduate School
Satish Kumar, Founder, Schumacher College; Editor, Resurgence Magazine
John L. Levy, Wealth Consultant
Joanna Macy, Author; Teacher of Buddhism and Social Change
Janice Mirikitani, Poet; Executive Director of Glide Memorial Church
Phillip Moffitt, President, Life Balance Institute
Jacob Needleman, Professor of Philosophy, California State University, San Francisco; Author
Vicki Noble, Filmmaker
Mayumi Oda, Artist
Parker J. Palmer, Author, Teacher, Activist, Founder of Center for Courage & Renewal
Paul H. Ray, Executive Vice President, American Lives; Author
Rachel Naomi Remen, Medical Director, Commonweal
Betty Roszak, Poet
Theodore Roszak, Cultural Historian; Author
Rupert Sheldrake, Fellow, Institute of Noetic Sciences
Mimi Halper Silbert, President, Delancey Street Foundation
Anne Simpkinson, Producer, Beliefnet
Huston Smith, Professor Emeritus of Philosophy and Religion
Greg Steltenpohl, Chairman, Odwalla
William B. Stewart, Medical Director, Institute of Health and Healing; California Pacific Medical Center
Robert A.F. Thurman, Professor of Religion, Columbia University; Co-founder, Tibet House
Mary Evelyn Tucker, Senior Lecturer and Scholar, Yale University; Co-Director, Forum on Religion and Ecology
Lynne Twist, Co-Chair Board of Trustees, State of the World Forum
John Vasconcellos, Former State Legislator; Founder, The Vasconcellos Project
Frances Vaughan, Psychologist, Author
Alice Walker, Author
Roger Walsh, Professor, UC Irvine
Marion Weber, Founder, Arts and Healing Network
John Welwood, Psychologist; Author
Cecil Williams, Pastor, Glide Memorial Church
