About

Brandy A. Randall, Ph.D.
Dean, Graduate School and Professional and Continuing Education (PACE)

Brandy A. Randall, Ph.D. provides academic leadership, advancing graduate, professional and continuing education programs. Dr. Randall guides these academic units through strategic planning, program innovation and student success initiatives. With a background in developmental psychology and extensive experience in higher education administration, Randall has established herself as a visionary leader committed to fostering excellence and inclusivity in graduate, professional and continuing education.

As Dean, Randall has achieved significant milestones, including the development and implementation of policies on credit for prior learning and the launch of digital badging for non-credit and for-credit activities. She steers Oakland University's graduate Strategic Enrollment Management strategy as part of the SEM Steering Committee and served on the 2024 Oakland University Strategic Planning Leadership Team, co-leading the Academic Offerings and Innovation Theme Team to shape the university’s direction for the next seven years. 

Before joining Oakland University, Randall held leadership roles at North Dakota State University, where she was instrumental in curriculum development, mentorship and student engagement initiatives. She earned a Ph.D. and M.A. in Psychology from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and a B.A. in Psychology from Creighton University. Her dedication to advancing professional and continuing education reflects her commitment to supporting workforce development and contributing to the local, state and regional economy through innovative and accessible learning opportunities.

Flavia De Veny
Executive Director
[email protected]
(248) 370-2164

Flavia De Veny joined Oakland University as the Executive Director of PACE with over 30 years of leadership experience in general management and operations. In her role, she is responsible for overseeing non-credit certificate programs, professional re-licensure and upskilling and reskilling initiatives, while building partnerships that support workforce development and regional economic growth.

Prior to joining OU, Flavia served as President and CEO of Camaco-Amvian, a $500 million global automotive supplier, where she led transformation efforts across nine facilities in six countries. Her experience also includes senior leadership positions at Magna International, Cooper-Standard Automotive and Martinrea International, with a focus on business strategy, development and operations.

Flavia earned an MBA from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, an M.S. in Mechanical Engineering from Oakland University, and a B.S. in Aerospace Engineering from the University of Maryland.

Carrie Sliwinski
Assistant Director
[email protected]
(248) 370-3177

Carrie Sliwinski, the Assistant Director for Professional and Continuing Education (PACE) has been with Oakland University (OU) since 2000. Carrie began at OU as a student assistant while she completed her Bachelor of Arts Degree. In 2006, she became a full-time staff member and has been working at Oakland University since then in various roles including the Continuing Education Office Assistant, School of Business Administration Events Coordinator, and the Assistant to the Associate Dean. Carrie has continued her studies while working at Oakland University receiving a Masters of Training and Development from OU in December 2015.

In her current role as the Assistant Director for PACE, she is responsible for leading the registration and enrollment team, acts as technical manager for the Modern Campus Extended Education system, is customer service liaison and implements business and compliance operations for PACE. Carrie is also the Interim Director of the Personal Financial Planning Certificate Program. 

Lori Crose
Senior Account Development Director
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Lori Crose has been with Oakland University since 2000 in various leadership roles. As the Senior Account Development Director for Professional and Continuing Education (PACE), Lori develops custom programs for university departments, schools and colleges.  She collaborates with academic leaders to develop new programs, alternate delivery options and strategies to grow program enrollment using new adult learning approaches in development at Oakland University. In addition, Lori creates partnership programs with governments, businesses and organizations to support workforce development needs. 

Prior to higher education, she worked in the healthcare industry serving as laboratory research assistant at both Illinois State University in Bloomington, Illinois and Southern Illinois University School of Medicine in Springfield, Illinois. Later, she served as Senior Microbiologist at Pharmacia-Upjohn in Kalamazoo, Michigan. While there, her research on Streptomyces transposons resulted in several white paper publications and she received numerous awards for her contribution to antibiotic production process improvements.

Lori earned a Master’s Degree in Public Administration in 2002 from Oakland University and a Bachelor’s Degree from Illinois College in 1981. She has served two terms as the Central Region Secretary for the University Professional and Continuing Education Association (UPCEA) organization and served on the Central Region Planning Committee in 2015. She recently served as a member of the Oakland County’s Workforce Development Business Roundtable and represented Oakland University Representative on the Oakland County Emerging Sectors Educational Consortium.

Gina Wilcox
Registration and Compliance Assistant
[email protected]
(248) 370-3177

Gina Wilcox is the Registration and Compliance Assistant. She has been at Oakland University since 2022. Gina is a retired teacher who spent 33 years in the classroom. She taught many different subjects to special needs students and general education students. She earned her Bachelor of Science degree in education from Eastern Michigan and a Master degree in Educational Technology from Lawrence Technological University.

As Registration and Compliance Assistant she is responsible for assisting students with registration and program questions. She also assists the PACE program directors with their enrollment and registrations needs.

Debbie Whitlock
Office Assistant
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Debbie Whitlock, PACE Office Assistant, joined Oakland University in August 2024. With a diverse career focused on customer service, process improvement, and attention to detail, Debbie's genuine passion for helping others is evident in her work. Most recently, she was part of the Purchasing Department at a local school district and brings extensive clerical accounting and administrative experience to her role. Debbie is excited to contribute to the PACE Department at OU.

In her role as Office Assistant, Debbie’s responsibilities include managing various administrative tasks related to PACE record keeping, such as processing payment requisitions, handling contracts, reconciling credit card statements, and managing invoice payments and fees for PACE programs.

Stephen Anderson
Director, Advanced Placement
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Stephen Anderson is the Director of Advance Placement Summer Institute. He is responsible for planning, staffing and facilitating all APSI sessions. In addition, he works with other members of PACE to market APSI sessions, registration and budgeting.

Stephen completed his Educational Specialist in Educational Leadership from the University of Michigan, Flint in 2015. In addition, he completed his Master’s in Education from Wayne State University in 2011, completed a Bachelor of Arts degree from OU and a Bachelor of Business Administration and Associates of Business Marketing from Baker College. Before pursuing administration work, Stephen studied abroad at Oxford University through Oakland University and taught English in Niger, Romania and Jordan.

Tonia D. Wernette
Director of Paralegal Program
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Tonia Wernette is the Director of Oakland University’s Paralegal Program, where she also teaches Ethics and Law Practice Management. An alumna of Oakland University, she holds a bachelor’s degree in English and History and has earned her ABA-approved paralegal certificate. She is committed to shaping the next generation of legal professionals with a strong foundation in ethics and practice management.

Stephanie J. Spaller
Paralegal Program Assistant
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Stephanie Spaller is a dedicated Paralegal Program Assistant and Litigation Paralegal with over a decade of experience in legal support and litigation. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice and an ABA-approved paralegal certificate from Oakland University. In her role, Stephanie provides essential administrative support to the Paralegal Program Director, assisting with student inquiries, course registrations and scheduling while also managing complex litigation cases. She plays a key role in bridging the gap between theory and practice by assisting instructors in select classes, ensuring students gain real-world insights. Her collaboration with legal professionals helps maintain program excellence, keeping it aligned with industry standards and providing students with valuable resources and training.

Erin Schmotzer
Unit Marketing and Enrollment Coordinator
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Erin Schmotzer serves as the Unit Marketing and Enrollment Coordinator for PACE and the Oakland University Graduate School, where she focuses on promoting and raising awareness of educational programs for adult learners. In her role, Erin develops engaging promotional materials, manages social media platforms, and contributes compelling content for newsletters and websites. She also collaborates with PACE staff to promote summer camps, enhancing outreach and engagement.

With 20 years of experience in the advertising and marketing industry, Erin brings a wealth of knowledge and creativity to her position. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Advertising from Michigan State University, equipping her with the skills to effectively connect with diverse audiences and drive enrollment initiatives.