Morgan State University Announces Strategic Leadership Appointments and Internal Advancements to Support Institutional Growth

New appointments and expanded leadership roles strengthen student success, institutional operations, research oversight and University governance

BALTIMORE — As Morgan State University continues its institutional ascent while advancing long-term strategic priorities, the University announces a series of key leadership appointments and internal advancements designed to strengthen administrative operations, enhance student services and support its expanding research enterprise. The appointments bring experienced professionals into critical leadership roles while recognizing the contributions of current University administrators entrusted with increased responsibilities.

Spanning Student Affairs, Institutional Advancement, Finance and Administration, Information Technology, Research and Economic Development, and University governance, these leadership changes reflect Morgan’s commitment to building the organizational capacity necessary to sustain its sixth consecutive year of historic enrollment growth and advance the ambitious goals outlined in Transformation Morgan 2030: Leading the Future.

“As Morgan continues to grow—in our enrollment, research capacity, and as a leading public research university—we must ensure that we keep pace with the scale of our ambitions,” said David K. Wilson, president of Morgan. “These strategic appointments and key elevations are intentionally designed to meet the demands of delivering on our commitments to student success, operational excellence and research innovation. We welcome our newest leaders to Morgan, and applaud those whose demonstrated service has earned well-deserved advancement. This is how we sustain our momentum and position Morgan for even greater impact.”

New Strategic Leadership Appointments at the National Treasure 

Cesquinn Curtis, Ed.D.
Associate Vice President for Student Affairs and Dean of Students

Dr. Cesquinn Curtis assumes a senior leadership role within the Division of Student Affairs, overseeing a comprehensive portfolio of student support services, including counseling, disability support, student rights and responsibilities, basic needs assistance and the University Health Center. As associate vice president and dean of students, Curtis brings 18 years of higher education student support experience to the Student Affairs team, leading efforts to strengthen coordinated student care, crisis response, prevention and intervention services within the Student Affairs team. Working closely with divisional leadership and campus partners, Curtis will advance an integrated approach to student well-being, ensuring that institutional resources and support systems effectively address student needs, remove barriers to academic progress and contribute to improved retention, persistence and degree completion. An alumnus of the University of West Georgia, where he earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Political Science, Curtis received his Doctor of Education in organizational leadership from Grand Canyon University.

Kara Gilliard
Assistant Vice President for Advancement Finance and Operations

Bringing more than 15 years of financial and operational leadership experience, Kara Gilliard joins Morgan as assistant vice president for advancement finance and operations. Her professional background includes senior financial positions at Colgate Rochester Crozer Divinity School, the Oikos Institute for Social Impact, Johnson C. Smith University and North Carolina Central University. At Morgan, Gilliard will oversee financial stewardship, budgeting, reporting, internal controls and operational effectiveness within Institutional Advancement and the Morgan State University Foundation (MSUF). She holds a bachelor’s degree in accounting from Winston-Salem State University and a master’s degree in accounting from New England College. Her appointment strengthens the financial infrastructure supporting the University’s philanthropic and institutional advancement priorities.

Erdal Ozkaya, Ph.D.
Chief Information Security Officer

Dr. Erdal Ozkaya joins Morgan as chief information security officer, providing University-wide leadership in information security strategy, cybersecurity governance and technology risk management. Reporting to the vice president and chief information officer within the Division of Information Technology (DIT), Ozkaya will oversee the development and implementation of policies, systems and safeguards designed to protect the University’s information assets and digital infrastructure. His responsibilities include cybersecurity risk assessments, security compliance, incident investigations, vendor risk management and the continuous improvement of institutional security practices. As Morgan expands its digital capabilities and technology-enabled operations, Ozkaya’s leadership will be instrumental in strengthening institutional resilience, safeguarding sensitive information and supporting a secure environment for teaching, learning, research and administration. Ozkaya comes to Morgan with international CISO experience spanning diverse industry verticals from companies, including Xcitium, Standard Chartered Bank and Microsoft. He holds a Doctor of Philosophy in cyber security from Charles Sturt University.

Jada Wright
Director of Procurement and Property Control

Jada Wright joins Morgan as director of procurement and property control, assuming responsibility for the University’s purchasing operations, competitive bidding processes, contracting activities and property management functions. Wright will oversee the Office of Procurement, directly managing procurement staff, the University Procurement Card Program and surplus asset management while ensuring compliance with applicable state and institutional policies. The position also carries responsibility for improving procurement procedures, strengthening supplier relationships and supporting the University’s evolving operational requirements. Through strategic sourcing, effective resource management and process improvements, Wright will help advance institutional efficiency and accountability as Morgan continues to expand its academic, research and physical infrastructure. Wright most recently served at the Maryland State Highway Administration as Director of the Office of Procurement and Contract Management. There, she led a staff of 35 and oversaw high-volume solicitations valued at $150 million annually, including architectural and engineering services, facilities maintenance, IT, and construction-related services. A Certified Public Procurement Officer and a Certified Maryland Procurement Officer, Wright holds a Bachelor of Arts in English from the University of Maryland, Baltimore County.

Wiata Weeks, M.D.
Medical Director, University Health Center

Dr. Wiata Weeks joins Morgan State University as medical director, providing clinical leadership and oversight of healthcare services delivered through the University Health Center. In this role, she is responsible for advancing evidence-based standards of care, patient safety, clinical quality and preventive health initiatives. Her responsibilities include oversight of clinical decision-making, medication management, laboratory services and healthcare regulatory compliance. Working collaboratively with University health professionals and administrators, Dr. Weeks will help strengthen the delivery of accessible, responsive and student-centered healthcare services while promoting wellness, health education and improved health outcomes across Morgan’s growing student population. An accomplished and practicing pediatric physician, Dr. Weeks’ experience in medicine and science education spans 20 years.  She is a graduate of the University of Michigan and earned her medical degree from Howard University, College of Medicine.

Internal Leadership Advancements

In addition to welcoming new administrators, Morgan has elevated four members of its existing leadership team to positions carrying expanded responsibilities. Newly appointed positions include elevations across key University functions spanning the following personnel and roles:

• Ryan Maltese, J.D., Ph.D. – Vice President for Student Academic Success and Completion
  Previously serving as associate vice president of student success and retention, Dr. Ryan Maltese has been elevated to vice president for student academic success and completion within the Division of Enrollment Management and Student Success (EMASS). His expanded leadership role places increased emphasis on advancing coordinated institutional strategies that support academic achievement, student persistence and timely degree completion. The appointment reinforces Morgan’s commitment to translating sustained enrollment growth into measurable student success outcomes.

• Reagan C. Coss, J.D. – Assistant Vice President and Title IX Coordinator
  Formerly associate vice president and dean of students, Reagan Coss assumes leadership of the University’s Office of Diversity and Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) as assistant vice president and Title IX coordinator. Reporting through the Office of the General Counsel (OGC), Coss will oversee institutional civil rights compliance, including Title IX, Title VI, accessibility services, discrimination prevention, complaint resolution and related regulatory responsibilities. The position strengthens Morgan’s institutional framework for equitable access, compliance and accountability.

• Kassandra Grogan – Executive Director of University Policy and Board Administration
  A Morgan graduate with 28 years of institutional service, Kassandra Grogan has advanced from director of administrative services to executive director of University policy and board administration. Since beginning her career at Morgan as a student worker, Grogan has held several administrative positions supporting University leadership. In her expanded role, she oversees policy development and management, board governance, executive support, compliance oversight and strategic initiatives, drawing on extensive institutional knowledge and experience.

• Keyshawn Moncrieffe – Director for Research Compliance, Division of Research and Economic Development
  Previously serving as research compliance administrator, Keyshawn Moncrieffe has been elevated to director for research compliance within the University’s Division of Research and Economic Development (D-RED). In this capacity, Moncrieffe oversees institutional research compliance programs involving human research protections, conflicts of interest, export controls, research ethics and regulatory requirements. The expanded role strengthens Morgan’s research administration infrastructure and supports the University’s continued pursuit of greater research activity, institutional accountability and its strategic goal of achieving Carnegie R1 classification.

About Morgan

Morgan State University, founded in 1867, is a Carnegie-classified high research (R2) institution offering more than 150 baccalaureate, master’s degree, doctorate and certificate programs. As Maryland’s Preeminent Public Urban Research University, and the only university to have its entire campus designated as a National Treasure by the National Trust for Historic Preservation, Morgan serves a multiethnic and multiracial student body and seeks to ensure that the doors of higher education are opened as wide as possible to as many as possible. For more information about Morgan State University, visit www.morgan.edu. 

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Larry Jones, Dell Jackson or Cheryl Stewart for Morgan State University PR
443-885-3022

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