From the President, re: CFO/Vice President for Finance & Administration

December 11, 2024

Dear Southern Community, 

As I mentioned during this week’s Community Meeting, I am very pleased to announce that Dr. Lillian Wanjagi (above), MBA will be joining Southern as the university’s new Vice President for Finance & Administration and Chief Financial Officer.

I thank the search committee members for their diligence in identifying an outstanding group of finalists for this key position: George Morgan Jr. (Chair); Dr. Tracy Tyree; Dr. Natalie Starling; Rob DeMezzo; Kari Swanson; LaKecia Freeman; Dr. Pam Mikaelian; Rich Cogswell; Eric Lessne; Sergio Nunez; Dr. Benjamin Abugri; Jay Chhabra and Nina Cote.

An accomplished CFO, Lillian has extensive experience in finance and operations within higher education over the last 18 years. In progressively responsible leadership roles, she has established a proven track record in budget and fiscal management, facilities operations, capital project management, procurement, HR management, and technology integration. The latter is a plus for Southern as we move toward maximizing the efficiency of our processes.

Lillian will join Southern from her current role as Chief Financial Officer (CFO) & Vice Chancellor, Business & Finance at Fayetteville State University, Fayetteville, NC. At FSU she oversees a $220 million-plus construction and major renovation program and guides the development and execution of the university’s financial strategy. Lillian has also served as CFO and Vice President for Finance and Administration at Viterbro University in La Crosse, WI, and Executive Director of Facilities Administration at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, where she led the implementation of IBM’s Maximo Integrated Workplace Management System (WMS ) for more than 20,000 users.

Lillian’s innovative skills and experience overseeing complex operations will serve Southern well. She is eager to invest her talents in our transformative vision for our scholars and our community. Please join me and the VPFA Search Committee in congratulating Lillian and welcoming her to campus! She begins her new senior leadership role on January 24.

Sincerely,

Dr. Dwayne Smith
Interim President