The President’s Cabinet

TOMARRA ADAMS

Chief Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion Officer 
Dr. Tomarra Adams joined Bellarmine University in 2022 as the Chief Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Officer within the President's Office. In this position, she works alongside university and community partners to embed the values of the University mission throughout our educational policies, procedures, practices and outreach, as well as monitor key performance indicators that demonstrate achievement of goals related to diversity, equity, and inclusion. 

Before coming to Bellarmine, Dr. Adams worked at the University of Louisville in multiple roles that included a campus counselor, interim-director of the Multicultural Center, Assistant Dean for Advising & Student Services in the College of Arts & Sciences, assistant professor, and director of undergraduate students in the department of Pan-African Studies. She also served as the Dean of Undergraduate Education and associate professor in Social Work and African American Studies at Spalding University. She is a member of the National Council on Black Studies, Louisville Association of Black Social Workers, Association of Blacks in Higher Education, National Association of Diversity Officers in Higher Education, NACADA, and Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. 

Dr. Adams holds a bachelor's degree in psychology with a minor in Pan-African Studies, master of science and doctorate of philosophy degrees in social work all from the University of Louisville. She is a licensed clinical social worker with a post-graduate certificate in advanced psychoanalysis from Bellarmine University's Wayne Institute. 

DENISE BROWN-CORNELIUS

Vice President for Finance & Facilities
Denise Brown-Cornelius was appointed the Vice President for Finance & Facilities in October 2023. In this role she serves as the university’s Chief Financial Officer and provides oversight to the departments of finance, purchasing, student accounts, mail & printing services and facilities management.

Prior to her appointment as the Vice President, Ms. Brown-Cornelius was the Interim Vice President for Finance and the Associate Vice President for Business Affairs, a position she held since 2007, with direct responsibilities for the areas of accounts payable, student accounts, purchasing, payroll, mail & printing services and accounting. 

Ms. Brown-Cornelius is a Certified Public Accountant with an accounting degree from Bellarmine and a juris doctorate from the University of Louisville Brandeis School of Law. Outside of her role in Business Affairs, Ms. Brown-Cornelius serves as an instructor with Bellarmine’s Financial Planner certificate program and serves on the Board of Highlands Court, Inc., in addition, to having served on the boards for the AIKCU Business Officers and Kentucky’s Society of Certified Public Accountants. She has also completed the National Association of College and University Business Officers’ Fellows Program which prepares senior leaders in business affairs to be successful chief business officers. 

MICHAEL MARSHALL

Vice President for Enrollment, Marketing and Communication
In June 2019, Dr. Michael J. Marshall joined Bellarmine as vice president for enrollment, marketing and communication. In this capacity, he provides leadership, vision, and integration for growing and diversifying enrollment and for expanding the university’s profile. He has demonstrated success in enrollment management and academic leadership.

Since joining Bellarmine, Dr. Marshall has worked collectively with campus partners to position the division in a way that drives both growth and visibility that is consistent with the university’s guiding statements and strategic priorities. Prior to Bellarmine, Dr. Marshall spent three years as associate vice president for enrollment services at Clark Atlanta University. In addition, he served several years on the chancellor’s cabinet at Texas Christian University (TCU), providing leadership in the areas of student enrollment and success and governmental relations. He is now a member of the board of directors of the National Catholic College Admission Association.

Dr. Marshall received a bachelor of business administration degree from Mercyhurst College, and a master’s degree in liberal arts and a doctorate in higher education leadership from TCU.

JESS METZMEIER

Chief Government, Community & Strategic Partnerships Officer 
Dr. Jess Metzmeier is the Chief Government, Community, and Strategic Partnership Officer at Bellarmine University. In this role, he leads Bellarmine's partnership initiatives and funding relationships with corporations, foundations, governmental entities, and community organizations, and serves as a central point of connection between Bellarmine and the community. Before assuming his current role, Jess served Bellarmine as the Director of Corporate and Foundation Giving, and subsequently as the Assistant Vice President of Strategic Partnerships. 

A native Louisvillian, Jess has a Bachelor’s degree from Centre College, a Master’s degree from the University of Chicago, and a Ph.D. from Bellarmine. When not working or spending time with his family, Jess is a trustee of Sacred Heart Schools, a member of the School-Based Decision Making Council of Wilder Elementary, and serves as the council president for his Church. 

ANGELA RONE

Chief of Staff 
Ms. Rone has worked in various roles at Bellarmine over the past 15 years, and most recently as the Director of University Initiatives, managing the Strategic Plan development and implementation and the University’s COVID-19 policies and response, in addition to other special projects. Her experience at Bellarmine has allowed her to see the university from a “big picture” while also being involved in the details. She has a demonstrated ability to successfully collaborate with faculty, staff and students alike, and seeks to understand the varying perspectives of each department at the university to ensure that all voices are valued and represented. As Chief of Staff, Ms. Rone manages the day to day operational and administrative functions of the Office of the President and serves as an advisor to the President and other Cabinet officers, in addition to being a resource for the broader Bellarmine community.

Ms. Rone has a master’s degree in Higher Education Administration from the University of Louisville and a bachelor’s degree from Bellarmine University.  

HELEN GRACE RYAN

Vice President for Student Affairs
Dr. Helen Grace Ryan is the Vice President for Student Affairs providing leadership and direction for the division: Campus Ministry, Campus Recreation, Intramurals & Wellness, Career Development, Counseling Center, Dean of Students Office, Dining Services, Accessibility Resource Center, International Student & Scholar Services, Office of Identity & Inclusion, Public Safety, Residence Life, Student Health Services, Student Activities & Orientation, and the Student Government Association.

Prior to serving as Vice President, Dr. Ryan was Bellarmine’s Dean of Students. Her other professional experiences include The Center for Postsecondary Research, Indiana University-Bloomington’s Office of Residential Programs and Services, and Eastern Kentucky University’s Office of Housing and Residence Life. Dr. Ryan also serves as the Region III Director for the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators (NASPA), the nation’s largest association for student affairs professionals.

A native of Somerset, Kentucky, Dr. Ryan holds a degree in business economics from the University of Louisville and a master’s and doctorate in higher education and student affairs from Indiana University-Bloomington.

SEAN RYAN

Senior Vice President 
Dr. Sean J. Ryan was appointed Senior Vice President of Bellarmine University in June of 2019. Prior to his current role he served Bellarmine as Vice President for Enrollment Management from March of 2007 to May of 2019. Dr. Ryan also served as Dean of the School of Continuing and Professional Studies from 2013 to 2019. Dr. Ryan’s primary responsibility is leading the implementation of the university’s strategic plan, Tradition and Transformation. In addition he works closely with the President of the university and provides senior leadership and oversight in the areas of athletics, human resources, and information technology.

Prior to joining Bellarmine Dr. Ryan served as the chief enrollment officer at Daniel Webster College (NH) and in the admissions office at his alma mater Saint Anselm College (NH). Dr. Ryan holds a bachelor’s degree from Saint Anselm College (NH), a master of science in professional and organizational communication from Regis College (MA), and doctorate in Higher Education Management from the University of Pennsylvania (PA). He also completed the Institute for Educational Management through the Harvard Graduate School of Education.

SCOTT SELF

Vice President for Development & Alumni Relations 
In October of 2022, Scott Self became Bellarmine’s Vice President for Development and Alumni Relations. In this role, he provides leadership and vision to the university’s fund raising and planned giving initiatives and oversees alumni engagement. Self brings a wealth of experience in capital campaigns, corporate partnerships, and alumni engagement, which will enhance the University’s efforts in fully implementing the strategic plan.

Prior to joining Bellarmine’s cabinet, Self was the Associate Vice Chancellor of Development and Alumni Relations at Vanderbilt University, with prior development experiences with Ohio State University, Texas Tech University, and the University of Texas at Arlington.

Self, a Louisville native, has a bachelor's degree in public relations and psychology from Western Kentucky University and earned a certificate in Leveraging Diversity and Inclusion for Organizational Excellence from Stanford University.

Mark Wiegand

Interim Vice President for Academic Affairs & Provost 

Dr. Mark Wiegand was appointed Interim Provost on June 8, 2023. Prior to his appointment, he has served as Associate Provost and as the Dean of the Donna and Allan Lansing School of Nursing and Health Sciences (now the College of Health Professions), for which he still provides oversight. He is a Professor of Physical Therapy.  

Prior to serving as the Lansing School dean (2013-2017), he was the chairperson of Physical Therapy Department at Bellarmine (2001-2013). Dr. Wiegand also served as President of the University Faculty Council (2011-2012). He has taught anatomical sciences to physical therapy, occupational therapy and medical students at the University of Louisville and Bellarmine University. His research interests are in the role of service and experiential learning and professional development in health sciences education, and has over 70 presentations, publications and reviews in journals, books and at national and international meetings.

Dr. Wiegand received his B.S. in Physical Therapy from the University of Kansas, his M.S. in Human Performance from the University of Wisconsin-LaCrosse and his Ph.D. in Anatomical Sciences and Neurobiology from the University of Louisville. In 2002 Dr. Wiegand received the Outstanding Physical Therapist Service Award from the Kentucky Physical Therapy Association, and was a Bellarmine University Wyatt Fellowship recipient in 2007 and a 2008 Louisville Health Enterprises Network Fellow. He is a 2016 Bingham Fellow with the Leadership Louisville Center.