Decision Making of Executive Leaders in Higher Education During Crisis

Jorhie (she/ her) currently serves as the Assistant Director of the Residential Initiative on the Study of the Environment (RISE), an interdisciplinary first year living learning program for students broadly interested in environmental sustainability. In this role, she enjoys advising, teaching, maintaining the Bailey bees, and connecting students with their food at Bailey Greenhouse and Urban Farm. Her path to this point in my career has been meandering in all the right ways. She earned a BS in Horticulture from MSU, which allowed her to work on farms nationally and internationally for short stint before accepting a teaching position as a CTE Agriscience instructor. In this role, she also served as a coordinator for the Institute for Agricultural Technology (IAT) at two community colleges. During this time, she earned her MS in Agricultural Education from Iowa State University. Each of these experiences has allowed her to focus on first year student success with an emphasis on supporting students passionate about the environmental sustainability.

Matea Čaluk (she/her) brings fifteen years of experience within higher education particularly focused on creating inclusive and equitable policies and practices within workplace, processes, and programs. She currently serves as the Chief of Staff for Residence Education and Housing Services at MSU. Matea is an advocate for civic engagement, coalition building and community transformation. She serves on the Holt Public Schools Board of Education, is an inaugural member of the Lansing Regional Chamber of Commerce (LRCC) DEI committee, a Board Member of Communities in Schools – Michigan, an appointed member of the Ingham County Racial Equity Task Force, and the current Chair of the NASPA Center for Women. She is a 2022 recipient of the 10 over the next Ten award from the LRCC, highlighting community change agents who are projected to contribute profoundly to the region over the next ten years. Matea earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in Public Relations and Advertising and a Master of Education degree in College Student Affairs Leadership from Grand Valley State University and is currently a Doctoral student in the College of Education at Michigan State University.

Mike Hastings is an Instructional Technology Specialist in Grand Rapids Public Schools, a diverse urban district serving over 13,500 students. He also teaches instructional technology courses as an adjunct professor at Grand Valley State University, where he prepares future educators to integrate technology through high-leverage instructional practices grounded in the ISTE standards. With a background in K-12 leadership and a passion for equity, Mike supports teachers in designing inclusive, engaging learning environments that empower all students. His work spans district-wide technology integration, LMS optimization, digital literacy, and innovative tools such as 3D printing and artificial intelligence. Mike is currently pursuing his Ed.D. at Michigan State University, where his dissertation research explores the decision-making processes of executive leaders in higher education during crisis events. He is committed to supporting both educators and leaders in using technology to foster belonging, increase student agency, and close opportunity gaps. He is a husband, proud father of two adult children, and in his free time enjoys any chance to spend time with his family, explore the Michigan outdoors, play and listen to music, watch baseball, and cheer on all Michigan professional sports teams.