Michelle DenBeste, Ph.D., served as provost at Central Washington University and previously served as dean and department chair at California State University, Fresno. Currently, she is working on a research project on women’s leadership as well as serving as a special assistant to the vice president for advancement. She received her Ph.D in history from Southern Illinois University, Carbondale with a focus on Russian women’s history. In her administrative work, DenBeste has focused on faculty development, high impact practices, student and faculty success and creating bureaucratic practices which consider equity, diversity, and inclusion as guiding practices.
Archives: People
Laura Decker, Ph.D., is an assistant professor of English at Nevada State University, where she teaches writing and literacy courses. She also serves the coordinator of first year composition at Nevada State and helped lead the implementation of a statewide corequisite English effort. Previously, she worked for a TRIO Student Support Services Program at the College of Southern Nevada. Decker is part of the inaugural WICHE Humanities Leadership Fellow cohort. She holds a B.A. in English, an M.F.A. in creative writing, and a Ph.D. in literacy education from University of Nevada-Las Vegas.
Maenette Kapeʻahiokalani Padeken Ah Nee–Benham, a kānaka maoli scholar and teacher, currently serves as chancellor, University of Hawaiʻi West Oʻahu, and previously served as the inaugural dean of the Hawaiʻinuiākea School of Hawaiian Knowledge at University of Hawai’i Mānoa. While on faculty in the College of Education at Michigan State University she strengthened her commitment to the praxis of social justice through engaged scholarship and the theme of “school/university in community and community in school/university.” Her work on alternative cultural frames of educational leadership is nationally and internationally respected. She is author, co-author, editor of 5 books and numerous published articles, book chapters, monographs and technical reports.
Nathan Lukkes is the Executive Director and CEO of the South Dakota Board of Regents. Nathan has been a part of the Board of Regents since 2014, beginning as the System Assistant Vice President for Research and Economic Development and later becoming Chief of Staff and General Counsel. Prior to working for the Board of Regents, Nathan served as the Deputy Commissioner of the South Dakota Governor’s Office of Economic Development. He also served in the South Dakota Army National Guard for ten years, deploying to Afghanistan in 2010-2011 in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.
Nathan obtained his juris doctorate and undergraduate degree from the University of South Dakota. He resides in Pierre, SD, with his wife Kate and daughters Betty and Sophie, where he enjoys spending time with family, hunting, and the outdoors. Nathan also volunteers for Junior Achievement of South Dakota, teaching ethics and business to local youth, and serves on the local Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation board.
Dr. Maryrose Beasley is a rural, mixed animal practice veterinarian in Roundup, Montana. She grew up on a dairy farm in Little Falls, MN, and moved to Montana in 1975. In Helena, she worked full-time as a telephone operator and later as an installer/technician for US West while earning her BA in Accounting, Business Finance, and a minor in Chemistry from Carroll College. Shortly after graduation, she left the phone company to become a legislative auditor for the State of Montana. She returned to college again, to earn her DVM degree in 2000, from Washington State University, in Pullman, WA. Helping veterinarian students gain on-the-job experience has been a passion of hers for years.
Dr. Beasley and her daughter operate a small black Angus and Quarter Horse ranch outside of Roundup. She enjoys spending time with her family, animals and working on the ranch.
Onnika Hanson-White graduated from Oklahoma City University with a major in Acting. Before joining WICHE, she has worked mostly in food service as a bartender, caterer, and event designer. She is very excited to be working at WICHE and bringing her customer service background and love of working with others to her position as Administrative Assistant III in the Programs and Services unit.
Outside of work, Onnika sings in bands around Northern Colorado. She loves to support the local music scene and enjoys spending time with family and friends.