Goucher College announces new Board of Trustees chair and eight new members
In the 2024-25 academic year, Goucher will welcome eight new Board of Trustee members and a new board chair. The new members include leaders in architecture, business management, finance, higher education, nonprofits, and philanthropy. Cindy Plavier-Truitt ’86, M.A. ’88, will serve as the Goucher College Board of Trustees chair. Plavier-Truitt is currently the president and CEO of Humanim, a nonprofit human service organization.
“As a proud Goucher alumna, Cindy brings her depth of experiences as a leader in the Baltimore region to the board chair position, and we look forward to partnering with her and the eight new board members to continue building a strong future for Goucher College,” says Kent Devereaux, Goucher College president. “Together, we remain committed to providing an academically rigorous education rooted in global education, career readiness, and helping every student achieve their full potential as a global changemaker.”
In the 2023-24 academic year, Goucher was honored to receive two of the largest gifts in the college’s 140-year history. Goucher will receive a gift of approximately $55 million—the largest bequest in the institution’s history—from the late Anica Donnan Rawnsley ’51. The gift will sustain scholarships in future years and ensure continued opportunities and support for Goucher students. Earlier in the academic year, Judy C. Lewent ’70 pledged a $10 million lead gift to support the construction of Goucher’s Science Innovation Center, which will be a $40 million expansion of Goucher’s existing Hoffberger Science Center designed to meet the demands of science, today and into the future. That commitment is the largest single gift ever made by a living alumna to Goucher College.
As part of its commitment to sustainability, Goucher also recently announced a strategic partnership with the Maryland Clean Energy Center and NORESCO, a significant step toward advancing decarbonization and improving energy efficiency. This multimillion-dollar endeavor supports efforts to make the campus carbon-neutral by 2035.
The eight new members of the Goucher College Board of Trustees:
Deidre “Dee” A. Bosley received her bachelor’s degree in political science in 1979 from the University of Delaware and a law degree in 1983 from Marquette University. Bosley previously worked as an attorney with the Office of the Public Defender. She has a long history of service volunteering for numerous nonprofit and advocacy groups, including the World Relief Immigration Clinic and Bluewater Baltimore. From 2011 to 2013, she served as president of the Women’s Board for Johns Hopkins Medical Hospital, and she is currently a board member. She cites access to quality education as an important value to her entire family.
Cordelia Edwards ’24 majored in business administration and minored in professional writing at Goucher College. On campus, she served as a captain for the equestrian IHSA team and as a supplemental instructor for the Business Department. Additionally, Edwards worked at Roseda Farm in Monkton, MD, where she helped feed cattle, manage meat sales, and organize events. In recent summers, her passions for management and animal husbandry were combined in an internship at a working cattle ranch in Wyoming, where she has accepted a full-time position post-graduation. Inspired by her unique experience, Edwards aspires to a career in agricultural supply-chain logistics or economics.
Ellen Chaudron Gardner ’83 received a bachelor’s degree in economics and management from Goucher College and an M.B.A. from Loyola College in 1987. She became a certified public accountant in 1996 and has since pursued annual education to maintain her CPA and expand her expertise in board governance. She also served and held several positions on the SECU Board of Directors. In addition to participating in a credential program sponsored by the National Association of Corporate Directors, she is also currently the chief financial officer for the Chesapeake Conservancy. She has worked in the nonprofit community for many years and has experience in facilities management, real estate acquisition, investment portfolio management, international currency transactions, and infrastructure transformation.
Adam Gross, FAIA, has more than 40 years of experience in planning and architectural design and provides the broad design direction for Ayers Saint Gross. Named an “Influential Marylander” by The Daily Record, Gross has a particular passion for improving Baltimore City, collaborating on the planning for Inner Harbor 2.0, Rash Field, Pratt Street Redevelopment, Harbor Point Master Plan, the University of Maryland Baltimore, and Johns Hopkins University. He is also interested in building the architectural profession and has written and lectured extensively on urban design, collegiate architecture, and master planning. Gross is a member of the Greater Baltimore Committee and recently joined the board of NECHE, the New England Commission of Higher Education.
Damon Highsmith ’03 graduated with a bachelor’s degree from Goucher College and earned a master of science in environmental sciences and policy from Johns Hopkins University. He serves as a budget officer at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, leading a team that develops and executes the annual budget for one of four program offices in the Office of Water. Over his 18-year career at the Environmental Protection Agency, he has served in various capacities, supporting budget formulation and execution, communications, acquisition, and the development of national wastewater pollution regulations. Highsmith previously served as the president of the Alumnae and Alumni of Goucher College.
Kevin Kruger, Ph.D., received his M.A. and Ph.D. in counseling and personnel services from the University of Maryland. Since 2012, he has served as president and CEO for NASPA—the national service organization of Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education. Prior to his role as president, Kruger worked for 18 years as the associate executive director and served as the chief operating officer and chief financial officer for NASPA. He has held a range of student affairs positions at Southern Methodist University and the University of Maryland. Kruger has published and presented nationally and globally on trends in higher education, student success, degree-completion strategies for low income/first-generation students, and change management and leadership in higher education.
Ruth Rathblott ’91 received her bachelor’s degree from Goucher College and an M.S.W. from Boston University. She is an inspirational speaker, executive coach, and consultant, as well as the bestselling author of the book Singlehandedly: Learning To Unhide and Embrace Connection. With a wealth of experience as a former award-winning CEO and leader in the nonprofit sector for more than 25 years, she champions the idea that embracing people’s differences is the key to fostering creativity and innovation within organizations. Rathblott is DEI- and MBTI-certified, she is a contributor to The Mighty, and she currently serves as a board member of the Lucky Fin Project.
Adam Renaldo received his bachelor’s degree from Centenary University. He is vice president of finance at Singer Ashland, responsible for the financial and strategic leadership and oversight of all the company’s contract business, including accounting, finance, budgets, and strategic planning. His career spans 25 years of varied experience in accounting, financial management, business leadership, and corporate strategy. With experience in multiple areas of the construction industry, including budgeting, project management, and accounting, Renaldo adds value to many facets of the organization. Renaldo is an expert in internal strategic partnerships, planned growth and expansion, and logistics.