Diane Disney Appointed Dean Of Commonwealth College
March 16, 2001
Hershey, Pa. – Dr. Diane M. Disney, deputy assistant secretary of defense for civilian personnel policy, was appointed by the Board of Trustees today (March 16) to become dean of Penn State’s 12-campus Commonwealth College, effective July 1.

“Dr. Disney brings invaluable experience in policy and human resource management and as an academic administrator,” says Rodney A. Erickson, executive vice president and provost.  “We look forward to having her become part of Penn State’s academic leadership team.

Since 1994, Dr. Disney has overseen the development and implementation of policies for managing the Department of Defense workforce of nearly one million civil service and other employees.  Her areas of responsibility include staffing, training and education, compensation, labor and employee relations, systems modernization and regionalization.

Her international activities include serving as a permanent member of the U.S.-Portugal Bilateral Commission; chairing committees for the U.S.-Chilean Consultative Commission, the U.S.-Argentina Bilateral Commission, and the U.S.-Brazil Bilateral Commission; providing technical assistance to the defense ministries of Slovenia, Croatia, Chile, and Argentina; and heading U.S. delegations negotiating with Germany on tax and employment issues and with Portugal and Korea on labor issues.

Previously, Dr. Disney headed the Rhode Island Office of Defense Economic Adjustment, developed and managed the New England Defense Adjustment Project, and worked on numerous other defense-related and cultural projects in the region. 

She has written widely and given presentations and testimony on workforce development, human resource management, and defense issues.  She is the author or co-author of numerous articles and books, including “Partners in Public Service: Government and the Nonprofit Sector in Rhode Island” and “Human Services Spending in Rhode Island: The Changing Roles of Government and Private Funders,” published by the Urban Institute Press.

For several years, she was director of the Research Center in Business and Economics at the University of Rhode Island, where she was an associate professor of management.  Active in economic development, she was a principal researcher for the state’s Workforce 2000 Council through URI’s Labor Research Center, as well as a member of the Governor’s JOBS-RI Council.

She also had an adjunct appointment to the graduate faculty of the Heller School at Brandeis University, where she coordinated the Ford Foundation’s project on employment-related benefits.  In addition, she headed the Rhode Island State Council on the Arts and worked as Rhode Island Associate for the Urban Institute’s Nonprofit Sector Project.  For many years, she was president of Disney Lightfoot Lee Ltd., a consultant firm in management, human resources, and strategic planning.

Dr. Disney received her Ph.D. from Brandeis University in policy analysis, an M.B.A. from the University of Rhode Island, an M.A. T from Duke University, and a B.A. from Stetson University in English, Russian and journalism.

A Fellow of the national Academy of Public Administration, Dr. Disney has received numerous honors and awards from associations, universities and her community, including the Teaching Excellence Award from the College of Business Administration at URI, and the Medal for Outstanding Public Service from the U.S. Secretary of Defense. 

She is a member of the Board of Trustees of the Naval War College Foundation; chair of the Board of Advisors for the College of Arts and Sciences, Stetson University; and vice president of the Board of Directors of Heller School Alumni Association, Brandeis University.  She has also served on numerous nonprofit, legislative and professional boards in leadership positions.

“I am thrilled to be joining the Penn State Team,” she said.  “The Commonwealth College represents a rare and challenging opportunity, one to which I am truly looking forward.”

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EDITORS:  Dr. Disney can be reached at (703) 614-9487.  For more information about the Commonwealth College, go to http://www.cwc.psu.edu/