<< Front page News April 9, 2004

Two new trustees

Two new members of the Board of Trustees were elected this March with very different backgrounds and perspectives for leading the College.

Alumni-elected trustee Kennette Benedict (OC ’69) is the director of the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation’s International Peace and Security department. Benedict works to synthesize academic research with public-policy making.

As the first director of the foundation’s initiative in the former Soviet Union, Benedict helped academics explore the transition from a centrally planned economy, and helped set up private universities as an alternative to government-supported schools to encourage alternative approaches to teaching and research. Benedict is currently supporting independent scientists and engineers in developing policies to reduce the threat of weapons of mass destruction.

Before joining the foundation, Benedict was an assistant professor at the University of Illinois, and also taught at Rutgers University. Benedict serves on the board of the Compton Foundation and is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations and of the International Institute of Strategic Studies.

Trustee-elected trustee Elizabeth Welch (OC ’80) is the general manager for management and leadership development at Microsoft. Welch has worked to help Microsoft’s corporate culture mature and clarify Microsoft’s mission, values, strengths, and weaknesses. She has served as an organizational consultant, and taught leadership classes to the company’s executives.

Welch was the founder and general manager of Microsoft’s Education Group. Welch also worked in several sales, marketing and general business roles throughout Microsoft.

Before becoming a trustee, Welch served on the Major Gifts Committee for Oberlin’s recently completed New Century Project.

Both trustees will begin their six-year terms July 1. Three other trustee-elected seats remain vacant, and the Board is currently considering candidates.


 
 
   

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