Faculty Fellows

At the Center for Higher Education Leadership and Innovative Practice (CHELIP), we are committed to fostering bold ideas, thoughtful inquiry, and the collaborative development of solutions that address the evolving challenges of higher education. CHELIP serves as a dynamic hub for research, conversation, and action on the future of postsecondary leadership and organizational transformation.

Central to this mission are our Faculty Fellows — leaders in the field whose expertise, creativity, and engagement help enrich the CHELIP community. Faculty Fellows contribute to our initiatives by participating in programming, sharing their insights with students and practitioners, and advancing cross-institutional dialogue on leadership, innovation, and the future of higher education. Their contributions help shape thoughtful discourse, elevate strategic inquiry, and deepen our collective impact across the higher education landscape.

While this role is primarily voluntary, our Faculty Fellows bring extraordinary depth of experience and a commitment to advancing the work of CHELIP and the broader higher education community. Their involvement complements the Center’s programming including the IngenioUs podcast, Leading Edge Thinking in Higher Education series, and other scholarly and professional engagements.

Meet Our Faculty Fellows

David J. Staley, Ph.D.
Dr. Staley is an Associate Professor in the Departments of History, Design, and Educational Studies at The Ohio State University and serves as an Honorary Faculty Fellow in Innovation with CHELIP. His research explores digital history, historical methodology, and the intersection of technology, scholarship, and the future of higher education. A prolific author and curator of digital and physical exhibits, Dr. Staley brings a deep interdisciplinary perspective to conversations about innovation and institutional transformation.

Rob Zinkan, Ed.D.
Dr. Zinkan is an Adjunct Professor in Bay Path’s Educational Leadership Doctorate program and Vice President for Marketing Leadership at RHB, where he guides higher education institutions in strategic reputation, brand coherence, and organizational alignment. With more than two decades of leadership experience in higher education administration — including senior roles at Indiana University — Dr. Zinkan shares his expertise on marketing, strategy, and academic leadership as part of CHELIP’s community of thinkers and practitioners.

Together, our Faculty Fellows help anchor CHELIP’s mission by contributing scholarship, professional leadership, and thought partnership that enriches our programming, fosters community, and supports leaders navigating the complexities of contemporary higher education.