Office Goals and Leadership
In January 2022, President Helble established the Office of Strategic Planning and Initiatives to first conduct a formal Strategic Plan that will chart Lehigh's path for the coming decade, setting priorities for our educational and research mission, and then provide continuous assessment of the University's goals and achievements of emerging initiatives. The Office provides focused effort toward the re-examination of our past goals and the assessment of our progress against them.
Mark Erickson | Interim Vice President of Strategic Planning and Initiatives
Interim Vice President
mhe091@lehigh.edu
Dr. Mark Erickson worked at Lehigh for 22 years from 1983-2005 holding six different positions including Dean of Students and VP for Administrative and Government Affairs. He left Lehigh in 2005 to assume the presidency of Wittenberg University. He returned to the Lehigh Valley seven years later as the President of Northampton Community College where he served for a decade, retiring in the fall of 2022.
In January of 2023, Dr. Erickson returned to Lehigh as the Senior Director of International Development. He subsequently served as Interim Director of Development and Alumni Relations and has now assumed the role of interim Vice President for Strategic Planning and Initiatives. While at Lehigh previously, he worked closely with President Farrington to develop and advance Lehigh’s strategic planning efforts. He also led the development and implementation of the strategic plans at the two prior institutions where he served as president.
Dr. Erickson earned his A. B. in history at Princeton University, his Master’s degree in Education at Harvard, and his Doctorate in Educational Leadership at Lehigh.
Yenny Anderson | Associate Vice President for Institutional Data
Associate Vice President
yea207@lehigh.edu
With over 25 years of experience in the field of Higher Education, Yenny Anderson serves as the Associate Vice President for Institutional Data. Her role is to ensure the effective management, governance, and utilization of institutional data to enhance operational efficiency, improve student success, and support the university's mission and goals. Her responsibilities include leading institutional research, strategic analytics, and initiatives related to data governance and literacy. Yenny's journey at Lehigh began in 2007 as an Assistant Director in the Office of Institutional Research, where her enthusiasm for data-informed decision-making quickly propelled her advancement within the institution. Before joining Lehigh, she held roles at Barnard College, New York Institute of Technology, and Baruch College, where she contributed significantly to budget management and institutional research endeavors. She earned her Ed.D. in Educational Leadership and Management, with a specialization in Higher Education, from Drexel University. Yenny's academic foundation includes a B.S. in Computer Science with a minor in Psychology from Queens College, City University of New York (CUNY), as well as a M.S. in Business Computer Information Systems from Baruch College, CUNY.
Pat Mann | Director of Administration
Director of Administration
pam8@lehigh.edu
Pat joined Lehigh University in 2003 after a 26-year career at Bethlehem Steel. In her current role of Administrative Director, she provides counsel and a high degree of project management support to the Office of Strategic Planning & Initiatives. During her time at Lehigh she has served in various offices including University Communications and Public Affairs and most recently, the Office of the Provost. Having participated in many campus wide committees and initiatives, Pat's breadth of experience with Lehigh’s senior leadership, faculty and staff give her a unique insight and understanding of our institution.