NVU Leadership

The Northern Vermont University Executive Team

Parwinder Grewal, President

Dr. Parwinder Grewal will serve as the inaugural president of Vermont State University, effective July 1, 2022. Dr. Grewal brings over twenty-five years of experience in higher education and ten years of biotechnology research and development experience in six states and five countries. Most recently, he served at University of Texas – Rio Grande Valley, where he played key leadership roles including founding dean of the college of sciences, dean of the graduate college, special assistant to the president, and executive vice president for research, graduate studies, and new program development.

He previously served as the entomology and plant pathology department head at University of Tennessee – Knoxville where he also served as the founding director of the Center for Urban Environment and Economic Development and of the Urban Landscape Ecology program. Dr. Grewal received a Fulbright Scholar Award from the U.S. Department of State and Stockholm University in Sweden in 2013.

Dr. Grewal will serve as president of Castleton University, Northern Vermont University, and Vermont Technical College until the unification is complete in July 2023.

Nolan Atkins, Provost

Dr. Nolan Atkins is the first provost of Northern Vermont University. Nolan, who was the interim president of Lyndon State College during the 2016-17 academic year, is the former chair of Lyndon’s nationally recognized Atmospheric Sciences Department. He began teaching at Lyndon in 1997 and was interim dean of academic affairs for 18 months until serving as president. He has a doctorate in Atmospheric Sciences from the University of California-Los Angeles.

Nolan’s research interests are in the area of mesoscale meteorology with a focus on severe local storms. Professor Atkins has published papers on the sea breeze, dryline, bow echoes, tornadoes, and supercell thunderstorms. He has also been involved in many field programs including the Convection and Precipitation/Electrification Experiment (CaPE), the Bow Echo and MCV Experiment (BAMEX), and both Verification on the Origins of Rotation in Tornadoes Experiment (VORTEX 1 and 2).

As an administrator, he has a strong commitment to students, faculty and staff in all his previous assignments and comes highly recommended for his integrity, forward-looking vision and data-driven decision making. He is responsible for managing academic programs, administering the review process for faculty promotion and tenure, overseeing development of courses and degree programs, and other essential aspects of academic policy and procedure at NVU.

Nolan is also involved with the ongoing System Transformation that includes the unification of NVU, Castleton University, and Vermont Technical College. He is presently working with faculty and the other Chief Academic Officers to develop the academic program array for the new institution.  He will also serve as the Provost and Chief Academic Officer for the new institution.

Jonathan Davis, Dean of Students

As Dean of Students, Jonathan Davis oversees all aspects of student life, supervising various campus programs and supports that enrich the college experience for students, and serves as a liaison between college administrators and student organizations, such as the Student Government Association. While Student Affairs primarily focuses on non-academic issues, the division is committed to student academic success and in monitoring students who are struggling in or out of class.

Additionally, Jonathan contributes his time to students as the ACHA Club Hockey coach and as an advisor to several campus clubs and the Vermont State Colleges Systems Student Government Association.

Jonathan has worked through all levels within the Division of Student Affairs at Lyndon for the past 20 years. He has served in the capacity of Associate, Interim, and Dean of Students since 2007 at Lyndon and assumed the same responsibilities at Johnson State College in 2017 with the unification into NVU. His experience across all levels of Student Affairs provides him with a ground-level perspective to what students need to be successful, and he is passionate about each student achieving success in the living and learning campus communities.

Sylvia Plumb, Director of Marketing and Communications

President’s Leadership Team

The President’s Leadership Team is a cross-campus team with directors and others from functional areas of the university.

• Parwinder Grewal
  President, Vermont State University and Northern Vermont University
• Nolan Atkins
  Provost, Johnson and Lyndon
• Jonathan Davis
  Dean of Students, Johnson and Lyndon
• Thom Anderson
  Associate Dean of Academic Programs, Johnson and Lyndon
• Dan Daley
  Professor and Faculty Assembly Chair, Lyndon
• Sara Kinerson
  Director of Advising, Johnson
• Sylvia Plumb
  Director of Marketing and Communications, Johnson and Lyndon
• Janet Bennion
  Professor and Faculty Assembly Chair, Johnson
• Les Kanat
  Interim Academic Dean, Johnson
• Lauren Philie
  Director of Development and Alumni Relations, Johnson
• Jason “Jay” Ryan
  Interim Chief Technology Officer, Johnson and Lyndon