Leadership

Dave Aneckstein leads internal and external communications, including storytelling, media relations, crisis communications, and multimedia. His office speaks to many audiences, including current and prospective students, faculty, staff, journalists, businesses, donors, and more. In serving the Penn State Outreach and Online Education units, his office represents World Campus as well as The Arboretum at Penn State, Shaver’s Creek Environmental Center, WPSU, centers in Pittsburgh and Philadelphia, and other programs that showcase Penn State’s land-grant mission.

Dave joined Penn State in 2008. He earned a B.A. in journalism from Penn State and an M.A. in strategic communications from Seton Hall University.

Karen Armstrong is a clinically trained multicultural, LGBTQA+, disability, and special populations counselor with extensive experience in higher education programming and professional development for faculty, staff, and students. She has experience working with leaders to help implement and expand diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging throughout campus organizational structures, policies, strategic plans, and programs.

Karen serves as co-chair for the Commission for Women and as a representative on the Faculty Senate’s Committee on Educational Equity and Campus Environment. Karen is also on the editorial board of Cases on Leadership for Equity and Justice in Higher Education (CLEJHE) Journal. She has authored numerous publications and presents on diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging throughout the country. She is earning a doctor of education in leadership for educational equity, higher education at the University of Colorado, Denver. Karen earned a master’s degree in counseling from the University of Bridgeport and a bachelor of arts from Hofstra University.

pronouns: she/her/hers

Dr. Renata Engel is responsible for online education at Penn State, including Penn State World Campus, which encompasses more than 200 undergraduate and graduate online degree programs, minors, and certificates. Her office supports all aspects of the operation of Penn State World Campus such as academic affairs, academic advising, faculty development, and the development, piloting, and evaluation of online curricular innovations and enhancements at Penn State. As part of Penn State’s strategic plan framework, she co-chairs the Transforming Education Steering Committee, which conceptualized the One Penn State 2025 vision.

A member of the Penn State faculty since 1990, Dr. Engel is professor of engineering design and engineering science and mechanics and served as the associate dean for academic programs in the College of Engineering from 2006 to 2014 and as the executive director of the Schreyer Institute for Teaching Excellence from 2000 to 2006. She earned a B.S. in engineering science from Penn State and a Ph.D. in engineering mechanics from the University of South Florida.

Fred Haberberger is responsible for providing strategic direction and leadership to information technology operations and design, facilities management, and organizational effectiveness, which includes data insight and strategy.

With more than 25 years of experience in technology, management, and leadership, Fred works collaboratively within Outreach and Online Education to provide technology and data solutions that meet business needs and drive organizational transformation.

Fred has been with World Campus since June 2014. He received his B.A. in computer science from Clarion University in Pennsylvania and his MBA with a concentration in human resources management from Thomas College in Maine.

Lindsey Harter’s office is responsible for coordinating programs and initiatives to ensure alignment of HR strategic and service delivery needs across multiple functions, including recruitment, employee relations, talent management and acquisitions, total rewards, and compliance monitoring. They work closely with internal Outreach and Online Education (OOE) partners to ensure employees are aware of HR–related initiatives and support, and they work collaboratively with Human Resources Strategic Partners and central HR.

Lindsey has served in various HR–related roles at Penn State since 2004 and joined OOE in 2019. She earned a bachelor’s degree in labor studies and employee relations, a minor in psychology, and a postbaccalaureate certificate in industrial relations/human resources from Penn State. Lindsey is currently pursuing her master’s degree in human resources through Penn State World Campus.

Pronouns: she/her/hers

Don Lenze provides strategic direction to our Advancement Office. His team works to engage donors in achieving their philanthropic goals through financial support of World Campus students and services and Outreach programs that fulfill the University’s land-grant mission of community engagement and public service.

For 16 years, Don has worked in Penn State’s Division of Development and Alumni Relations, starting his fundraising career as an associate director of development and later director of major gifts in the College of Engineering before transitioning to lead the College of Arts and Architecture’s team. In Arts and Architecture, he led alumni and donor relations across seven academic schools and departments as well as the Palmer Museum of Art and the Center for the Performing Arts.

Don has led the World Campus Advancement team since April 2024 as a proud World Campus alumnus. He earned a B.S. in accounting and a master’s in human resources and employment relations — both from Penn State.

Clarabelle Lin is responsible for leading the overall marketing and sales strategy for more than 200 online degree and certificate programs. Her office is responsible for strategy, brand experience, advertising, events, content and communications, social media, and partnerships.

Since joining Penn State World Campus in 2008, Clarabelle has served in marketing leadership positions and was selected as an Administrative Fellow for both the Vice President for Outreach and the Senior Vice President for Finance and Business in 2016–2017. Prior to joining Penn State, she spent more than 14 years at Colgate-Palmolive as a process engineer and then in various marketing roles for both U.S. and global consumer brands. She earned a B.S. in chemical engineering at Penn State and an MBA in strategic management from Rutgers University.

pronouns: she/her/hers

Dr. Karen I. Pollack is responsible for the expansion, development, delivery, and revision of more than 200 degree and certificate programs offered through Penn State World Campus.

She leads the combined World Campus academic and student affairs functions that include academic advising and student disability services, academic development services, student affairs, learning design and faculty development, and program planning and management, as well as continuing education at Penn State University Park.

Dr. Pollack has been with World Campus since its launch in 1998. She received her B.A. in journalism, her M.A. in telecommunication studies, and her Ph.D. in instructional systems from Penn State. She is an affiliate faculty member of learning performance systems.

pronouns: she/her/hers

Having served Penn State since 2003, Charlie Reese provides leadership and oversight to the financial operations, financial analytics/reporting, and contracts and compliance teams. The efforts of these teams ensure the financial strength necessary for World Campus to continue its mission of providing the Penn State educational experience to learners around the world. His role extends beyond traditional fiscal and policy oversight to include advisory and leadership in strategy enablement and organizational analytics.

Charlie earned his bachelor of science in business administration with a minor in psychology from Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania, and he has been with Online Education since 2010.

Dr. Clayton Steen is responsible for providing the strategic direction and leadership to enrollment management and support services, which consists of the admissions, financial aid, transfer credit, registrar, and bursar offices. He works collaboratively with the University’s central administrative offices and various academic and support units to oversee the development of the World Campus Central one-stop shop unit. In addition, he monitors progress and evaluates results, in alignment with the Penn State World Campus strategic plan through specific metrics such as increased retention and graduation rates. Clayton has been with Penn State World Campus since January 2020. He received his B.A. in social sciences from the State University of New York at Buffalo, his M.S. in Education Curriculum & Instruction from Medaille College in Buffalo, NY, and his Ph.D. in Education Leadership and Policy from the State University of New York at Buffalo.

Shelby Thayer is responsible for providing strategic leadership of the marketing technology and operations unit, which supports both Online Education and Outreach. Her unit includes creative services, customer relationship management (CRM), marketing analytics and market research, web strategy and development, and marketing work management and planning. Together with the marketing strategy unit, they help partners across World Campus and the University to create exceptional learner experiences.

Shelby joined Penn State in 2006 in Outreach and Online Education after 8 years developing her web strategy and CRM experience working for a computer networking company. She earned her B.A. in journalism and B.A. in administration of justice — both from Penn State.

pronouns: she/her/hers