Meet Our Team

Dean Leustek is responsible for all undergraduate programs, budget, and general administration for the School of Environmental and Biological Sciences. He is also responsible for the administrative aspects of undergraduate education at SEBS, including course and curriculum revisions, teaching assistant and part-time lecturer allocations, articulations with New Jersey community colleges, and assessment of school academic programs.

Dean Traxler is responsible for the day-to-day operations of the Academic Services component of the Office of Academic Programs. This encompasses advising, registration, admissions, recruitment, scholastic standing, degree certification/graduation and all areas related to academic policies, procedures and programs.

Dean Etheridge is responsible for the coordination of transfer student programs, including the evaluation of transcripts, course registration, and advising. She oversees the coordination of syllabi review for transfer and provides general advising.

Dean Leikhram is responsible for the design and implementation of all recruitment activities for SEBS, including overseeing the SEBS Student Ambassador program. He also serves as a general advisor, particularly to international and out-of-state students.

Dean Pechera is responsible for coordinating the School-to-School transfer process and advising incoming students from other Rutgers units. She focuses on all electronic and online initiatives, overseeing systems such as MyMajor, and serves as a general advisor.

Dean Richardson is responsible for the coordination of all first-year student academic programs, advising, and registration. Dean Richardson evaluates first year transcripts from other institutions as well as international baccalaureate, advanced placement, and A-level exam credits.

Dean Ventola is responsible for providing academic and career advising for all Rutgers students majoring in biological sciences. He directs the SEBS Scholarship Program and is the primary scholarship liaison for scholarships to other Rutgers offices.

Ms. Vaidya is responsible for the maintenance of student academic records, coordination of registration, first year student selection of major processes, and provides general advising for SEBS students.

Ms. Coogan provides administrative support to the associate dean of academic programs. She coordinates scholastic standing, reenrollment and School-to-School transfer processes in addition to providing general advising for first-year students.

Ms. Kolar provides administrative support to the assistant deans who work with first-year and senior students. She assists students with general advising questions.

Ms. Menoutis provides administrative support to the assistant dean of transfer student programs. She triages student calls and walk-ins to the office as well as processes transcripts, syllabi review, and other department forms.

Ms. Miller provides administrative support to the assistant deans who work with recruitment and scholarships. She assists students with general advising questions.

Dean Morin undertakes special projects related to curriculum innovation and resource mobilization to enhance academic programs as well as enhancing faculty and staff training and development and the graduate student experience.

Dean Nucci is responsible for leading school co-curricular activities and generating school-wide engagement among faculty, students, and staff. She coordinates existing programs, such as the SEBS Science Cafes, the fall research mixer, and alternative science career programming, develops new programs that support the SEBS community, and provides active collaboration with other SEBS and Rutgers organizations seeking to build our campus learning community.

Ms. Goodrich is responsible for identifying and cultivating relationships with internal partners and external organizations to develop internship opportunities for undergraduate students, to enhance experiential learning opportunities and programming to increase career readiness, student retention, and recruitment.

Ms. Lester is responsible for overseeing the day-to-day operation of the SEBS Student to Professional Internship Network (SPIN) program. She also manages employer services, maintaining and expanding the program's network of employers.

Dr. Kaunzinger is an assistant research professor in the Department of Landscape Architecture and is leading efforts to promote the Cook/Douglass campus as a learning laboratory and model of environmental stewardship and sustainability.

Dr. Sukhdeo is responsible for analysis and strategic planning for student retention. She sits on the Academic Retention Committee and the Rutgers-wide Student Success Committee.