Dean College Senior Leadership

Meet The Team

With close to 100 years in higher education and over 50 years of service at Dean College, the administrative council owns a rich history of spreading The Dean Difference to thousands of students.

Darrell Kulesza |Dr. Scott P. Sibley | Andrea Adams | Sandra Cain | Geoff Lerner | Kathleen McGuire | Basil Stewart | Paul Vaccaro

Darrell Kulesza, Interim President

J. Darrell Kulesza, Interim President of Dean College, assumed the role following more than 16 years of transformative leadership at the institution. A strategic thinker and champion of student success, Interim President Kulesza brings over 30 years of executive experience in higher education, campus operations, and technology leadership.

Since joining Dean College in 2008 as Chief Information Officer, Kulesza has played a pivotal role in advancing the institution’s strategic priorities. He was promoted to Vice President of Technology and Chief Information Officer in 2011, and in 2018, his responsibilities expanded to include oversight of Facilities and Campus Police and Safety, assuming the title of Vice President of Campus Operations and CIO. In these senior leadership roles, he has led efforts to modernize campus infrastructure, enhance the learning environment, and strengthen institutional resilience through strategic planning.

Interim President Kulesza has been instrumental in key institutional milestones, including the implementation of a five-year cybersecurity strategy; significant capital investments in residence halls, athletic facilities, and academic spaces; and the expansion of digital learning platforms. Under his leadership, the College transitioned to the Canvas learning management system, enhanced classroom technology to support hybrid and online learning, and upgraded campus infrastructure to increase network speed and reliability. His leadership was particularly impactful during the COVID-19 pandemic, ensuring both instructional continuity and campus safety.

Before joining Dean, Kulesza spent nearly two decades at Perot Systems, where he held senior roles overseeing global technology services and enterprise solutions for clients in the engineering and manufacturing sectors. His cross-industry experience informs his forward-thinking, pragmatic approach to institutional leadership.

He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from the University of New England and has completed the Perot Systems Business Leadership Program as well as a Foundation Certificate in ITIL Service Management. He is an active member of EDUCAUSE, NERCOMP, and the Project Management Institute, and serves on the Board of Managers for the Bernon Family Branch of the Hockomock Area YMCA.

As Interim President, Kulesza remains deeply committed to expanding access, cultivating a student-centered academic culture, and preparing every Dean graduate with the knowledge, skills, and character to succeed in a rapidly evolving world.

Dr. Scott P. Sibley, provost

Dr. Scott Sibley earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Chemistry from Williams College and a Master of Science and Doctor of Philosophy in Physical Chemistry from the University of Michigan.

Scott joins us after spending 26 years at Goucher College in Baltimore, Maryland as a faculty member and administrator. His primary teaching activities have been in the areas of Physical, Analytical, and General Chemistry. Scott has mentored many undergraduate students in scientific research, has been an advisor to a student club, and led students on an intensive course abroad.

Scott has served in numerous leadership positions including Department Chair for Chemistry, Division Chair for Natural Sciences and Mathematics, and Chair of the Faculty. He served as Goucher's Interim Provost, working with the faculty to develop new, innovative undergraduate majors, as well as growing their graduate and professional course and program offerings. While in the roles of Faculty Chair and Interim Provost, Scott guided the faculty in the development and implementation of a new, interdisciplinary general education curriculum. Most recently, Scott served as Interim Associate Provost of the Welch Center for Graduate and Professional Studies.

aNDREA ADAMS, VICE PRESIDENT OF HUMAN RESOURCES

Andrea brings extensive human resources leadership to her role as Vice President of Human Resources at Dean College. She oversees all HR functions, including talent management, employee relations, organizational development, compensation, and diversity initiatives, while aligning HR strategies with the College’s goals.
 
With experience across industries, including roles at Consigli Construction and the Worcester Art Museum, her experience includes developing and implementing policies that promote long-term organizational success, as well as overseeing employee engagement, training programs, and leadership development efforts. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Nichols College. She is certified by the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) and the Human Capital Institute (HCI), and she continues to stay at the forefront of HR trends and best practices.

Sandra Cain, Executive Vice President and Secretary to the Board 

Sandra joined Dean College in 2003. In her current role she provides leadership, assistance, and operational oversight to the Office of the President in support of the College’s strategic initiatives and priorities, while also managing the Office of Human Resources. Sandra serves as Secretary and liaison to the College’s Board of Trustees collaboratively managing program support activities and matters of institutional significance for the Board on behalf of, and in concert with, the President and the Board Chair.

Sandra is a lifelong resident in the Franklin Community and has an affinity for her alma maters, College of the Holy Cross and Framingham State University.

Geoff lerner, Vice President of Athletics & Recreation

Geoff Lerner joined Dean College in 2025 as Vice President of Athletics & Recreation. He brings more than a decade of experience as an athletics administrator, educator, and coach, with expertise in strategic planning, student-athlete development, and inclusive programming.

Before coming to Dean, Lerner served as Athletic Director at Prospect Hill Academy Charter School in Cambridge, Massachusetts, where he led more than 15 interscholastic sports and recreation programs. He expanded academic and leadership support for student-athletes, strengthened equity and access initiatives, and oversaw staff hiring and professional development. His efforts resulted in measurable gains in student engagement, retention, and academic performance.

Earlier in his career, Lerner held leadership and coaching roles at Benjamin Franklin Institute of Technology and Wentworth Institute of Technology, with responsibilities in compliance, budgeting, academic monitoring, and operations.

Lerner holds a Master of Science in Physical Education from Hofstra University and a Bachelor of Arts in Sports Studies from Ithaca College. He is a Certified Athletic Administrator (CAA) and licensed Massachusetts educator in Physical Education.

Kathleen McGuire, special assistant to the president

Kathy began her career at Ernst & Young as an auditor in New Jersey. She transitioned to higher education as an internal auditor at Harvard University and as Controller at Radcliffe College. Kathy has held various financial positions at Dean College over the past 30 years, including Vice President of Financial Services.

She graduated from the College of the Holy Cross with a bachelor’s degree in psychology and from Rutgers University with a master’s degree in business administration in accountancy. She is a Certified Public Accountant and has served on various not-for-profit boards in the area.

Basil Stewart, Vice President, Financial Services and Treasurer

As Dean's Vice President for Financial Services and Treasurer, Basil Stewart will be responsible for Dean's finance and budgeting, enterprise risk management, financial aid, and student accounts. As Chief Financial Officer, he will serve as chief advisor to the president on financial matters and will have administrative responsibility to the Board of Trustees by providing administrative support to its audit, finance and investment committees.

Prior to joining Dean, Stewart was the Vice President for Finance and Administration at Western New England University.  Stewart also served as Chief Financial Officer and Vice President for Finance and Administration at Lasell University and Merrimack College and held controller posts at MIT, Northeastern University, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Smith College, and Wentworth Institute of Technology. He held auditing roles for The Gillette Company and Coopers & Lybrand.

Stewart earned his MBA and a BBA in Accounting from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst. He is a board member of the Boston Senior Home Care, Inc. and William Townsend Porter Foundation, and member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, Inc. and the Massachusetts Society of Certified Public Accountants, Inc. He holds designations as a Chartered Global Management Accountant (CGMA) and a Certified Public Accountant (CPA).

Paul Vaccaro, Vice President, Enrollment Services and Marketing

With over 25 years of experience in enrollment management, Paul returns to Dean as vice president for enrollment services and marketing. He previously served as assistant vice president of enrollment services and dean of admissions at Dean College from 2004 to 2009, before moving on to vice president roles at Regis College and Newbury College. Most recently, Paul was the associate vice president for enrollment at Anna Maria College.

With a focus on achieving enrollment goals, in his current role Paul oversees areas related to admissions, enrollment operations and admissions information systems as well as strategic marketing for the college.

Paul is also a past recipient of the prestigious New England College Board Distinguished Service Award for leadership, innovation and advocacy in higher education. He is an alumnus of Suffolk University, where he earned both a bachelor's degree in journalism and an MBA.