Linda Fedrizzi-Williams leads the overall strategy of the college with a focus on financial stability, enrollment growth, and career-focused innovation. “I work across teams to strengthen operations, improve academic programs, and ensure the college is prepared to meet the needs of today’s students and workforce,” she said.

She has been in the higher education field for 21 years. At Central Penn, she has led efforts to reshape the college’s academic programs to better match workforce needs and student outcomes.

“This has helped create stronger enrollment pathways, made our programs more responsive to industry changes, and improved how we connect education to real career opportunities,” Fedrizzi-Williams said.

She said higher education is facing declining student populations, rising costs, and increased pressure to show clear career outcomes.

Karen Kim, MD, MS, has served as dean of Penn State College of Medicine in Dauphin County since 2023.

She also holds the role of Physician in Chief, leading the college’s education, research and clinical missions while driving innovation and interdisciplinary collaboration across the university and commonwealth.

A nationally recognized leader in health disparities research and the founder and director of the Center for Asian Health Equity, Kim prioritizes public policy efforts for underserved populations.

The healthcare landscape today is “pressured by workforce shortages, rising costs and the need to integrate research, education and care,” Kim said, according to a previous CPBJ profile.

“Over the past year, we advanced our commitment to rural health by expanding programs that bring high-quality care, education and research to underserved communities,” Kim said.

Charles Patterson is the 18th president of Shippensburg University in Cumberland County, a position he has held since May 2022.

Patterson arrived at the university in June 2021 as interim president before the Board of Governors of Pennsylvania’s State System of Higher Education unanimously selected him for the permanent role.

Prior to Shippensburg, he served as president of Mansfield University, where his leadership helped reverse a nine-year enrollment decline and raised first-year student retention from 73% to 78.1%.

“I continue to be inspired by the important scholarly work of our Ship students and faculty,” Patterson said, according to a Shippensburg University news release. “I look forward to working collaboratively with our many stakeholders, partners, and friends of the university to ensure Ship is recognized as the flagship institution it deserves to be.”

Andrew Rich is the 17th president of Franklin & Marshall College in Lancaster, bringing 26 years of higher education experience to leading one of the nation’s premier liberal arts institutions.

His responsibilities span academic vision, financial stewardship, fundraising and community partnership, carried out alongside faculty, staff, a Board of Trustees and 30,000 alumni around the world — all in service of what he describes as empowering “curious, motivated students to learn with purpose and lead with impact.”

His first year produced tangible results on that front. Rich launched the Commonwealth Commitment, making F&M tuition-free for Pennsylvania residents from households earning below $75,000, and announced the Mehlman Leadership and Performance Institute, anchored by cohort-based fellowships that develop leaders, entrepreneurs and engaged citizens through real-world externships.