Leadership

Andrew P. Manion, Ph.D. assumed the role of President of Edgewood College on June 1, 2020.
Dr. Manion previously served as President of Marian University from 2016 - 2020. Under his leadership, the university successfully completed a $12 million capital campaign, enjoyed significant growth in first-year student enrollment, expanded academic and athletics facilities, and made significant strides in the areas of diversity, inclusion, and social justice.
Prior to that work, he served for nearly 20 years in multiple academic and administrative roles at Aurora University, including Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, Provost, and Executive Vice President.
Dr. Manion served on the faculty of Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota from 1991 to 1998, first as Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychology, then as Director of the Institute of Interdisciplinary Studies, and as Associate Dean of Humanities.
Dr. Manion holds a Ph.D. in Experimental Psychology and a Master of Arts in Psychology from Adelphi University in Long Island, New York. He is a graduate of St. Norbert College in DePere, Wis. where he majored in Psychology.
He is past-President of the Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference (NACC), of which Edgewood College is a member. A native of Providence, Rhode Island, he is married to his wife Amy, and both are proud parents of Jack, Kevin, and Clare.

Milton Javier Bravo, Ph.D., became the inaugural Vice President for Mission, Values, and Inclusion on November 1, 2021.
Dr. Bravo is a Latino theologian who has served Catholic colleges and universities and faith-based non-profit organizations for more than a decade. His experience in higher education includes service in enrollment management, campus ministry, mission integration, academic advising, student life, academic research, and undergraduate instruction in Theological and Philosophical studies. His primary foci are on-campus efforts to better serve first-generation and underrepresented students along with the establishment of comprehensive networks of support for student retention and success.

Arhelia Dalla Costa Behm joined Edgewood College in 2015. She currently serves as Vice President for Administration/Chief Human Resources Officer with more than 20 years of Human Resources experience. She is responsible for Human Resources, Information Technology, Risk Management, Facilities and Security. Prior to her newest role she served as Director of Human Resources, and as Deputy Title IX Coordinator.
Prior appointments include Employee Relations Consultant with Nova Southeastern University; Employee Relations Specialist with Royal Caribbean Cruises, Ltd., and Employee Relations Specialist with American Family Insurance.
Her areas of professional expertise include employee relations, change management, investigations, training, performance management, and corporate recruiting. She is also a certified Civil Rights investigator.
Ms. Dalla Costa Behm holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from Nova Southeastern University, and a Master of Science degree in Management from Cardinal Stritch University. She is a proud first-generation college graduate. In her free time she enjoys cooking, hiking, and kayaking with her family.


Dr. Salas joined Edgewood College in November 2020.
Dr. Salas most recently served as Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs at Framingham State University in Massachusetts. She began her career as an assistant professor of English at Adrian College, in Adrian, Mich. From there she served as an associate professor of Languages and Literature at Clarke University in Dubuque, Iowa.
Dr. Salas advanced her administrative career at Indiana University Southeast, where she served as Assistant Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, and then Associate Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs. Prior to those roles, she was promoted to full professor and was the founding Director of the Indiana University Southeast Honors Program. She was a Distinguished Scholar in Residence at James Madison University’s “Furious Flower” Conference, was recipient of the Indiana University Southeast Distinguished Teaching Award, and has been inducted into Indiana University’s Faculty Academy on Excellence in Teaching. A long-term member of the National Collegiate Honors Council, she served as the organization’s Treasurer in 2014. She has served as her campus liaison to the Higher Learning Commission, supported Hanover College’s accreditation efforts, and has been a peer reviewer for the National Collegiate Honors Council since 2008. Salas is the author of 15 peer-reviewed articles and book chapters, as well as the book, “Flashback Through the Heart:” The Poetry of Yusef Komunyakaa (Susquehanna University Press).
Dr. Salas’ career began as a first-generation college student, earning her bachelor’s degree in English with honors from Ursinus College, in Collegeville, Penn. She continued her studies at the University of Nebraska-Kearney, earning the Master of Arts in English. She earned her Ph.D. in English at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

Matt Sullivan joined Edgewood College in June 2018 and currently serves as Interim Vice President for Student Development. Matt’s previous roles include serving as Assistant Vice President for Student Development and also as Assistant Dean of Students/Director of Student Conduct.
Sullivan has served in various roles in student conduct, student support, Title IX, off-campus student services, and residence life at Regis University, the University of Washington, the University of Colorado - Denver, Creighton University, and Colorado College. In addition, Sullivan has been active in the Association for Student Conduct Administration (ASCA), and served as the chair of the 2016 Annual Conference and 2016 Sexual Misconduct Institute.

Ed Taylor joined Edgewood College in 2005 as the Director of Marketing & Communications. After serving in a variety of capacities for three presidents through the years, he assumed his current role in 2021.
He has served in communications roles in both the private and public sectors in Wisconsin. Prior to relocating to the Madison area, he served as reporter, anchor, and eventually assistant news director at KHBS/KHOG-TV, the ABC-TV affiliate in Fayetteville, Arkansas.

Katie Vesperman joined Edgewood College in a professional role in 2007 and currently serves as Interim Vice President for Institutional Advancement. Prior to joining the College, Katie served as Program Director for the Greater Madison Chamber of Commerce. She is a 1999 Edgewood College graduate from the School of Business. Her husband Mac graduated in 2015 from the Henry Predolin School of Nursing and currently serves as a pediatric nurse at the American Family Children’s Hospital.
Katie is an active member of the Madison Chapter of the Association for Fundraising Professionals, Kiwanis, Wisconsin Association of Charitable Gift Planners, and is a graduate of Leadership Greater Madison. She currently serves on the Image and Development Committee for St. Vincent De Paul and is a member of the Alumni Advisory Board for the Cutting Edge program at Edgewood College.
In her free time, Katie enjoys the outdoors, sports, and spending time with her family.