Wallen, Stansbury identified as leaders in UNC System
Two veteran members of the East Carolina University community, Chris Stansbury and Dr. Michele Wallen, were selected to represent ECU in the fifth cohort of the UNC System’s Executive Leadership Institute.
Chris Stansbury talks to students in the Main Campus Student Center during a 2023 new student orientation session. (ECU News photos)
They will participate in various leadership development opportunities during the 10-month institute. This cohort consists of 33 participants.
Wallen is chair for the Department of Health Education and Promotion in the College of Health and Human Performance. Stansbury is ECU’s senior associate vice chancellor for student affairs. Stansbury’s role is directly linked to facilitating and overseeing student success, and he works frequently with other campus leaders to guide strategic planning.
“I am extremely honored to be part of the next UNC System cohort of the Executive Leadership Institute,” said Stansbury, who holds a bachelor’s degree and master’s degree in communication from ECU. “Now in my 18th year working for my alma mater, I am excited to learn more about who I am and who I can be as a leader. Over the course of the next year, this will be a chance for me to push my boundaries and seek growth for myself, but also for the teams I work with daily and this great institution.”
Wallen’s roles have included serving as the health education and promotion department chair for four years, and previously as the department’s director of graduate studies. She began at ECU in 2006.
“I am grateful for this opportunity to further develop skills and build relationships,” Wallen said. “It is an honor that will allow me to better serve my colleagues, our students, ECU and the UNC System.”
The Executive Leadership Institute was established in 2019. It is designed to develop a pipeline of well-prepared, highly qualified future leaders from all institutions in the UNC System.
“The Executive Leadership Institute is an important investment in the future,” University of North Carolina System President Peter Hans said in a UNC System release. “We are blessed to have a large pool of brilliant and dedicated colleagues right here within the system, and it makes sense to nurture that talent, putting time and resources into developing those leaders.”
Five interactive and experiential immersion modules will be delivered during the program, including instruction at UNC-Chapel Hill, North Carolina A&T and UNC Charlotte. Upon completion, graduates of the institute will receive a certificate and benefit from the opportunity to build relationships and professional networks with previous and future cohorts.
Dr. Michele Wallen smiles with a graduating student during a past College of Health and Human Performance graduation recognition ceremony.