Regis Appoints New Deans

Regis President Antoinette M. Hays, PhD, RN, announced the appointment of two individuals in the division of undergraduate student affairs and enrollment. Laura Bertonazzi, EdD, has been appointed the dean of undergraduate admission and retention, and Walt Horner, MBA, has been appointed the dean of student affairs.

“We are fortunate to have fine professionals at Regis who serve our students and university with great care and loyalty,” said Hays.

“I am proud and grateful to work with Laura and Walt who take great pride in serving our treasured students and are passionate advocates for them,” said Kara Kolomitz, EdD, vice president of student affairs and enrollment.

Since graduating as valedictorian from Regis in 2003, Dr. Bertonazzi has served in many roles at the university including resident director, a job she did while completing her graduate studies at Suffolk University. She has also served as the director of student activities, Title IX investigator, First-Year Seminar faculty member, and chief conduct officer. After being appointed associate dean of students in 2014, Dr. Bertonazzi created the Office of Student Accessibility and Disability Services and launched Regis’ bystander program. She received her doctorate in educational leadership from the University of New England. Dr. Bertonazzi is active with the UMass Memorial Parent Family Advisory Council for the Neonatology Intensive Care Unit, and serves on the scholarship committee in her hometown of Southborough where she lives with her husband and two young children.

Mr. Horner, originally from Pennsylvania, earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Rochester and MBA from Northeastern University. Since arriving at Regis in 2008 as the director of special programs in academic affairs, Mr. Horner has contributed to the Regis community in many ways including as an academic advisor, First-Year Seminar instructor, leader of the co-curricular learning program, and a fellow in the Environmental Leadership Program. In 2012, he was appointed assistant dean of students and two years later became the associate dean of students and co-director of First Year Experience. Prior to Regis, Mr. Horner served as the executive director of the Colorado Outdoor Training Initiative (now the Outdoor Stewardship Institute), served two years as an AmeriCorps team leader, and co-founded the Massachusetts Promise Fellowship, a statewide AmeriCorps service program for emerging young leaders hosted by Northeastern University. He lives in Southborough with his wife, two daughters, and dog.