About President Dr. Jill Murray
Jill Murray, Ph.D., became the ninth president of Lackawanna College on July 1, 2020. She is proud to be the first woman to hold the office of president at Lackawanna.
Dr. Murray brings a breadth of experience to her presidency. She previously served as the College’s Executive Vice President and Chief Innovation Officer. From 2008 to 2012, Murray worked as the College’s Vice President of Academic Affairs, where she was responsible for developing and overseeing all of Lackawanna’s academic curricula. She is the catalyst behind Lackawanna College’s esports program and assisted with the formation of the Level Up program which earned the college recognition as one of The World’s Most Innovative Companies in 2021 by Fast Company.
The Chronicle of Higher Education also recognized Lackawanna College as one of the fastest growing colleges in 2021. In addition to dramatically increasing the student population, Murray has helped improve student retention and graduation rates, expand online learning options, and led the creation of innovative and relevant academic programming and support services, as well as implemented and championed a robust strategic planning process.
Before joining Lackawanna, she served as the Director of the Institute for Health and Wellness at Marywood University from 2005 to 2008 and as a Doctoral Program faculty member at Marywood from 2006 to 2010. Before becoming a leader in higher education, Murray spent several years operations leadership including “bleeding brown” in UPS management, as a package care driver, and proud teamster.
Murray holds a bachelor’s of arts in philosophy (University of Scranton, 1989), a master’s of arts in philosophy (SUNY at Albany, 1991) and a Ph.D. in Human Development (Marywood University, 2006). She is a lifelong resident of Scranton, Pa., and a graduate of Scranton Central High School, which now serves as Lackawanna’s main academic building, Angeli Hall.
Dr. Murray’s interests include reading, biking, listening to jazz and dabbling with the guitar, vacationing in Florida, and spending time with her family and friends. President Murray is active in our regional community and has received numerous professional and civic accolades.
Read Dr. Murray’s recent article “Little Innovations That Make a Big Impact” here.
Education
Marywood University
Ph.D., Human Development
University at Albany, SUNY
MA, Philosophy
University of Scranton
BA, Philosophy
Villanova University
Certificates in Six Sigma
Scranton Central High School
High school Diploma
University at Albany, SUNY
MA, Philosophy
President’s Cabinet
Erica Barone Pricci, Ph.D.
Provost & Chief Academic Officer
Brian Costanzo
Vice President for Government Affairs & Special Projects
Stephanie Decker
Associate Vice President of Social and Economic Impact
T.J. Eltringham
Chief Operating Officer
Dan LaMagna, Ed.D.
Associate Vice President of Student Engagement
Denise Larson
Associate Vice President of Enrollment Management & Student Success
Kelly A. Musti, PT, DPT
Associate Vice President of Academic Affairs & Dean of Health Sciences
Renee Mundy, Esq., SPHR,
SHRM-SCP
Vice President for Human Resources
John Risboskin
Vice President for Finance & Administration
Organizations
Harvard Business Review
Advisory Council, August 2020 – Present
Ben Franklin Technology Partners of Northeastern Pennsylvania (BFTP/NEP)Board Member, September 2021 – present
Scranton Chamber of CommerceBoard Member, July 2020 – present
Annals of Esports Research (AER)Editorial Board Member, May 2021 – present
The Institute for Public Policy & Economic Development (The Institute)
Board Member, July 2020 – present
Fast Company Executive Board
Executive Board Member, May 2021 – present
tecBRIDGE
Board Member, July 2020 – present
Association of Independent Colleges and Universities of Pennsylvania (AICUP)
Board Member, July 2020 – present
Allied Services Integrated Health System
Board Member, July 2019 – present
Lackawanna County Workforce Development Board (WDB)
Board Member, July 2020 – present
Penn’s Northeast
Board Member, October 2018 – present
Northeastern Pennsylvania Association of Colleges and Universities (NEPACU)
Board Member, July 2020 – present
Jossey-Bass Publishers, San Francisco, CA
Former Advisory Board Member of Dean and Provost, January 2011 – 2019
Northeastern Pennsylvania Industrial Resource Center (NEPIRC)
Board Member, July 2020 – present
Maternal and Family Health Services (MFHS)
Board Chair and Member, January 2011 – 2019
Presentations
Women in Business Luncheon Guest Speaker: Innovation & Creativity in Women Leaders.
January 2019
League of Innovations Conference, Little Innovations that Make a BIG Impact.
March 2022
Women’s Leadership Conference: Blueprints & Pineapples; Planning and Hospitality as Leadership Competencies.
June 2021
tecBridge Innovation Conference: President’s Panel: The Future of Higher Education. (with Dr. Erica Pricci and Stephanie Decker as co-presenters)
August 2022
Conferences
ASU-GSV, San Diego. Panel Presentation on Credit Liquidity in Higher Ed.
August 2021
Articles
Little Innovations That Make a Big Impact
Leader to Leader, Wiley (Jill Murray Ph.D., Erica Pricci Ph.D., Stephanie Decker, MBA) – Spring 2023
Too many have deficit of financial understanding
Wyoming County Examiner (Jill Murray. Michael Cordaro) – November 2022
16 proactive ways to retain your workforce during the great resignation
Fast Company Executive Board (featuring Dr. Jill Murray)
Forget white, blue; pandemic mandates new collar
The Times-Tribune (Jill Murray Guest Columnist) – September 2021
Progress should erase area’s inferiority complex
The Times-Tribune (Jill Murray Guest Columnist) – May 2021
The Mission Value of Collegiate Esports
The Sport Journal (Jill Murray, Erica Barone-Pricci, Stephanie Decker) – March 2021
Lackawanna College’s Dr. Jill Murray On The Glass Ceiling
Happenings Magazine (Aleni Mackarey) – September 2019
Accolades
City & State PA’s 2023 Higher Education Power 100 (#37)
City & State PA’s 2022 Higher Education Power 100 (#38)
The World’s Most Innovative Companies 2021 (Fast Company)
Fastest Growing Colleges 2009-19 (The Chronicle of Higher Education)
Podcast Appearances
PSA BizTech Podcast
February 2023
The Plexuss Presidential Podcast Series Episode #99
November 2022
EdUp Healthup Episode 10
October 2022
Alliance Wealth Advisors Podcast: Co-presented with Dr. Erica Pricci on Lackawanna College, The Importance of Applied Learning in the Classroom
March 2022
Street Level with Chris Chermak Episode #6
February 2022
Baker Tilly US: Collegiate Athletics & Esports, Playbook for Students and Institutional Success
October 2021
higher ed advisor
July 2021
OntheStacks! Podcast
May 2021
Baker TIlly US: Higher Ed. Advisor: Esports Brings Opportunities for Institutions and Students
May 2021
tecBRIDGE Radio Podcast Episode 176
June 2020
tecBRIDGE Radio Podcast Episode 84
August 2018
Board of Trustees
The Board of Trustees, comprised of valued members of the community, oversees the operations of Lackawanna College.
Lori Walsh
Assistant Secretary for the Board of Trustees
Mrs. Joyce Van Schooneveld, Chairperson of the Board of Trustees
President, M & S Service Company, Inc.; CFO, JT Seeley & Co., Inc.
Mr. Jody Cordaro, Secretary to the Board of Trustees
President, SCE Environmental Group, Inc.
Dr. Jill A. Murray
President, Lackawanna College
Ms. Deborah A. Bailey
President/Owner, Bailey Design and Advertising
Ms. Christina Curran
Owner, McDonald’s
Mr. Mark DeStefano
CFO, Pagnotti Enterprises, Inc.
Ms. Bette Saxton
Former President & Chief Executive Officer at Maternal and Family Health Services
Mr. Harold Flack
Former President, Diamond Manufacturing Company
Mr. Gregory Gagorik
Vice President and Partner, Freedom Auto Group
Mr. Michael B. Kearney
President and COO, Nexus Hospitality Management-Radisson Lackawanna
Ms. Debra Lefkowitz
President and CEO, Hocsocx, Inc.
Geoffrey Mesko
Partner, Drucker and Scaccetti, P.C.
Ms. Colleen Pettinato
Certified Nutritional Therapy Practitioner
Mr. Micah Woodard
Owner, Lavish Body & Home: The Salon at Lavish
Mr. Thomas R. DePietro
Owner/Pharmacist, DePietro’s Pharmacy
Mr. Michael E. Avvisato
Chief Financial Officer/Senior Vice President, Allied Services Integrated Health System