Brandon Gross, Ed.D.

Chairman

Brandon Gross, Ed.D., serves the Sigma Chi Leadership Institute as the Chairman of the organization’s Board of Directors. Brandon currently serves as Assistant Vice President for Academic Affairs at Wayne State University in Detroit. He previously held roles in the Office of the President and Office of the Provost at Michigan State University, as well as student affairs roles at Arizona State University and the University of Miami (FL). Brandon received his Doctorate of Education in Higher Education from Northeastern University, in addition to his Master of Science in Education and Bachelor of Science in Communication from the University of Miami (FL). Brandon spreads the mission of SCLI by serving as a faculty member for the Horizons Huntsman Leadership Summit and team lead for Krach Transformational Leaders Workshop.

Charles Nies, Ph.D.

Vice Chairman

Charles Nies, Ph.D., is the Vice Chairman of the Sigma Chi Leadership Institute. He comes to the SCLI after serving the University of California – Merced as Associate Vice Chancellor and Vice Chancellor of Student Affairs. Dr. Nies became the University of Minnesota Duluth's 10th Chancellor on July 1st, 2024. He holds a Master of Arts in Counseling Psychology and a Doctorate of Philosophy in Educational Leadership/Leadership Theory from Washington State University.

James Heffner, M.Ed.

Treasurer

james.heffner@sigmachi.org

James Heffner, M.Ed., serves as the Treasure of the Sigma Chi Leadership Institute Board of Directors. He is the Director of Culture, Organizational Development, and Learning and the Director of the Eagle Institute for Learning and Development at Post University. James is enrolled in the Doctorate of Education program at Northeastern University. A member of Sigma Chi Fraternity, James spends his free time giving back to the organization by serving as a Regional Director and Track Lead for Krach Transformational Leaders Workshop.

Rob Auchincloss

Director

Rob Auchincloss (RMA) is a Sigma Chi Leadership Institute Board of Directors member. He is the CEO and founder of AFOCAL, an independent global design studio, where he has also founded and co-founded a half-dozen other companies in the aerospace, travel, and consumer products sectors. Additionally, RMA serves as the editor-in-chief and host of HOLOCENE, a magazine and podcast dedicated to exploring the human experience. As a part-time nomad, RMA dedicates his time outside work to traveling the globe searching for the last remaining wild places on Earth. RMA is a strong proponent of radical transparency, spontaneity, and the tenets of humanism. He is a member of Sigma Chi Fraternity and serves as a Horizons Huntsman Leadership Summit Guide and Krach Transformational Leaders Workshop Facilitator.

Curt Biller

Director

curt.biller@sigmachi.org

Curt Biller serves as a Director for the Sigma Chi Leadership Institute. Curt, Principal at Strengths INC., uses his 35 years of experience in the leadership development industry to bring a valued perspective to SCLI. His dedication to the development of undergraduate students is rooted in his fraternal involvement. Curt has served on the Sigma Chi Leadership Training Board, Alumni Services Committee, and Education and Leadership Board. He also plays an active role in the Fraternity by overseeing Chapter Advisor and facilitator training initiatives. Curt serves as a Session Coordinator for the Horizons Huntsman Leadership Summit and a faculty member for Krach Transformational Leaders Workshop.

Jamie Frakes, Ph.D.

Director

Jamie Frakes, Ed.D., serves as a director for the Sigma Chi Leadership Institute Board. He has considerable experience in higher education, business and workforce development. He has a successful track record working with global companies and businesses customizing and facilitating workforce education curricula. In his administrative position, he oversees career/technical education, post-secondary/college academic programs, and grant management activities affecting academic programming at Arkansas Northeastern College. A member of Sigma Chi Fraternity, Jamie currently serves as chairman of the True North Leadership Committee, and he’s been a facilitator for the True North Leadership Certificate since 2021. He recently served as a facilitator for the new Adaptive Leadership program during the 2024 Krach Transformational Leaders Workshop.

Mark Galbo, M.A.

Director

mark.galbo@sigmachi.org

Mark Galbo, M.A. serves as a member of the Sigma Chi Leadership Institute Board of Directors. A retiree of the toxicology industry, Mark has spent the last decade committed to developing undergraduate leaders. A member of Sigma Chi Fraternity, he served as a principal architect of the Fraternity’s Preparation for Brotherhood new member education program. Mark continues his service to Sigma Chi by participating as a faculty member for the Horizons Huntsman Leadership Summit, as Track Lead for Krach Transformational Leaders Workshop, and as Chairman of the Distance Leadership Committee.

Peter Halsey

Director

Peter Halsey is a member of the Sigma Chi Leadership Institute Board of Directors. He is a paralegal for the federal government. Peter, a 2023 Gettysburg College graduate, was one of SCLI's first students and has previously served as an undergraduate representative on the board, where he was instrumental in advancing organizational governance and marketing and communications efforts. Peter is a member of Sigma Chi Fraternity, a graduate of the Horizons Huntsman Leadership Summit and serves as a Krach Transformational Leaders Workshop Facilitator.

Andy Lausch, MBA

Director

andy.lausch@sigmachi.org

Andy Lausch, MBA, is an accomplished business executive with decades of expertise in leadership, P&L ownership (over $1 billion in annual revenue), business development (sales and marketing), analytics/data science, and strategy. He has led organizations large and small across commercial, public, and non-profit sectors. The majority of Lausch’s career was spent in executive leadership roles at CDW Corporation, a Fortune 500 leading provider of B2B information technology solutions. In addition to bringing his global sales and marketing experience to the Sigma Chi Leadership Institute’s Board of Directors, Lausch is a trained facilitator for both the Krach Transformational Leaders Workshop as well as the Horizons Huntsman Leadership Summit.

Ansley Valentine, M.F.A.

Director

Ansley Valentine, M.F.A., is a member of the Sigma Chi Leadership Institute Board of Directors. He is an Associate Professor of theatre, drama, and contemporary dance at Indiana University. Ansley has worked extensively at Indiana University, teaching innovation and curriculum development, leading major instructional revisions within the theatre program. A member of Sigma Chi Fraternity, he currently serves as a Chapter Advisor for the Lambda Chapter at Indiana University and previously on the operating boards of Mission 365, the Krach Transformational Leaders Workshop, the Education and Leadership Board, the Diversity and Inclusion Commission, and as the vice chairman of the Distance Leadership Committee.

Grayson Fritz

Undergraduate Representative • Oklahoma State University 2025

Grayson Fritz is one of the four undergraduate representatives on the Sigma Chi Leadership Institute Board of Directors. Grayson is a senior at Oklahoma State University studying aerospace administration and operations, professional pilot, with a minor in economics. Grayson has obtained the Foundational Leadership Certificate, the Enduring Leadership Certificate at the Horizons Huntsman Leadership Summit, the Value-Based Leadership Certificate at Krach Transformational Leaders Workshop and completed the Leadership Journey. In 2024, he was a facilitator in the Servant Leadership track at Krach Transformational Leaders Workshop.

Kevin Kirwan

Undergraduate Representative • University of Alabama at Birmingham 2026

Kevin Kirwan is one of the four undergraduate representatives on the Sigma Chi Leadership Institute Board of Directors. Kevin is a Senior at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, studying criminal justice, social psychology and applied professional Spanish. Kevin has obtained the Foundational Leadership Certificate and the Servant, True North and Adaptive Leadership Certificates at Krach Transformational Leaders Workshop.

Jack Ramirez

Undergraduate Representative • Rutgers University 2025

Jack Ramirez is one of the four undergraduate representatives on the Sigma Chi Leadership Institute Board of Directors. Jack is a senior at Rutgers University where he studies political science and government, and currently serves as Student Body President. Jack has obtained the Foundational Leadership Certificate.

Board of Directors

Executive Leadership

Brandon Gross, Ed.D.

Charles Nies, Ph.D.

James Heffner, M.Ed.

Board of Directors

Rob Auchincloss

Curt Biller

Jamie Frakes, Ph.D.

Mark Galbo, M.A.

Peter Halsey

Andy Lausch, MBA

Ansley Valentine, M.F.A.

Undergraduate Representatives

Grayson Fritz

Kevin Kirwan

Jack Ramirez

The Leaders and Visionaries Behind Sigma Chi Leadership Institute