FRATERNAL HEALTH & SAFETY INITIATIVE 

Advisory Panel & Consultant Staff

Consultant Staff Members

Suzette Walden Cole, Ph.D.

Suzette received her Doctor of Philosophy in the Education Administration and Foundations at Illinois State University, studying the factors that contribute to the development of culture in student groups and effective strategies for cultivating change within student groups. Dr. Suzette Walden Cole serves as a supporting consultant for the award-winning Fraternal Health & Safety Initiative (FHSI). She served as the primary author for two of the initial primary modules associated with the FHSI curriculum. She is the lead instructional designer for the current supplemental resources and primary module content for both undergraduate students and alumni/ae volunteers.

Dr. Walden Cole also holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science with minors in English and Communication from Mercer University, and a Master of Education in College Student Personnel Administration with an emphasis in Higher Education Administration from the University of South Carolina. In addition to her professional work, she served on the Board of Directors for the Association for Student Conduct Administration (ASCA) and is a volunteer within her own sorority, Alpha Delta Pi, and the Association for Fraternity/Sorority Advisors.

Drew Hunter, MPA

Drew Hunter serves as the Support Consultant for the Fraternal Health and Safety Initiative (FHSI) assisting with client support, special projects and ongoing initiative efforts. From April 2013 through August 2014 Drew served as the Project Manager for the Initiative, during which time he was instrumental for establishing the consortium and educational modules. Drew retired after more than a 25 year career with The BACCHUS Network an association of peer to peer health education programs active on several hundred college campuses. He is an expert in college health and safety programming and has an extensive background in fraternity management. Additionally, he is an International Past President for Lambda Chi Alpha Fraternity. The benefits of his work has resulted in recognition by both the North American Interfraternity Conference and the Association of Fraternity/Sorority Advisors, as well as the United States Department of Education to name a few.

Drew holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration degree from the University of Denver and a Master of Public Administration from the University of Colorado

Advisory Panel

The Advisory Panel is composed of experts in higher education, health education, fraternity management and risk prevention who have examined and approved the program content and processes. We are grateful to the industry professionals who provided initial guidance to, and support of the vision for the Fraternal Health and Safety Initiative.

We are proud our programming has been endorsed by the following:

Susie Bruce, M.Ed.

Susie Bruce, M.Ed., is director of the University of Virginia’s Gordie Center, which works to end hazing and substance misuse among college and high school students nationwide through evidence-informed, student-tested resources.  She has over 25 years of experience in collegiate health promotion and has expertise in the social norms approach, peer education, and curriculum infusion strategies.  She directs the NCAA-funded APPLE Training Institutes: the leading national strategic training program for substance misuse prevention and health promotion for student-athletes and athletics departments, is a Faculty Affiliate of Youth-Nex, the Center to Promote Effective Youth Development, and serves on the Executive Board of the Step UP! Bystander Intervention Program. She earned a B.A. in English Literature and M.Ed. in Counselor Education from the University of Virginia

Justin Buck, MBA

Justin has served as the Executive Vice President of The Pi Kappa Alpha Fraternity since 2009.  He oversees all operations of the organization, supervises the Fraternity’s services, recruitment and promotions, and manages PIKE University. Prior to his appointment, Justin served as executive director, director of real estate, expansion coordinator and as a chapter consultant.  Interfraternally, Justin has served on the Fraternity Executives Association (FEA) board, including as its president; and also serves as a member of the North American Interfraternity Conference (NIC) Governing Council and Executive committee.  Buck completed his undergraduate work at Southeast Missouri State University in December 1999 with a Bachelor of Science degree in business administration with a major in finance.  Following his initial time on staff, Justin went on to receive his Master of Business Administration with an emphasis is finance from the University of Miami.

Bridget Guernsey Riordan, Ph.D.

Dr. Bridget Guernsey Riordan is the  Assistant Vice President for Campus Life at Emory University. She also has served Emory as Dean of Students and Director of Student Activities. Bridget has been as an adjunct faculty member in the Higher Education program at Georgia State University. Prior to her positions at Emory, Dr. Riordan worked in student affairs at the University of Cincinnati and the University of Pittsburgh and was a National Collegiate Field Advisor for Alpha Chi Omega Fraternity. In professional associations, Dr. Riordan served as the President of the Association of Fraternity Advisors (AFA) and has been on the Region III board for NASPA (National Association of Student Personnel Administrators). Her areas of research and publications have included alcohol education, Greek letter organizations, and relationship health. In 2016 Bridget was honored with the Alumnae Award of Achievement Award from Alpha Chi Omega Fraternity.

Bridget received her Bachelor of Science degree from Ball State University, her Master of Education degree from the University of Cincinnati, and her Doctor of Philosophy degree in Higher Education from the University of Pittsburgh.

Mike Hargis, B.A.

Mike Hargis is Vice President for the Greater Nashville Area at Arthur J. Gallagher and Company (AJG), an international insurance brokerage and risk management services firm. Mike’s primary duties include serving as a producer and account director for several of the top 25 revenue producing accounts in Nashville AJG office. A large percentage of daily service encompasses consultative services and monitoring, international and / or alternative risk approach issues, all focused on accomplishing my clients objectives. He has managed and implemented successful cost effective and economic alternatives, resulting in a positive financial impact for my client’s bottom line profitability. He has also worked extensively with Gallagher International and other nation AJG offices and personnel to accomplish his client’s objectives and goals as well as serve as a resource to others in office and nationally for AJG.

Mike holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology and Business from the University of Kansas. He has more than 30 years of experience in the risk management industry.

John Schwartz, J.D.

John Schwartz serves as a Senior Risk Management Consultant at United Educators Insurance Reciprocal Risk Retention Group (UE), a licensed insurance company owned and governed by 1,200 member colleges, universities, independent schools, public school districts, public school insurance pools, and related organizations throughout the United States. John works primarily with colleges, universities, and large research institutions.  John is also responsible for UE’s risk management orientation process for all new members. Prior to joining UE in 2004, Schwartz held administrative positions at three public universities: the University of Kansas, as an Assistant to the Vice President for Student Affairs; Texas A&M University, where he coordinated the Student and Academic Affairs risk management program; and Iowa State University, where he helped lead the Office of Risk Management and coordinated the workers’ compensation program.

John holds a Bachelor of Arts in History and a Master of Arts in Art History from the University of Kansas. He earned his Juris Doctorate from the University of Kansas School of Law.

Jeremiah Shinn, Ph.D.

Jeremiah Shinn serves as the Vice President for Student Affairs at Louisiana State University and A&M College (LSU) where he provides leadership for more than 15 individual units dedicated to supporting college students during the 153 hours they spend outside the classroom each week.  For more than two decades, Jeremiah has championed the fundamental importance of higher education and its potential to transform students, their lives, and their communities. At large, public research institutions, including LSU, Boise State University, and Indiana University, Dr. Shinn has successfully led organizational change, partnership development, equity and inclusion efforts, student advocacy efforts, and various other strategic initiatives. He shares his scholarly and professional work at higher education conferences across North America. He has taught graduate and undergraduate-level courses in Colleges of Education, Health Sciences, and Innovation & Design, as well as the Honors College.  Jeremiah currently serves on three non-profit/professional Boards, and is a frequent invited presenter on topics related to leadership, higher education, and organizational development.

Mary E. Wilfert, M.Ed.

Mary Wilfert is Associate Director of the NCAA Sport Science Institute. She has administered the NCAA drug-education and drug-testing programs since 1999 and has worked to promote policies and develop resources for student-athlete healthy life choices.  She serves as primary liaison to the NCAA Committee on Competitive Safeguards and Medical Aspects of Sports, the Association-wide committee charged with providing leadership on health and safety recommendations to the NCAA membership.  Mary has worked in the health education field for more than 30 years to empower individuals to make informed choices for lifelong health and success.

Mary received her Bachelor of Science degree in in Health Education from the University of Dayton and her Master of Education degree in Community Health Education from the University of Cincinnati.

Dave Westol, J.D.

David Westol, J.D.

David Westol is the Principal and Owner of Limberlost Consulting in Carmel, Indiana. His clientele includes universities, national headquarters, chapters, groups, teams, alumnae and alumni corporations and boards of directors. David provides a range of services including strategic planning, governance, document review, working with struggling or troubled chapters, investigations, membership reviews and presentations on a variety of topics. His background includes serving as  a national officer for his fraternity, Theta Chi, and then as CEO for 18 years.  David also served as an assistant director of student activities and advisor to fraternities at MSU while attending The Detroit College of Law. David served as an assistant prosecuting attorney in Kalamazoo County, Michigan, for nine years and tried over 55 felony cases before juries. He served as President of the Fraternity Executives Association from 2002-2003 and has served on the boards of directors for FIPG (Fraternal Information and Programming Group), HazingPrevention.org, Gamma Sigma Alpha, the North American Interfraternal Foundation and the Association of Fraternal Leadership and Values (AFLV). He has been recognized by a number of men’s and women’s fraternal organizations and professional associations.

Davd is an alumnus of Michigan State University and the Detroit College of Law. He is a member of the Michigan Bar, the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE), and the National Association of Sports Officials (NASO) and has officiated high school football for 34 seasons.

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