University Mission & Leadership

Patricia Cardenas-Adame, PhD

Patricia Cardenas-Adame is vice president of student affairs at Mesa Community College, the largest of the ten Maricopa Community Colleges in Arizona. Cardenas-Adame earned her Doctor of Philosophy in higher education administration from Capella University. She also holds a Master of Arts in human resource management from Emmanuel College in Boston, Mass., and a Bachelor of Science in secondary education from Texas A & M University.

Cardenas-Adame's professional experience includes more than 20 years in higher education specializing in the enrollment and student life areas of student support services. Her experience in education ranges from classroom experience to student support. She works from a student-centered philosophy to provide teaching and learning opportunities that meet the unique needs of diverse students. Additionally, Cardenas-Adame is a committed community leader who is an active member of various civic organizations.

Her career has included employment at Chandler-Gilbert Community College in Gilbert, Ariz.; Rice University in Houston; Rio Salado College in Phoenix; Emmanuel College in Boston; Houston Baptist University in Houston; and Texas A & M University in Kingsville, Texas.

Marcia S. Ballinger, PhD

Marcia Ballinger has been a principal with Minneapolis-based KeyStone Search, an executive search firm, since 2004, after serving eight years as a vice president with another prominent executive search firm. Ballinger’s previous corporate positions were as director of human resources development with two international manufacturing and distribution firms, which included management of a multiyear corporate culture transformation. She also has been an adjunct faculty member in business at Capella University and St. Mary’s University, and began her career with IBM in sales and educational capacities. Marcia has a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration and a Master of Arts in Speech-Communication from the University of Minnesota. She received her PhD in Organization and Management from Capella University. She also earned her certification as a Senior Professional in Human Resources from the HR Certification Institute. Ballinger is vice chair of the board of the American Red Cross-Twin Cities Area Chapter and a member of the United Way Women's Leadership Council.

Christopher Cassirer, ScD

Acting President

Christopher Cassirer brings extensive leadership experience in education, human services, and business to his role as acting president of Capella University, which he assumed in 2008. He was also elected to Capella University’s Board of Directors in 2008. He is an internationally recognized teacher, researcher, and business leader with expertise in executive leadership programs, business and management strategy, medical malpractice risk management, and patient safety. He joined Capella University's School of Human Services as a faculty director in 2005 and was appointed dean of the school in 2006. Previously, Cassirer was an associate professor and director in the Department of Health Services Management and Leadership at The George Washington University; chair of executive studies and associate professor of healthcare management at the University of Minnesota's Carlson School of Management; co-founder and former CEO of the Partnership for Patient Safety in Chicago; and assistant vice president for knowledge services with MMI Companies Inc. in Deerfield, Ill.

Cassirer completed his Doctor of Science in Health Policy and Management and his post-doctoral training at Johns Hopkins University School of Public Health. He holds a Master of Public Health in Health Policy and Management from the Yale University School of Medicine and a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Rutgers University.

Willie B. Garrett, EdD

Willie B. Garrett has been licensed as a master's-level psychologist since 1980 and has more than 25 years experience in behavioral health care and employee assistance, both as a consultant and as a clinician. He currently serves as director of behavioral health at NorthPoint Health & Wellness Center in Minneapolis. Prior to joining NorthPoint in 2007, he was the chief professional officer of the Minnesota Psychological Association from 2005 to 2007. His volunteer work has included serving as president of the Minnesota Association of Black Psychologists, president of the board of directors of Adoptive Families of America, and a board member of the Employee Assistance Society of North America. Garrett also has served on committees to enhance gifted and talented education for the past 20 years and is currently a member of the Minnesota Department of Education's Gifted and Talented Advisory Council. He earned his Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and Sociology from Northland College in Ashland, Wisconsin, his Master of Science in Counseling from Minnesota State University-Mankato, and his Doctor of Education in Organization Development from the University of Minnesota.

Patricia Hill, MEd

Patricia Hill is the owner of a private tutorial service that is recognized as a statewide provider by the Georgia Department of Education. She has been working as a private tutor since 2000 and has also been a consultative teacher in special education for Clayton County Public Schools in Georgia since 1992. Over the past 21 years, she has been a special education teacher at the elementary, middle school, and high school levels, and has also taught special education courses at several community colleges in California and Georgia. She believes that every individual should be afforded an opportunity to advance their learning to the highest level possible. She is currently pursuing a Doctor of Philosophy in Education, Leadership in Educational Administration specialization, at Capella University. She previously earned a Master of Education, with a focus on orthopedic impairments, from Georgia State University, and a Bachelor of Science in Education, with a focus on mental retardation, from Georgia Southern University.

Sharan B. Merriam, EdD

Sharan B. Merriam is a professor of adult education at The University of Georgia in Athens, where her responsibilities include teaching graduate courses in adult education and qualitative research methods and supervising graduate student research. Her doctorate is in adult education from Rutgers University. Before coming to Georgia, she served on the faculties of Northern Illinois University and Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University.

Merriam's research and writing activities have focused on the foundations of adult education, adult development, adult learning, and qualitative research methods. For five years she was co-editor of Adult Education Quarterly, the major research and theory journal in adult education. She is a three-time winner of the prestigious Cyril O. Houle World Award for Literature in Adult Education for books published in 1982, 1997, and 1999. She regularly presents seminars on adult learning and qualitative research throughout North America, Southern Africa, Southeast Asia, the Middle East, and Europe. In 1999 she was a Fulbright Scholar to Malaysia.

Stephen G. Shank, JD

Stephen Shank founded Capella Education Company, the parent company of Capella University, in 1991. In addition to his duties as chairman and CEO of Capella Education Company, he has served as chancellor of Capella University since 2001. Prior to founding Capella, Shank served for 12 years as chairman and chief executive officer of Tonka Corporation. During this time, The Wall Street Transcript twice recognized Shank as the industry's most outstanding chief executive officer. Shank began his career as an attorney with the Minneapolis law firm of Dorsey & Whitney. He holds a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Iowa, a Master of Arts from The Fletcher School, a joint program of Tufts and Harvard universities, and a Juris Doctor from Harvard Law School.

Tina Stavredes, PhD

Tina Stavredes is a faculty member with Capella University's School of Undergraduate Studies. She has been with Capella University since 2002, working in a variety of faculty and leadership capacities. She previously served as Capella's director of curriculum development and was responsible for creating the Office of Curriculum Development. In addition, she has held the positions of program chair and faculty director in Capella's School of Education. Prior to joining Capella, Stavredes worked as manager of academic technology support for the University of Minnesota's College of Education & Human Development from 1999 to 2002. Her professional experience also includes leadership, research, and instructional positions for several higher education institutions. She has numerous publications and presentations to her credit.

Stavredes holds a Doctor of Philosophy in Educational Psychology with an instructional technology emphasis from the University of Minnesota. She also earned her Master of Education in Instructional Systems and Technology and her Bachelor of Science in Molecular Biology from the University of Minnesota.

Kimberly F. Stephan, JD, Board Secretary

Kimberly Stephan joined Capella in February 2007 as corporate counsel, with a focus on corporate governance matters. She was previously a corporate and securities attorney and shareholder at Seattle-based law firm Graham & Dunn, PC, where she worked from 1998 to 2007. She also served as a corporate attorney with the Financial Institutions Group of Lindquist & Vennum, PLLP, a Minneapolis-based law firm, from 1996 to 1998, and as law clerk for the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin from 1994 to 1995. Stephan earned her Bachelor of Business Administration from the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire and her Juris Doctor from the University of Wisconsin Law School, where she served as a managing editor of the Wisconsin Law Review during her final semester. While in law school, she also participated in a doctoral-level student exchange program with the European University Institute in Florence, Italy, where she studied European Union and international comparative law.