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As the Denise Taber Finard ‘80 Women’s Institute at begins to implement its section of Sage Forward, the college’s newly approved strategic plan, the institute will be led by a team for the 2025-2026 academic year.
The strategic plan calls for the positioning of the institute as a national model for intergenerational women’s leadership – with the goal of advancing women at every career and life stage through two high-impact pillars:
1. An undergraduate cohort program that cultivates empowered leaders through mentorship, global experiences, and civic engagement.
2 A regional hub offering industry-aligned, revenue-generating microcredentials for professionals.
Together, these initiatives will amplify Sage’s identity as a leader in women’s empowerment and lifelong leadership.
A national search for an executive director will launch sometime next year to continue leading that work.
The 2025-2026 institute leadership team includes:
Interim Executive Director: Dr. Eileen V. Brownell has taught and held leadership positions at Russell Sage since 1983. She was awarded tenure in 1990 and has risen to the rank of associate professor. Throughout her career at Russell Sage, she has been a leading figure in developing and implementing both the field of technology and socially responsible business practices in the business curriculum. In addition, she was actively engaged in programming for the Helen M. Upton Center for Women. Dr. Brownell has led global travel experiences for women as well as service projects in the community. Her work as a leadership consultant with ReGenIGNITE has evolved to include well-being and life coaching for women. She brings her expertise in organizational leadership and women’s education to the institute.
Faculty Fellow: Amy Pass brings an incredible depth of experience in research, instruction, and student support to this role. As an assistant professor and student success librarian at Russell Sage, she has been a champion for academic growth and holistic student development. Her passion for teaching, whether through first-year experience courses, study skills workshops, or service-learning programs, perfectly aligns with the Women’s Institute’s mission to cultivate reflective, values-driven leadership among our student ambassadors. With a career rooted in empowering learners – from federal training programs in Washington, D.C., to online education innovation at Empire State University and now at Sage – Pass brings our ambassador program the mentorship, knowledge, and care we hope to instill in every student who passes through our doors.
Assistant Vice President for Major Gifts: Shelly Calabrese leads fundraising efforts for the institute in addition to her work with the Russell Sage College Advancement team. She has also held advancement roles at the Albany Medical Center Foundation, Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, and Emma Willard School. As the former executive director of the institute from late 2020 to fall 2025, Calabrese believes gender equity is inextricably linked to racial justice and achieving a more equitable and inclusive society.
Women’s Institute Cabinet Liaison: Jennifer Gish serves as the connector between the Denise Taber Finard ‘80 Women’s Institute leadership team and college leadership. In addition to serving as the college’s vice president for marketing and communications, Gish is the founder and president of Strong Through Every Mile, a nonprofit organization that empowers survivors of domestic abuse through the sport of running, and is the former editor of the Times Union’s Women@Work magazine. She holds a bachelor’s degree in women’s studies from Penn State University, in addition to a bachelor’s in journalism from Penn State, and an M.S. in Integrated Marketing and Communications from West Virginia University.
Lead Designer for the Russell Sage College/Women@Work Women’s Professional Development Certificate Program: Dr. Jen Murphy, a member of the institute’s advisory board, has been contracted to lead the institute’s effort to create a co-branded women’s professional development certificate program with the Times Union’s Women@Work. She is the executive director of the undergraduate division at The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania and has more than 20 years experience at various institutions and business schools, including Indiana University, Arizona State, American University, and Ohio University. She is a global speaker, published author, and researcher of women leaders in higher education, serves as an MBA career consultant at the University of Cambridge in the U.K., and regularly speaks, trains, and consults for universities.