John
Wiley & Sons, Inc., (NYSE:JWa)(NYSE:JWb) today announced the
appointment of Laurie A. Leshin, Ph.D., President of Worcester
Polytechnic Institute (WPI), to its Board of Directors.
With more than 20 years of experience as a leader in academia and
government service, and with an accomplished record as a scientist and
author, Leshin combines a life-long love of learning and exploration
with a strong track record of advancing institutions and programs
through leadership, team building, and collaboration.
“Laurie Leshin brings rich leadership experience in the academic and
science communities that will prove invaluable to Wiley’s Board of
Directors,” said Mark Allin, Wiley President & CEO.
“President Leshin’s knowledge of the academic and research sectors, as
well as her experience as a scientist and author, will be a real asset
to Wiley’s strategic thinking in these critically important areas,” said
Matthew Kissner, Chair, Wiley Board of Directors.
Laurie Leshin is an accomplished academic and administrative leader and
a geochemist and space scientist. She earned a Ph.D. in geochemistry
from the California Institute of Technology and has gone on to create a
career that combines a lifelong love of learning and exploration to
achieve a strong track record advancing critical institutions and
programs.
Appointed as WPI's 16th president in 2014, Leshin is committed to
elevating the university's impact in communities worldwide. Prior to
joining WPI, Leshin was Dean of the School of Science at Rensselaer
Polytechnic Institute in New York and had previously served as the Dee
and John Whiteman Dean’s Distinguished Professor of Geological Sciences
at Arizona State University.
Leshin also spent six years as a senior leader at NASA. She remains a
member of NASA's Mars Curiosity Team, still on call for monitoring the
rover. During her time at NASA, she served as Deputy Director of the
Exploration Systems Mission Directorate, which oversees future human
spaceflight programs and activities. Leshin had also served as the
Director of Science and exploration at NASA's Goddard Space Flight
Center and was promoted to the role of Deputy Center Director for
Science and Technology during her time there.
In addition, she was appointed by President Barack Obama to the Advisory
Board of the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum and served on
President George W. Bush's Commission on Implementation of United States
Space Exploration Policy. She received the NASA Distinguished Public
Service Medal in 2004 and the Outstanding Leadership Medal in 2011.
Leshin has served on the Board of Directors of Women in Aerospace and
the Council of the American Geophysical Union. In 2001, the
International Astronomical Union named an asteroid after Dr. Leshin in
recognition of her contributions to planetary science.
About Wiley
Wiley is a global provider of knowledge and knowledge-enabled services
that improve outcomes in areas of research, professional practice, and
education. Through the Research segment, the Company provides
digital and print scientific, technical, medical, and scholarly
journals, reference works, books, database services, and advertising.
The Professional Development segment provides digital and print
books, online assessment and training services, and test prep and
certification. In Education, Wiley provides education solutions
including online program management services for higher education
institutions and course management tools for instructors and students,
as well as print and digital content.
John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Brian Campbell, 201-748-6874
Director, Investor Relations
brian.campbell@wiley.com