Three Senior Vice Presidents Appointed

Shortly after becoming Berklee’s president, Roger Brown and members of the Board of Trustees devised a plan to make changes in the organizational structure of the college to facilitate the future growth and changes described in the college’s vision statement. The restructuring called for the creation of new positions for three senior vice presidents to oversee academic affairs, institutional advancement, and administration and finance. President Brown recently announced the results of the search process.

Dr. Lawrence J. Simpson has been named senior vice president for academic affairs. He will oversee the academic initiatives of the college, including curriculum, faculty, and all areas directly related to teaching and learning.

Simpson came to Berklee from Cleveland, Ohio, where he served as president and chief academic officer of Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C). He worked at Tri-C’s Metropolitan Campus during the past year and previously headed the Eastern Campus for 11 years. Of particular interest to Berklee was Simpson’s involvement in the growth and excellence of the college’s arts and cultural programs—including the nationally recognized Tri-C JazzFest Cleveland—and the college’s recording arts and technology and community music programs.

Additionally, Simpson has been a freelance writer and photographer for Downbeat and JazzTimes magazines and the Jazz Education Journal. Since 1993, he has served on a variety of panels for the National Endowment for the Arts. He earned his undergraduate degree from Kent State University and his Ph.D. in social psychology from the University of Pittsburgh.

“Being at Berklee will allow me to combine my twin passions for higher education and music,” says Simpson. “I feel quite privileged to have this opportunity.”

Deborah Grozen Bieri is the new senior vice president for institutional advancement. Bieri will oversee the external affairs, communications, and advancement areas of the college. Bieri comes to Berklee from Clark University in Worcester, Massachusetts, where she had served for seven years as vice president for advancement. At Clark, she successfully completed a $100-million capital campaign and exceeded the planned goal by $6 million. Bieri’s successful capital campaign at Clark enabled the university to establish 10 new endowed professorships, create more than 50 endowed scholarships, build a new arts center, and create the college’s Center for Holocaust and Genocide Studies.

Prior to her work at Clark, Bieri was employed at the University of Massachusetts Medical Center, the Worcester Foundation for Biomedical Research, and Wheelock College, all in similar, senior development and advancement roles. Bieri received her bachelor of science degree at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst. “Music has always been an important part of my life,” says Bieri. “I am thrilled to be joining the vibrant and accomplished community at Berklee, and I am looking forward to being a part of the team that helps move the college forward.”

David R. Hornfischer, formerly Berklee’s vice president for administration and finance, was promoted internally to become the senior vice president for administration and finance. Hornfischer also serves as the college’s secretary/treasurer. Prior to coming to Berklee in 1983, Hornfischer was director of administrative services at the Connecticut Junior Republic and assistant treasurer and administrative computer systems coordinator at Amherst College. He was a member of the Commission of Institutions on Higher Education of the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NESAC) and has served on numerous NESAC review teams and committees. Mr. Hornfischer is a member of the National Association of College and University Business Officers, was a board member of the Eastern Association of College and University Business Officers and has presented papers and written articles on financial and administrative matters. Hornfischer received a bachelor of science degree from Trinity College and an M.B.A degree from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst.