VP Debate Committee
Lafayette’s VP Debate Committee is responsible for the successful planning and execution of all aspects of the 2024 VP Debate. The committee interfaces directly with the Commission on Presidential Debates and other public and private entities, including production companies, local/state/federal officials, and law enforcement.
Geoff Labe
Assistant Vice President for Business Services (chair)
Jennifer Dize
Interim Dean of Students
Nicole Eramo
Chief of Staff to the President
Heather Hartner
Senior Advisor to the Executive Vice President
Audra Kahr
Executive Vice President for Finance and Administration
Scott Kennedy
Director of Facilities Operations
Scott Morse
Assistant Vice President for Communications and Marketing
John O’Keefe
Vice President and Chief Information Officer
Teri Richter
Senior Manager of Conferences and Special Events
Ryan Snyder
Director of Business Services
Jeff Troxell
Director of Public Safety
VP Debate Operations Planning Group
The operations planning group will advise the VP Debate Committee in an effort to plan and coordinate events, community engagement and logistics in support of the 2024 VP Debate. The planning group will make recommendations to the VP Debate Committee for approval in several key areas, including but not limited to:
- Facilities
- Public Safety
- Volunteers
- Transportation
- Community Outreach
- Media/Communications
- Information Technology
- Watch parties/off campus events
- Transportation
- Events
- Parking
- Sponsors
- Merchandise
Geoff Labe, Assistant Vice President for Business Services (chair)
Erwin Annulysse, Director of Web and Design Strategy
Derrick Brown, General Manager of Lafayette Dining
Shelley Canonico, District Manager of Lafayette Dining
Mike Chovanes, Associate Director of Facilities Operations
Markus Dubischar, Associate Provost
Andrew Foster, Senior Associate Director of Athletics for Facilities and Operations
Scott Kennedy, Director of Facilities Operations
Amy Klotz, Director of Academic Operations
Chris Koch, Director of User Services
Phil LaBella, Director of Athletic Communications
Chelsea Morrese, Director of Landis Center for Community Engagement
Brittany Martin, Director of Content Strategy and Admissions Marketing
Scott Morse, Assistant Vice President for Communications and Marketing
Mary Neuenschwander, Director of Alumni Engagement
Vanessa Pearson, Director of Student Involvement
Grace Reynolds, Director of Residence Life
Teri Richter, Senior Manager of Conferences and Special Events
Rachel Robbins, Special Projects Coordinator
Sandra Rogers, Assistant Director of Public Safety
Josh Smith, Associate Professor and Assistant Head of Mechanical Engineering
Ryan Snyder, Director of Business Services
Bill Thompson, Director of Digital Infrastructure
Summer Troxell ’26
Priya Vin, Director of Volunteer and Team Development
Pete Violante, College Store Manager
Margaret Wilson, Marketing Writer
2024 VP Debate Operations Planning Group Subcommittees
The VP Debate Operations Planning Group subcommittees below have been established to enhance the collaboration and planning for the September 2024 VP debate. Each subcommittee will provide regular updates to the planning group and ultimately a series of recommendations for consideration by the VP Debate Committee in early May.
Academics
The academics subcommittee will engage faculty and community members across campus in an effort to integrate the many aspects of the VP debate into course planning, academic speakers, and other educational opportunities. The subcommittee will develop a series of recommendations for consideration by the VP Debate Planning Group.
Chairs: Amy Klotz, Josh Smith
Membership: Markus Dubischar, Josh Miller, Wendy Wilson-Fall, Emma Fidacaro ‘25, Olivia Gulish ‘26, Chris Koch
Student and Alumni Engagement/Events
The student and alumni engagement subcommittee will develop a framework for outreach and programming targeted at students and alumni in the weeks leading up to the VP debate. The subcommittee will present a list of events for consideration to the VP Debate Planning Group.
Chairs: Vanessa Pearson, Mary Neuenschwander, Teri Richter
Membership: Summer Troxell ‘26, Grace Reynolds, Erwin Annulysse, Brody Farace ‘26, Jules Fama, Annie Toohey ‘26, Derrick Brown, Matthew Pagano (alum), Heather Finn (alum), Jeff Wheeler (alum), Ronnie Ward ‘25
Community Outreach
The community outreach subcommittee will identify groups in Easton and across the Lehigh Valley as potential partners to engage as part of the VP debate planning and programming. The subcommittee will develop a list of recommendations for consideration by the VP Debate Planning Group.
Chairs: Chelsea Morrese, Phil LaBella
Membership: Ernest Jeffries, Andrew Foster, Peter Violante, Lily Bentley ‘26, Mark Crain
Volunteering
The volunteering subcommittee will develop a plan for recruiting, engaging, and managing the many student volunteers required for the debate, media, campus logistics, and related programming. The subcommittee will present a recommended volunteering plan to the VP Debate Planning Group.
Chairs: Priya Vin, Melissa Dalrymple
Membership: Aidan Cichlar, Margaret Wilson, Sandra Rogers, Bill Thompson, Dashawn Sheffield ‘27, Fiona Cannon ‘25 (abroad this semester), Elizabeth Miller ‘26