Stacy Young joined Manchester University on July 1, 2023, as Manchester’s 16th president and second female to serve in this leadership role. A 1996 Manchester graduate, Dr. Young came home after serving most of her career in Michigan. The opportunity to lead her alma mater and the institution that started her passion for higher education was a dream come true.

Dr. Young received her Bachelor of Science in Accounting from Manchester University and a master’s degree in business administration from Bethel University. In addition, she is a graduate of Andrews University, holding a Ph.D. in leadership with an emphasis in higher education administration.

Dr. Young has worked in both corporate America as an auditor and with small businesses as an accountant. This diverse background enabled her to teach a variety of business and accounting courses throughout her career.

Serving students in education for more than 25 years, Dr. Young has worked in a variety of roles including adjunct faculty, full-time faculty, chairperson, dean, and president. She also serves as a peer reviewer for the Higher Learning Commission and has served on a variety of state and local boards.

Between them, Dr. Young and husband Ron have five children and seven grandchildren. Their grown children live in Chicago, Indianapolis, and Cincinnati. Two of their children are still at home. Allison will graduate from college this fall and Max is a high school senior who intends to attend Manchester in the fall of 2024. In their free time, they enjoy spending time with family, walking, running, and serving the community.

Manchester alumna, Celia Cook-Huffman, began serving as Vice President for Academic Affairs in March 2020.

Graduating from Manchester with a bachelor’s degree in Peace Studies and Conflict Resolution Cook-Huffman went on to earn her master’s in Peace Studies from the University of Notre Dame and an interdisciplinary social science doctorate focused on social conflict theory from Syracuse University.

Dr. Cook-Huffman returned to Manchester after 30 years with Juniata College, a small, liberal arts, Brethren-affiliated institution in Huntingdon, Pennsylvania. During her time at Juniata, Cook-Huffman held the W. Clay and Kathryn Burkholder Professorship in Conflict Resolution, taught in the Peace and Conflict Studies Program and served as the associate director for the Baker Institute of Peace and Conflict Studies. Her background combines peace studies with specialized training and education in conflict transformation, nonviolence, gender and mediation. Her research interests include the impact of social identity on conflict, the relationship between gender issues and conflict, and nonviolent social change. She has also served as a consultant for both public and private organizations on topics including: conflict resolution training, dispute resolution systems design, systems analysis, leadership training and assessing gender dynamics in conflict. From 2015-2020, Cook-Huffman served as an assistant provost at Juniata College, providing administrative oversight and leadership in support of student success.

Cook-Huffman is excited to return to her alma mater as the chief academic officer. “To be part of a vibrant educational institution, to partner with our students on their academic and personal journeys is incredibly rewarding work.” She feels honored to be part of Manchester and a community that works to support the core mission of the University: to graduate students of ability and conviction who respect the infinite worth of every individual.

Celia lives in North Manchester, Ind. with her husband Dan, also a Manchester alum. She has two children, Jesse and Grace.

Melanie Harmon is vice president for advancement and serves as the chief fundraising officer of the institution. Harmon oversees development, alumni relations and advancement services. She joined Manchester University in 2011 as executive director of development and helped lead the successful $100 Million Students First! Campaign for Manchester.

Harmon has 30 years of higher education experience with a concentration in donor development, capital campaigns, and alumni relations. Prior to joining Manchester, she served as associate vice president for development at Trine University. In her 19 years of service, she held a number of leadership positions all with increasing responsibility.

Melanie has been active in the profession, serving 14 years with Council for Advancement and Support of Education in leadership roles at the state, district and national level. She was named a CASE Laureate in 2019 and continues to volunteer as a presenter at conferences. Harmon also gives back in her community and has served on multiple not-for-profit boards. Currently, she is a member of the Fort Wayne Community Harvest Food Bank Board of Directors where she chairs the philanthropy committee.

Melanie earned her BA in communication from Indiana University and later received a certificate in fundraising management from Indiana University Center on Philanthropy Fundraising School. She continued her education at IU, earning her MA degree in Philanthropic Studies. Harmon is also a member of the CIC Senior Leadership Academy class of 2012-2013.

Melanie resides in Fort Wayne with her husband Rob. She has two children, Taylor and Quinn.

Clair Knapp comes to Manchester University with more than 25 years of business and higher education experience. Clair was the chief financial officer for Ohio Dominican University in Columbus, Ohio, for two years and Bethel College in Mishawaka, Ind., for six years. Prior to his time in higher education, Clair worked in public accounting for 15 years, serving manufacturers, distributors and higher education clients. Clair also served as director of finance for a multi-state manufacturing service provider for three years.

Clair has been active in several higher education industry groups, including committees for the Central Association of College and University Business Officers (CACUBO) and the National Association of College and University Business Officers (NACUBO). He is a member of the Indiana CPA Society and the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants. Clair has given presentations related to the challenges and opportunities of higher education. In 2006, he received the Fort Wayne Future 40 award.

Clair graduated from the University of St. Francis (Fort Wayne, Ind.) in 1990 with a bachelor’s degree in accounting. He earned his MBA from Indiana Wesleyan University in 2014. In addition, he received a general management certificate from the University of Michigan in 2004.

Clair lives in Fort Wayne with his wife, Kristi. They have two grown children. In his spare time, Clair enjoys spending time with family, bicycling, doing CrossFit workouts and reading.

Julie Knuth  is the director of presidential and board operations. She serves as assistant secretary and liaison to the Board of Trustees. In addition to her work with the board, she supports the Executive; Governance; and Diversity, Equity and Inclusion committees. Knuth also serves as a project manager for Commencement and other events in which the president has a central role.

She also serves as Manchester University’s Title IX appeals administrator. Knuth joined Manchester in 2011 with nearly 10 years of experience in the nonprofit sector.

A first-generation college graduate, Knuth earned her bachelor’s degree in nonprofit business management at Manchester in 2001. She learned the importance of mission at Manchester University and is proud to serve her alma mater.

Knuth enjoys traveling and spending time with her family.

Leon J. Letter comes to Manchester University with more than 20 years of law work and higher education experience. Letter got his B.S. in Economics, Political Science, and Business Law and Regulations from Central Michigan University. Letter then got both a MA in International Economics and his Doctorate in Law from Wayne State University. Letter is currently pursuing his doctorate in education at Ferris State University.

Letter has served as the Department Chair for Southwestern Michigan College for five years and Dean of the Business Division at Monroe County Community College for three years. Concurrently to his time in higher education, Letter has worked as an Attorney At Law for 23 years, providing clients with legal services in agricultural/ food law, business planning and transactions, estate planning, probate, and real estate.

As the new vice president for strategic initiatives and corporate partnerships, Letter’s initial focus will be on academic enrollment goals, namely working to grow Manchester’s high school pathways, create a vibrant adult market, and strengthen experiential learning opportunities.

Dean W. Thomas “Tommy” Smith first joined Manchester University College of Pharmacy in 2015 as the assistant dean of assessment and accreditation, and was appointed dean of pharmacy programs in 2017. In 2021, he was named dean of pharmacy and graduate life sciences.

Dean Smith is active in a number of professional organizations including the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy (AACP), the American Bar Association (ABA) and the American Society for Pharmacy Law (ASPL). He currently serves as AACP Administrative Board Representative on the Council of Deans.

A 1994 graduate of the St. Louis College of Pharmacy, Smith began his pharmacy career as the operations director of Corum Health Services, Inc., a long-term care pharmacy in St. Louis, MO. In 2002, he enrolled in law school at St. Louis University, and graduated in 2005 with a Juris Doctorate degree and certificate in health law from the school’s top-ranked Center for Health Law Studies.

Smith served on the faculty of the University of Florida College of Pharmacy from 2008 to 2015 where he served as director of the College’s online master’s program pharmaceutical outcomes and policy and director of the co-curriculum. He also taught pharmacy law and addition to other duties. Prior to his service at UF, Smith served on the faculty of the Saint Louis College of Pharmacy from 2005 to 2008.

Among his notable service accomplishments, Smith also has served as chair of AACP’s Health Disparities and Cultural Competence special interest group and completed its Academic Leadership Fellows Program. Smith also has been very active in the Health Law Section of the ABA, serving a 3-year term on its leadership council, and chairing a number of committees. In 2016, he was appointed to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) Nonprescription Drugs Advisory Committee.

Dean Smith has served as an author, speaker and leader in areas such as pharmacy law, cultural competency, health disparities, bioethics, and disability law.

Abagail L. “Abby” Van Vlerah, Vice President for Student Affairs, joined Manchester University in February 2019. Van Vlerah joined us with 18 years of prior experience in higher education. Prior to her start at Manchester, she worked at Long Island University as dean and chief operating officer at its Suffolk County regional campuses. Before that, she was director of a mentoring program for first-generation students at Mercy College in Dobbs Ferry, N.Y. She has also worked at Saint Mary’s and the University of Wyoming.

Being a first-generation student herself, she is passionate about assisting first-generation students by teaching them how to navigate their way through the difficulties of attending university and understands firsthand the challenges that today’s students are facing.

Originally from Angola, Ind., she now resides in North Manchester. Outside of work, she is an avid motorcyclist, runner, and an enjoyer of audiobooks, travel, loves a hot dog (grills it mean), she loves her mom, loves to talk on a microphone, proud megaphone owner, enjoys a good jumpsuit, appreciates a good whirr of a sound machine, and doesn’t want to be hugged (unless it is her mom).

Van Vlerah holds a bachelor’s degree from Saint Mary’s College, a master’s degree in American Studies from the University of Wyoming, and a doctorate in American Culture Studies from Bowling Green State University in Ohio.