Leadership
DEAN
Dean of the College of Liberal Arts at Colorado State University since 2016, Benjamin C. Withers is responsible for $55M in annual expenditures, serving 13 academic departments/schools and six interdisciplinary programs, with more than 600 faculty and staff, and 6,780 degree earning undergraduate and graduate students.
With his leadership, the faculty and staff in the College have increased the size of the incoming first-year and transfer undergraduate majors by 30%, added nearly 100 new tenure-track faculty, and achieved new highs in sponsored research awards ($3.5 million), and, in conjunction with the Office of the Provost, significantly increased faculty and staff salaries. In conjunction with his development staff, he has been a part of external fundraising that includes two of the largest individual gifts in college history: $5M in 2019 and $15M in 2020. The College is currently undertaking a $135m renovation/new construction of the Clark Building, one of CSU’s most heavily used buildings.
Withers earned his doctorate in art history from the University of Chicago focusing on early medieval manuscripts, taught a variety of courses at Indiana University South Bend and University of Kentucky before coming to Colorado State. With three books/edited collections and nearly 40 peer-reviewed publications, his scholarship has been supported by the NEH, The Indiana University President’s Arts and Humanities Initiative, University of Kentucky, and The Ameritech Foundation, among others.
ASSOCIATE & ASSISTANT DEANS

Elissa Braunstein
- Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Programs
- Professor of Economics
970-491-5249
elissa.braunstein@colostate.edu
- Ph.D.

Ryan Claycomb
- Professor of English and Theatre
- Associate Dean for Faculty Affairs
(970) 491.6551
- PhD, University of Maryland, College Park

Michelle Stanley
- Associate Dean for Undergraduate Studies, Liberal Arts
- Professor of Music
- Graduate Flute Professor
970-491-4350
Michelle.Stanley@colostate.edu
- D.M.A., University of Colorado, Boulder

Elinor Light
- Senior Instructor
- Assistant Dean for Student Success, College of Liberal Arts
- Ph.D., Communication, University of Utah M.A., Colorado State University
DIVERSITY, EQUITY, & INCLUSION

Rosa Mikeal Martey
- Professor
- Faculty Coordinator of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
- Ph.D., Communication, Annenberg School for Communication
Student Success

Carol Erwin
- Director, Liberal Arts Academic Support Center
- B.S.E in English
- M.A. in English
- Ph.D. in English

Kelsey Schultz
- Career Education Manager
- B.A. in Psychology & Communication | M.A. in College Student Personnel

Abby Jaroszewicz
- Scholarship and Student Program Coordinator
(970) 491-2839
Abby.Jaroszewicz@colostate.edu
- B.A. in English
- M.A. in Student Affairs Administration
ADVISING
CLA Academic Advising Office Located at C207 Clark
Over 15 liberal arts academic success coordinators will help you decide which major and courses fit into your path.
Contact the office by email, phone, or in person.
CLAadvising@colostate.edu
(970) 491-3117
Click here to visit the website

Communications & Recruitment

Nicolle McMurray
- Assistant Director of Communications
(970) 491-5502
nicolle.mcmurray@colostate.edu
- M.B.A. Marketing Data Analytics, Colorado State University

Kristen Mullen
- CLA Recruitment Coordinator
(970) 821-5276
- Ohio University- Bachelor of Arts in Middle Education
- Colorado State University- Master of Arts in English Literature
Development

Lara Meyer
- Associate Director of Development
(970) 491-7866
- Grinnell College, BA
- Colorado School of Public Health, MPH

Emily Schwartz
- Associate Director of Development
970-491-7397
- B.A. Communication Studies, University of Montana
Finance & Human Resources

Becca McCarty
- Senior Human Resources Manager
- Bachelor's Degree Colorado State University
- Master's Degree Colorado State University

Sarah Schwister
- Human Resources Partner
970-491-2231
- Bachelor's Degree Queens University of Charlotte
- Master's Degree Colorado State University in Progress

Heather Bellotti
- Human Resources Partner
(970) 491-5533
Heather.Bellotti@colostate.edu
- B.A. in Liberal Arts, Colorado State University

Jenna Milliman
- Human Resources Junior Partner
- B.S. in Human Resources and Anthropology, Marquette University
IT
Bryan Gillispie
- Director of IT
(970) 491-2223
- Master of Business Administration
- B.S. Computer Information Systems
- B.S. Business Administration - MIS
- Associate of Arts
Operations

Colleen Weitzel
- Assistant to the Dean
(970) 491-7191
- B.A. in Journalism and Technical Communication, Colorado State University

Sadie Kinney-McGrath
- Project Coordinator
(970) 491-6494
Sadie.Kinney-McGrath@colostate.edu
- B.S. in Psychology, Colorado State University

Stephanie Wagner
- Administrative Coordinator
Stephanie.A.Wagner@colostate.edu
- Bachelor of Social Work at University of Kansas
- Master of Social Work at Loyola University Chicago

Emily Lee
- Assistant to Program and SAU Directors
- B.S. Strategic Communications- Public Relations
Program support for Arts Management, Sport Management, & Interdisciplinary Liberal Arts
Research

Ann Claycomb
- Director of Faculty Recognition
- Fulbright Liaison
(970) 556-4633
- Masters in Fine Arts, Fiction Writing
- Masters, English Literature
- BA, English (honors) and Psychology

Catherine Coleman Kane
- Director of Research Support
(970) 491-5394
- B.S. in Public Relations, University of Florida
Student Employees

Courtney Fallon
- Dean's Office Assistant
cla_deanstudents@mail.colostate.edu
- M.A. in Communication | Ph.D. Student