Office of the President

Daniel A. DiBiasio is the 11th president of Ohio Northern University. Since joining ONU in 2011, DiBiasio has launched a strategic direction and operational agenda intended to propel the University toward greater success as it arrives at its sesquicentennial year poised for a milestone 150-year celebration. ONU 2021 defines the years ahead – identifying specific actions in a pragmatic and practical approach to make good execution more likely and to provide a monitoring mechanism for measuring progress.

To create Northern’s next comprehensive facilities Master Plan, Ohio Northern has partnered with The Collaborative Inc., an architecture and planning firm in Toledo, Ohio. Master planning starts from the premise that, to be most effective, a master plan must engage the broadest cross-section of the college community as realistically possible. The University also has devoted time, talent and resources to develop a compelling brand strategy that rolled out in 2014. Another important University task that has been achieved is ONU’s accreditation review by the Higher Learning Commission.

DiBiasio was president of Wilmington College from 1995 to 2011, overseeing excellent growth in the college’s academic and advancement affairs. In his 16 years, the college added four undergraduate academic programs and the college’s first graduate program. The college also built and renovated two student apartment complexes, built an equine science center, and renovated and expanded the Boyd Cultural Arts Center, which includes the Meriam R. Hare Quaker Heritage Center and the David and June Harcum Art Gallery.

DiBiasio has more than 40 years of higher education experience. He began his career in 1974 at Rocky Mountain College in Billings, Mont., where he served as an admissions counselor and dean of students. After earning his Ph.D. at The Ohio State University, he was appointed assistant dean of the graduate school. He was an executive officer on the council of presidents for the New England Land Grant Universities from 1984-87. At the University of New Hampshire, DiBiasio served as executive assistant to the president from 1987-91 and as interim vice president of student affairs from 1991-95.

He has held leadership roles in higher education and has served many boards on the national, state and local levels. DiBiasio is currently Chair of the Board of the Educational and Institutional Insurance Administrators (EIIA), a member of the Board of Trustees for the Lima Memorial Health System and past Chair of the Board of Liberty National Bank. DiBiasio also chaired the Board of Directors for Ohio Campus Compact, a statewide nonprofit coalition of college and university presidents and their campuses working to promote and develop the civic purposes of higher education.

After earning a Bachelor of Arts in English from Ohio Wesleyan University, DiBiasio received his master’s degree and Ph.D. from The Ohio State University. Throughout his career in higher education, he has taught at the undergraduate and graduate levels, published, and given scholarly presentations at national and regional conferences. He is a 2020 recipient of the Distinguished Achievement Citation from Ohio Wesleyan University. 

DiBiasio is married to Chris Burns-DiBiasio, ONU's director of community relations, and they have two sons, Matthew (Devon) and Michael (Sarah), and a grandson, Edward.

Juliet K. Hurtig serves as ONU's chief academic officer and as an executive leader with the president and CFO in the University’s budget development and strategic planning. In addition to all academic programs, Hurtig oversees the University libraries, the registrar, information technology, institutional research, grants and sponsored research, multiple support centers, and University accreditation. She also assists the president in working closely with the Board of Trustees and his cabinet. Hurtig joined the faculty of Ohio Northern University’s College of Engineering in 2000 and became assistant dean for admissions and advising in 2003. She was appointed to the Office of Academic Affairs in 2009, and has held numerous responsibilities in the office since. Hurtig earned her Bachelor of Science in electrical engineering from Ohio Northern University, and her Master of Science and Ph.D. in electrical engineering from The Ohio State University.  A licensed professional engineer in the state of Ohio, her research interests focus mainly on education pedagogy and nonlinear system identification. Hurtig currently serves as a volunteer with the National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying, and is active in the West Ohio Conference of the United Methodist Church.

Jason Broge, vice president for financial affairs, was appointed to his position in July 2020. He has held financial management and leadership positions in colleges and universities that vary in size and control. Prior to coming to ONU, Broge was vice president of business services and the CFO of Kirtland Community College in Grayling, Mich., a position he held from 2010-20. Prior to his work at Kirtland, he held financial positions at Eastern Michigan University, Lourdes University and Adrian College. In his roles at those institutions, Broge provided leadership for budgeting, operations, human resources, capital projects, borrowing and credit issues, auxiliary services, and master planning. Broge has a BS in business administration with an accounting major from Central Michigan University and an MA in organizational leadership from Siena Heights University, and he also is a certified public accountant (CPA).

William Eilola has been vice president for enrollment management at Ohio Northern University since April 2015. Prior to joining Ohio Northern University, he served as vice president for enrollment services at Lake Superior State University  and dean of enrollment services at Gannon University. He also spent 12 years in the Grand Valley State University admissions office and two years in private industry at Ford Motor Company. Eilola received his Bachelor of Science in business administration from Michigan Technological University and his Master of Business Administration from Grand Valley State University.

Andrew C. Hughey began his duties as the inaugural vice president and general counsel in May 2020, bringing a wealth of experience and talent to his new role at ONU. Before arriving at ONU, he served as special assistant to the president for diversity and inclusion at Community College of Allegheny County in Pittsburgh, Pa. His prior experience includes serving as general counsel at Texas Southern University in Houston for seven years, general counsel and secretary to the board of trustees at Central State University in Wilberforce for 12 years, and associate general counsel at the University of Pittsburgh for 12 years, in addition to being an adjunct professor and instructor of law. At Central State University, he established the first Office of General Counsel and served as secretary to the board, providing advice on all legal matters from policies and contracts to compliance and litigation. Andrew earned his BA from the University of Pittsburgh, majoring in rhetoric and communications. His juris doctor is from Duquesne University School of Law. 

Shannon Spencer, vice president for university advancement, leads development, alumni relations, advancement services, and communications and marketing. Prior to joining ONU in July 2015, she served as assistant vice president for development, director of annual giving, interim director of stewardship and assistant director of annual giving at Bowling Green State University. Before advancement, she worked in academic affairs and student affairs, coordinating student services for the Electrical Engineering and Computer Science Department at the University of Michigan and serving as an advisor in the Career Center and program coordinator in the Office of Service-Learning at BGSU. She has taught undergraduate courses in career development, career implementation, and citizenship and community engagement. She holds a master’s degree in college student personnel and an undergraduate degree in English from BGSU.

Adriane Thompson-Bradshaw is vice president for student affairs and dean of students at Ohio Northern University. She joined Ohio Northern in August 1987 and, since that time, has served as director of programming, director of minority affairs, founding director of the Office of Multicultural Development, director of McIntosh Center, assistant dean of students and associate dean of students. She serves as advisor to the Student Senate, advisor/director of the ONU Gospel Ensemble and works with several other student organizations. Thompson-Bradshaw earned a Bachelor of Arts in speech/mass media from Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Va., a Master of Arts in popular culture from Bowling Green State University, and a Ph.D. in American culture studies from Bowling Green State University.

Lynda Nyce, interim associate vice president for academic affairs and director of student success, has primary areas of responsibility for retention and student-success planning, global/intercultural initiatives, and other initiatives within academic affairs. In 2019, Nyce was tasked with building the new Student Success Center. She came to Ohio Northern University in 2013 as director of global academic initiatives. Prior to joining ONU, she was professor of sociology, director of cross-cultural programs, and chair of the Division of Social and Behavioral Sciences at Bluffton University. She earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in sociology from Goshen College and her master’s and doctoral degrees in sociology at the University of Notre Dame.

Amy Prigge, executive director of communications and marketing, is charged with leading ONU’s strategic communications and brand marketing efforts. Prigge joined Ohio Northern University in 2009 as associate director and was named executive director in 2012. Prior to joining ONU, she served at Bowling Green State University for 12 years; she has previous professional experience in the arts and health care. Prigge earned a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration in marketing and public relations from Ohio Northern in 1994 and a master’s degree in marketing and communications from Franklin University in 2013.

Tonya Paul, director of human resources, is charged with leading ONU’s Office of Human Resources. Paul joined ONU in 2004 as an HR assistant, was promoted several times and was named director in 2010. Prior to joining ONU, she served as a recruiting coordinator for the Gap Inc., and for Robert Half International as a recruiting manager for the OfficeTeam division. Paul earned a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration and Marketing from Walsh University in 2002 and a master’s degree in organizational management from Bluffton University in 2014. During her time at ONU she has led many strategic initiatives for the University and has developed policies and procedures to assist ONU with effective personnel management efforts. Her goal is to continue to assist the University during challenging times by providing solutions that balance the needs of the organization and employee population alike.

Chris Bowers, interim dean the Getty College of Arts & Sciences and professor of chemistry, earned his bachelor’s degree in chemistry from Kenyon College and his doctoral degree in chemistry from The Ohio State University. After working in the chemical industry as a research and development scientist, he joined Ohio Northern in 2003. Research interests include the characterization of medicinal plants, herbs and spices, and the analysis of the pyrolysis products of natural and synthetic polymers. 

John C. Navin, dean of the Dicke College of Business Administration, was formerly dean of the School of Business at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville (SIUE). A native of Bowling Green, Ohio, Navin earned his BSBA in economics from Bowling Green State University and his MA and Ph.D. in economics from Michigan State University. He joined SIUE in 1991, where he rose through the faculty ranks and served in several leadership positions, including undergraduate program director in economics and finance as well as chair of the Department of Economics and Finance.

John-David “J-D” Yoder, dean of the T.J. Smull College of Engineering and professor of mechanical engineering, earned his doctoral degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Notre Dame. After being an entrepreneur and then working for a global company focused on automation and machining, he joined Ohio Northern in 2001. He has been heavily involved with ASEE (the American Society for Engineering Education) and KEEN (Kern Entrepreneurial Engineering Network), and currently serves as secretary of the Ohio Engineering Deans Council. He has served as a faculty fellow at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif., and an invited professor at INRIA Rhone-Alpes, Monbonnot, France. Research interests include computer vision, mobile robotics, intelligent vehicles, entrepreneurship and engineering education. Yoder is credited as an inventor on 11 patents, has more than 50 publications, and has led grants totaling more than $5 million.

Charles H. Rose III, dean of the Pettit College of Law, previously served as professor of law and director of the Center for Excellence in Advocacy at Stetson University’s College of Law in Gulfport, Fla. Prior to joining the Stetson faculty in 2005, Rose spent 20 years on active duty in the Army. He served as a linguist, intelligence officer and judge advocate. His primary scholarly interest focuses on advocacy persuasion techniques, and he teaches and researches in the areas of advocacy, criminal procedure, military law, evidence and professional ethics. Rose earned his bachelor’s degree from Indiana University at South Bend and his JD from Notre Dame Law School. He also earned an LLM from the Judge Advocate General’s School, United States Army.

Steven J. Martin, dean and professor at the Raabe College of Pharmacy, was previously chair of the Department of Pharmacy Practice and professor at the University of Toledo College of Pharmacy. Martin is a pharmacist, and he has practiced pharmacy in independent community, chain-based community and hospital pharmacy settings. He earned a bachelor of science and doctorate in pharmacy from Ferris State University, and completed his post-doctoral fellowship training in critical care and infectious diseases pharmacotherapy at the University of Illinois at Chicago. Martin’s research focus has been infection in critical illness.