Stephanie W. Bergeron, MBA
President, Chief Executive Officer
Stephanie W. Bergeron became the sixth president and chief executive officer of Walsh College on January 10, 2007. Ms. Bergeron has served Walsh College as a trustee (1996); chair of the Academic Committee (2005); director of The Walsh College Foundation (2004), and interim president (2006).
After earning a Bachelor of Business Administration degree in accounting from the University of Michigan in 1975, Ms. Bergeron worked as a senior accountant for Arthur Andersen. In 1977, Ms. Bergeron began a 25-year career in automotive industry finance at General Motors, Chrysler, and The Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company.
 Ms. Bergeron held various accounting and financial control positions at General Motors for 11 years. In 1988, she joined the Chrysler Corporation as general auditor and rose to become assistant treasurer in Corporate Finance. Ms. Bergeron joined The Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company in 1998 as vice president-Treasurer. While there, she advanced to senior vice president, Corporate Financial Operations, and was responsible for Goodyear’s corporate finance, accounting, tax, and treasury.
Subsequently, Ms. Bergeron joined Bluepoint Partners, a consulting company providing advice on financial and capital structure, as president and chief executive officer.
Ms. Bergeron is a trustee of the Henry Ford Health System and chairs its Audit and Compliance Committee. She serves on the boards of the Detroit Regional Chamber, the Detroit Economic Club, the Troy Chamber of Commerce, The Collaborative, Rose Hill Center, Rose Hill Foundation, the American Association of Presidents of Independent Colleges and Universities, and Sun Communities, Inc. Ms. Bergeron serves the community as a member of the City of Troy Local Development Finance Authority and the Oakland County Workforce Development Committee.
Ms. Bergeron, a registered certified public accountant, has been appointed to the International Qualifications Appraisal Board by the Association of International Certified Public Accountants (AICPA). She is also a member of the Michigan Association of Certified Public Accountants (MACPA) and the Financial Executives Institute.
In 1981, Ms. Bergeron earned a Master of Business Administration degree from the University of Detroit. In 2011, she received an honorary Associate in Arts & Sciences degree from Schoolcraft College. Crain’s Detroit Business named Ms. Bergeron as one of its “Most Influential Women” in 1997 and in 2007.
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David Shields, Ph.D.
Executive Vice President and Chief Academic Officer
David Shields, Ph.D., provides Walsh College with strategic and operational leadership, oversees academic standards and accreditation, and ensures that the College’s academic programs meet employer and student needs.
 Dr. Shields joined Walsh College on January 2, 2012, from Atlanta’s Mercer University. At Mercer, Dr. Shields was professor of accounting in the Stetson School of Business and previously served as the business school’s dean. Dr. Shields has also served as dean of Western Michigan University’s Haworth College of Business; associate dean for Graduate and Professional Programs at the University of Houston’s C.T. Bauer College of Business; and associate dean and director of Louisiana State University’s James C. and Cherie H. Flores MBA Programs and the James C. Flores Endowed Chair of MBA Studies.
Dr. Shields collaborated with the University of Houston to develop and operate Executive MBA programs in Global Energy Management. At Western Michigan University, he worked to create Centers for Sustainable Business, Global Business, and Entrepreneurship/Innovation.
Dr. Shields has taught managerial accounting, financial accounting, and budgeting at the undergraduate, graduate, doctoral, and executive levels, as well as in corporate seminars. He taught at Louisiana State University; Mercer University; Texas A & M University; the University of Michigan; Thunderbird, the American Graduate School of International Management; and Western Michigan University.
He has been recognized for teaching excellence at the University of Florida (Teacher of the Year), the University of Houston (Halliburton Faculty Teaching Award, the MidCon Corporation Award for Teaching Excellence [Executive MBA], Melcher Faculty Teaching Fellow), and Rice University (finalist, Phi Beta Kappa Teaching Prize).
Dr. Shields has published nine research projects, authored 26 articles, and served as editor or reviewer for eight prominent accounting journals. He has consulted across a range of industries for such firms as Shell Oil, Brown & Root, McKinsey & Co., Coca Cola Foods, IOMEGA, and Chevron. He began his career at Coopers & Lybrands (now PriceWaterhouseCoopers).
Dr. Shields earned a Doctor of Philosophy degree in Accounting with a concentration in Psychology from the University of Michigan, where he was a Paton Fellow. His Master of Business Administration degree and Bachelor of Arts degree in English are from The Ohio State University.
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Elizabeth A. Barnes, PHR
Vice President, Chief Human Resources and Administrative Officer
Elizabeth A. Barnes is responsible for human resources, career services for students and graduates, and strategic planning. In 1996, the Walsh College Board of Trustees appointed Barnes vice president after she had served as director of College Relations (1990-1996) and manager of Personnel and Placement (1985-1990).
Prior to joining Walsh, Barnes was an employment recruiter for Personnel Director Associates and an employment program coordinator for the South and West Washtenaw Consortium.
She holds a Professional in Human Resources (PHR) certification awarded by the Human Resource Certification Institute. Barnes earned a Bachelor of Business Education degree from Eastern Michigan University and completed graduate courses in management at Walsh College.
Barnes serves on the capital campaign committee for the Troy Boys and Girls Club and is the past secretary/treasurer of the Troy Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors. She is a member of the College and University Personnel Association, the National Association of Colleges and Employers, the American Society of Employers, the Society for Human Resource Management, and the WorldAtWork Association.
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John W. Lichtenberg
Vice President, Chief Marketing and Enrollment Management Officer
 John W. Lichtenberg is responsible for advertising, brand management, marketing research, public relations, enrollment, and student services.
He has more than 20 years of corporate marketing and advertising agency experience.
Most recently Lichtenberg was vice president of global marketing for Kelly Services World Headquarters in Troy. He launched and maintained marketing plans for Kelly product lines across 37 countries and was responsible for research, brand management, advertising, promotional activities, and public relations.
Lichtenberg was also senior director of global brand management and director of corporate marketing during 13 years with Kelly.In 1997, Lichtenberg established a Detroit office for the Minneapolis-based Campbell-Mithun-Esty advertising agency to support the Penske Auto Center account. Prior to that, he directed marketing and advertising for a seven-state division of Century 21 Corporate Offices in Novi and for Red Carpet Real Estate in Troy.
Lichtenberg earned a bachelor of arts degree in communication from The University of Michigan in 1986.
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Audrey M. Olmstead
Vice President, Chief Development Officer
Audrey M. Olmstead has 16 years of experience in higher education and health care fund development. She is responsible for the College’s Development and Alumni Relations functions.
Olmstead joined Walsh in April 2008 from the Henry Ford Health System, where she was senior director, major and principal gifts. At Henry Ford, she secured major gifts, led research and planned giving, and served as a member of the capital campaign leadership team.
Prior to that, Olmstead was with the University at Buffalo, The State University of New York, as interim vice president of development and alumni relations. While there, Olmstead developed plans that led to increased gift revenue and established and strengthened relationships with alumni, individual, corporate, and foundation friends.
Locally, Olmstead was with Wayne State University as senior director of development, University Advancement, and held roles at Walsh College and Oakland University. She was also an independent business owner.
Olmstead earned a Bachelor of Science degree magna cum laude in Communications and English from Oakland University, and is a certified facilitator in the Zenger Miller Front-line Leadership Program.
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Helen Kieba-Tolksdorf, CPA
Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer
Helen Kieba-Tolksdorf is responsible for much of the College’s infrastructure, including facilities, information systems, and finance. 
Prior to joining the Walsh College staff, Kieba-Tolksdorf was with Oakland Community College (OCC), serving as controller, director of special projects, and chief business officer and treasurer.
While at OCC, Kieba-Tolksdorf led a successful conversion of the financial and administrative system and chaired the Criterion II Committee in a successful NCA reaccreditation visit. In addition, she led the legal and business sections for OCC’s millage passage.
During her career Kieba-Tolksdorf was also audit manager at Ernst and Whinney, specializing in education, financial institutions, insurance, health care, and pension plans. She has taught accounting at Walsh College and OCC.
A certified public accountant, Kieba-Tolksdorf received both Master of Business Administration and Bachelor of Science in accounting degrees from the University of Detroit Mercy. She is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and the Michigan Association of Certified Public Accountants.
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