About . Leadership . Executive Administration . Executive Administration
Executive Administration
Degree Masters of Arts Management, Carnegie Mellon University
Bachelors of Arts, Columbia College Chicago
Kathryn Heidemann became the Cleveland Institute of Art's 11th president on July 1, 2022. A senior arts management and higher education leader, educator and artist, she first joined CIA in 2019 as Vice President of Academic Affairs + Dean of Faculty. In her role as the College’s chief academic officer, she was responsible for program and curricular development and delivery, academic operations and strategy, student affairs, and accreditation and assessment.
Heidemann played a key role in the development of CIA’s most recent strategic plan, led the college’s successful reaccreditation process and led its COVID-19 academic planning, which resulted in the school safely offering in-person instruction. She also was instrumental in founding the Jane B. Nord Center for Teaching + Learning.
Prior to coming to CIA, Heidemann worked at Carnegie Mellon University, where she served as Assistant Dean at the College of Fine Arts and Heinz College of Public Policy & Information Systems Management. As part of her role, she also spearheaded the arts and entertainment management graduate programs in Pittsburgh and Los Angeles, creating data- and tech-informed leaders in the visual arts, performing arts, and interactive and entertainment media.
Heidemann brought two decades of arts industry experience to her work at CIA, having worked in artistic programming, operations, external relations, and education and community engagement for a variety of cultural institutions, including The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust, Chicago Academy for the Arts and Edinburgh Festival Fringe, to name a few.
Heidemann holds a Master of Arts Management (MAM) degree from Carnegie Mellon University and a Bachelor of Arts degree from Columbia College Chicago.
Degree Executive MBA, University of Denver
MFA in Fine Art-Photography, University of Florida
BFA in Fine Art-Printmaking, Kingston University
Artist, educator and administrator, Greg Watts is the Vice President of Academic Affairs and Dean of Faculty at the Cleveland Institute of Art. He is responsible for ensuring the delivery of a rigorous curriculum to students along with the management of extraordinary academic resources at this premier college of art and design.
Previously he was Dean of the College of Visual Arts and Design at the University of North Texas, a Tier 1 research University. During his appointment at UNT Watts significantly increased, in number and diversity, faculty and staff while leading the college through strategic planning including $80M of construction and renovation projects resulting in 264,000sqft of world-class facilities.
Watts was chair of the Art Department at Metropolitan State University of Denver where he also served as executive director for the Center for Visual Art, an off-campus community-based art center, and as president of the Council of Chairs. A full Professor, Dean Watts’ career accomplishments include a variety of academic positions and creative ventures. At Florida State University, he taught in the School of Visual Arts and Dance and served as a Program Director for the Oglesby Union Art Center. He was co-director of Nighthawks Gallery in Denver and worked as a film cameraman in Africa. His artwork has been featured in numerous exhibitions, and he has worked as a consultant and legal expert in the fields of photography and photographic evaluation. Watts serves the National Association of Schools of Art and Design as President and was previously Chair of the Commission on Accreditation.
Watts is a native of Cambridge, England. He earned an Executive M.B.A. from the University of Denver, an M.F.A. in fine art (photography) from the University of Florida and a bachelor’s degree, with honours, in fine art (printmaking) from Kingston University, London. He also completed the Management Development Program (MDP) and Institute for Management and Leadership in Education (MLE) at Harvard University.
Degree PhD, Higher Education Leadership, Western Michigan University
MA, Counselor Education, University of Iowa
BA, Sociology, Kent State University
Jesse Grant brings more than 25 years of experience in higher education to the role, most recently serving as associate vice president for student life and success at Bemidji State University in Bemidji, Minnesota. In his previous roles at Bemidji, he served as dean of students, where he led multifaceted student affairs departments, including student life, advising and counseling, conduct, Title IX, housing and dining, career services, health and accessibility services, American Indian and veteran services, and diversity initiatives.
Matthew McKenna is a technology professional with more than two decades of experience in higher education. Joining CIA in June 2020, Matthew leads a team that supports all areas of technology within the college.
Most recently, he served as Executive Director of Information Technology at Hiram College, where he was instrumental in launching Tech and Trek, the college’s comprehensive 1:1 iPad initiative. Prior to Hiram, Matthew held positions at the School of Visual Arts in New York City, Oberlin College, ideastream, and Baldwin Wallace University. As an avid supporter of the arts, he also has taught digital imaging studio courses for Hiram College and School of Visual Arts.
Matthew holds a B.A. in Digital Media Production from Baldwin Wallace University, a M.Ed. in Instructional Technology from Kent State University and a MBA in Information Technology Management from Western Governors University.
As the leader of CIA’s advancement department, Malou Monago works with current and prospective donors and financial advisors to establish and develop plans for giving. Her team covers all aspects of donations and support, including alumni relations, annual fund, scholarships, special and capital campaigns and sponsorships.
Before joining CIA, Monago was vice president of advancement for Cleveland Botanical Garden/Holden Arboretum, and a gift planning officer at the Cleveland Foundation. Previous positions include vice president at Fifth Third Bank, Personal Trust Department, where she oversaw administration of personal trusts, investment management, and custodial and estate accounts. She was an associate at Johnson & Crane in Miami. In her native Sweden, she was a judicial apprentice at the Appellate Court, and associate judge at the Regional Court. She serves as the Honorary Consul for Sweden to the State of Ohio.
Monago holds a master of laws degree from the University of Miami and a juris doctor from the University of Stockholm, and is a Chartered Advisor in Philanthropy®.
Title Vice President, Human Resources and Support Services + Chief Inclusion and Equity Officer
Charise Reid is a senior resources leader with extensive experience in all areas of human resources, including total rewards, performance management, and employee relations and engagement. Charise joined Cleveland Institute of Art as Vice President of Human Resources and Support Services + Chief Inclusion and Equity Officer in January 2020. As Vice President of Human Resources and Support Services + Chief Inclusion and Equity Officer, Charise is responsible for leadership in all aspects of HR, Diversity and Inclusion, Facilities and Information Technology.
Before joining the Cleveland Institute of Art, Reid held other human resources management roles at different organizations including, Ideastream, Bon Appètit Management Company and The Cleveland Orchestra. Reid holds a Masters in Human Resources from Keller Graduate School and a bachelor’s degree in Business Management from Capital University. She is also a Senior Certified Professional in human resources (SPHR).
Yvette Sobky Shaffer most recently served as the Director of Admission at Parsons School of Design at The New School. An Ohio native, she began her career as a student tour guide at Bowling Green State University while completing her undergraduate studies in Liberal Studies and Fine Art Photography. She earned her MFA in Writing from Otis College of Art and Design in Los Angeles.
She has more than 25 years’ experience in higher education admission at institutions ranging from St. John's College, the Great Books College in Santa Fe, New Mexico, to Otis College of Art and Design. Her experience at Otis was formative, and she rose from an Admissions Counselor to the Dean of Admissions and Financial Aid. During this time, the institution doubled in size, onboard important services, and graduated diverse students into successful careers in the arts.
As a first-generation college graduate, she is committed to diversity, equity and inclusion—and to finding “right fit” institutions that create pathways for students to dream big.
John Tortelli previously served as the Vice president for Finance and Administration at Notre Dame College in South Euclid and CFO at Western Reserve Academy in Hudson. He has also served as a Certified Public Accountant at the Cleveland-based auditing firm now known as Maloney + Novotny and as a supervisor at Swagelok Company in Solon. In addition, Tortelli has consulted for the Eleanor B. Rainey Memorial Institute in Cleveland and the Cleveland chapter of Say Yes to Education.