Leadership

Sister Denise A. Roche is president of D'Youville College. The President's Council consists of the President and six college administrators. The Board of Trustees is made up of 26 Board members who handle corporate duties for D'Youville College and as a result set broad policies that govern the institution.

President

Sister Denise A. Roche, GNSH, PhD

President's Council

• D. John Bray
• Edward A. Johnson
• Kathleen M. Christy
• William J. Mariani, Ed.D.
• Robert P. "Butch" Murphy
• Arup Sen, Ph.D.

Biographies

Sister Denise A. Roche, GNSH, PhD
President

Sister Denise A. Roche was appointed the 14^th president of D’Youville College in 1979. A Buffalo native, Sister Denise entered the Grey Nuns of the Sacred Heart in 1961 and completed her undergraduate work in sociology and social work at D’Youville College. She received her master’s degree in sociology from Boston University and her doctorate from the University of Massachusetts. Prior to her appointment to the presidency, Sister Denise served on the D’Youville faculty, as well as chair of the sociology department and associate dean for continuing studies and academic services

Sister Denise was instrumental in the development of several new academic programs at the baccalaureate and master’s level in occupational therapy, physical therapy, community health nursing, health care management, physician assisting, as well as doctoral studies in educational leadership, health policy and education, physical therapy, chiropractics and, most recently, pharmacy. Several cooperative programs with the Buffalo public schools have also been implemented, including the D’Youville-Porter Campus School #3 and daVinci High School.

In addition, she has overseen the physical expansion of the campus, including the Montante Library Complex, the Niagara Street Annex, the Bauer Family Academic Center, the Student Apartment Complex, the D’Youville Education Center, the D’Youville Academic Center and the major restorations to the Kavinoky Theatre and the Koessler Administration Building. Several parking lots have been constructed throughout the neighborhood and the recent completion of the Fargo Avenue Project, with its traffic circle in the center of the campus, unifies the campus east and west of Fargo Avenue.

As chief executive officer, Sister Denise is responsible to a lay Board of Trustees for the administrative functions of the college. During the 32 years of her presidency, Sister Denise has guided D’Youville through changes and fluctuations in enrollment, fiscal demands, student demographics, faculty demands and campus expansion. New programs have been developed, facilities have been improved and major obstacles have been overcome as the college entered the 21^st century with vigor and optimism.

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President's Council

D. John Bray
Director of Public Relations

Mr. Bray joined D’Youville College in 1984 as Director of Institutional Advancement after serving in the same position at the University at Buffalo (UB) Foundation. Previously, he was Radio & TV Director in the UB News Bureau. He was named Director of Public Relations at D’Youville in 1988 and continues in that position today.

Prior to his career in education Mr. Bray was News Director at WUTV Television where he developed their news operation shortly after the station signed on. He also worked in local radio and while on active duty with the U.S. Air Force served with the American Forces Korea Network in Seoul. He was also stationed in at Sheppard AFB in Texas assigned to a military television production unit.

His writings have been published in the Buffalo News over the past 20 years, in antique automobile and motorcycle magazines, and various specialized publications.

He attended Buffalo State College. 

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Kathleen M. Christy
Vice President of Institutional Advancement

Kathleen Christy is responsible for all fundraising activities from private sources and alumni for the college. She joined the College in Jan. 2013.

Prior to joining D'Youville, Christy was the Executive Director of the BISON Scholarship Fund, Inc., a tuition assistance program for low-income children (K-8th grade) to attend a private school of choice, a position she held since 2001.

She held the same position at the Western New York Grantmakers Association, a collaborative community of philanthropic individuals and organizations.

Christy was also the Regional Marketing Coordinator for the Private Clients Group of FleetBoston Financial Group and served as Director of Development for Buffalo General Hospital.

She is the founding member of Girls on the Run – Buffalo and chaired their board for two years. Christy is a member of the St. Amelia School Home School Association and a member of the School Board.

She is a graduate of the College of Saint Rose in Albany.

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Edward A. Johnson
Vice President for Financial Affairs/Treasurer

Edward A. Johnson was named Vice President for Financial Affairs in January 2011. He is responsible for the financial management of the college including the annual audit, purchasing, student accounts, human resources and the business operation of the college.

Previously he was Director of Finance and Operations for the Honeoye Falls – Lima Central School District and served as Associate Vice-President for Administration & Controller at the State University of New York at Geneseo. Johnson was the Chief Financial Officer for the University at Buffalo Division of Athletics from 1994 to 2005.

A graduate of Niagara University, he received his MBA from St. Bonaventure University and is a Certified Public Accountant.

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William J. Mariani, Ed.D.
Vice President of Administration Services & External Relations

Dr. William Mariani comes to D’Youville after serving as President of Erie Community College in Western New York. Dr. Mariani’s career spans experience in the private, public and academic sector. He spent 10 years with AM International and Bell & Howell, and served as a professor in the School of Management at Erie Community College and in the Department of Business at D’Youville College. He was the founding Dean of the Division of Community Services, has presented at numerous conferences and consulted on a variety of projects.

Dr. Mariani is a graduate of St. Bonaventure University, where he received his BBA and master’s degree, and of D’Youville College where he received his Ed.D. He is an avid outdoorsman and enjoys his family and friends.

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Robert P. “Butch” Murphy
Vice President for Student Affairs & Enrollment Management

Butch Murphy began his career at D’Youville College in August of 1976, direct from his graduate program in Organizational Communications from the University at Buffalo. Starting out as the director of student activities, over the next 12 years he assumed additional responsibilities in the areas of auxiliary services and student affairs. In March of 1988 he became Vice President for Student Affairs at D’Youville and continues to wear that title today. Since 1988 the student affairs area has grown to include multicultural affairs, international student relations, and has expanded the athletic program into the NCAA Division III, while maintaining the areas of residence life, the health center, personal counseling, student activities, campus ministry, career services, the College Center, and orientations through D’Youville’s student resource center, Connections.

In June 2003, Butch added on the title Vice President for Enrollment Management and assumed responsibility for graduate and undergraduate admissions, as well as financial aid. This area has also grown and now encompasses veteran’s affairs, international admissions, marketing and the college website.

A native of Western New York, Butch has been married to his wife Karen for 36 years and they have two sons, Ryan and Andrew and a daughter Jorja.

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Arup Sen, Ph.D.
Vice President for Academic Affairs

Arup K. Sen, Ph.D. was named vice president for academic affairs in April of 2011. In this role, he is responsible for educational planning, implementation, program evaluation and the supervision of academic activities for all college programs.

Dr. Sen joined D'Youville College in 2002 as a faculty member. Prior to his current appointment, he served as interim vice president for academic affairs. During his tenure at DYC, he has also served as chairman of D'Youville's Department of Business; director of the graduate business and director of the ADVANCE program.

Previously Dr. Sen was director of research and planning at HSBC Bank and founder and president of Marketing Decisions Group, Inc., a professional consulting organization specializing in strategic and marketing planning, marketing research, and direct response marketing.

He was a frequent lecturer at University at Buffalo, School of Management.

A graduate of the University of Calcutta, India and Hampton University, he received his master's degree from Virginia Commonwealth University and his Ph.D. from the University at Buffalo.

• Message from the President