UNE President Danielle Ripich chosen by Mainebiz as one of this year's 'Women to Watch'

University of New England President Danielle N. Ripich, Ph.D., has been chosen by Mainebiz as one of five "Women to Watch," the publication's annual series recognizing outstanding female executives in Maine.

President Ripich and the four other "Women to Watch" are profiled online and in the August 8, 2011 edition of Mainebiz. They will also be recognized at a reception at the Holiday Inn by the Bay on Sept. 15th.

The four other women recognized are Patricia Quinn, executive director, Northern New England Passenger Rail Authority; Louise Jonaitis, CEO, Saunders Bros. at Locke Mills LLC; Colleen Hilton: CEO, VNA Home Health & Hospice; and Beth Shissler, president, Sea Bags.

Women to Watch

Mainebiz explains that "This year, in our third annual Women to Watch recognitions, we found five of them, nominated primarily by peers in their industries and vetted by us through interviews with trade associations, board members, economic development directors, staff and professional peers. These exceptional female executives are championing their organizations with drive, determination and vision."

In its profile of President Ripich, Mainebiz notes that since she was named president in 2006, UNE's enrollment grew from just over 4,000 students to nearly 7,000 in 2010, an increase of 63 percent. In addition, the number of UNE colleges doubled from three to six.

"What a difference five years can make. Or more appropriately, what a difference the right leader can make. Upon her arrival in Biddeford, Ripich inherited a thriving medical school, but that wasn't enough to suit her vision for the 33-year-old school, which also has a campus in Portland. As a self-described 'disruptive innovator,' Ripich was a driving force behind the launch of UNE's College of Pharmacy in 2009, and will preside over the opening of its College of Dental Medicine ... From day one, Ripich realized that complementing UNE's established medical school by offering education in other areas of health sciences was a way to build recognition for the school."

The profile continues: "As a result, UNE is currently the leader in developing health professionals in the state, and Ripich's leadership has positioned the school as a national leader as well. The growth is especially impressive given it occurred without the subsidies of the public university system, or the deep endowments of some of Maine's other private schools."

In addition to an overview of President Ripich's accomplishments at UNE, the Mainebiz online publication includes a slideshow, a short video interview and a questions-and-answers section titled "In her own words."

Danielle N. Ripich

Dr. Ripich assumed the UNE presidency July 1, 2006. Prior to coming to UNE, she was the dean of the College of Health Professions, Medical University of South Carolina, where she was also a professor in the University's College of Medicine, Department of Neurology. She is internationally known for her language research.

Under her leadership over the past four years, the university has seen substantial growth, as well as the construction of six new buildings, including a Center for Biomedical Research, the launch of a College of Pharmacy, and the 300-bed Sokokis Residence Hall in Biddeford.  The University was honored with the 2009 Economic Achievement Award from the City of Portland, and the 2010 Robert R. Masterton Award for Economic Development from the Portland Regional Chamber of Commerce, for its contributions to the region's economic vitality.

In 2010, the Harold Alfond Foundation announced a commitment of $10 million to create an approximately $20 million state-of-the-art Harold Alfond Athletics Complex on the Biddeford Campus combined with an investment in interprofessional healthcare workforce education.

President Ripich is widely recognized for her work in child language and with Alzheimer's disease and other forms of dementia. She has written extensively in her field, including edited books, several book chapters, manuscripts in peer-reviewed journals, and has served as an editorial consultant to numerous medical and language journals.

President Ripich earned a Ph.D. in speech pathology from Kent State University. She also received bachelor's and master's degrees in speech pathology from Cleveland State University.

She has served in numerous professional association leadership positions.  She is on the Board of Directors at the Maine Development Foundation, is president and treasurer of the Maine Independent College Association, and is a member of the NCAA Division III Presidents/Chancellors Advisory Group.   She is also a member, and former president, of the Greater Portland Alliances of Colleges and Universities, and is on the Executive Board of the Maine Higher Education Council.

President Ripich has been the recipient of many honors, awards and fellowships, including a Congressional Fellowship from the American Association for the Advancement of Science.  In October 2009 she was named a Fellow by the Association of Schools of Allied Health Professions in recognition of her significant contributions and leadership in allied health education.

About the University of New England

The University of New England is Maine’s largest independent university, with two beautiful coastal campuses in Maine, a one-of-a-kind study abroad campus in Tangier, Morocco, and an array of flexible, accredited online degrees. In an uncommonly welcoming and supportive community, we offer hands-on learning, empowering students to make a positive impact in a world full of challenges. The state’s top provider of health professionals, we are home to Maine’s only medical college, Maine’s only dental college, a variety of other interprofessionally aligned health care degree programs, as well as nationally recognized programs for marine science degrees, natural and social sciences degrees, arts and humanities degrees, and business degrees.