Union Institute & University Elects Four New Trustees

CINCINNATI – Union Institute & University (UI&U), a private, non-profit university headquartered in Cincinnati announced that Katherine Prince, M.A.; Edgar L. Smith Jr.; Dr. Lee Binder; and Dr. Dennis J. Tartakow have been elected to the Union Institute & University Board of Trustees.

“Adding these four stellar individuals to Union’s Board of Trustees allows the university to partake of varied and expert knowledge across a wide spectrum,” said Union President Roger H. Sublett. “Their contributions, and those of all our trustees, will be pivotal as we celebrate the university’s 50th anniversary in 2014.”

Katherine Prince, M.A. is the senior director of strategic foresight at KnowledgeWorks, a social enterprise that strives to improve U.S. student readiness for college and careers. KnowledgeWorks incubates innovative schools, influences education policy, and engages in education research and development. Prince is also an author and an expert on the future of learning. She has helped a wide range of organizations translate KnowledgeWorks’ forecasts into visions and has developed strategies to bring those ideas to fruition.

Before joining KnowledgeWorks in 2006, Prince supported large-scale changes in working practice at The Open University by introducing an online portal and an online student feedback system for 7,500 tutors distributed across the UK. Prior to that, she managed customer satisfaction improvement projects and established a technical communications group at Pacific Consulting Group in California.

Prince earned a bachelor of arts in English from Ohio Wesleyan University, a master of arts in English from the University of Iowa, and a master’s degree in business administration from The Open University.

Edgar L. Smith, Jr. is founder, chairman and CEO of Cincinnati, Ohio-based World Pac Paper, a privately held Inc. 500 and BE 100 company and award-winning national distributor of high quality printing and packaging papers and packaging solutions. World Pac Paper serves Fortune 500/1000 corporations, commercial printers, publishers, integrated and independent corrugated converters, folding carton/rigid box manufacturers, tube winders, laminators, paper converters, and the foodservice industry. In his role as chairman and CEO Smith leads and provides strategic direction, planning, and business development. In 2004 he founded World Pac Paper, which was named an Inc. 500 Top Black-Run Company in 2009.

Smith has extensive experience in sales. In his past positions, he served as vice president of national sales for Coca-Cola North America, national accounts manager for Smurfit-Stone Container Corporation, sales manager for the Georgia-Pacific Corporation, and as a senior packaging specialist for James River Corporation. Smith is a dedicated community volunteer, serving the Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber, ArtsWave, Cincinnati Arts Association, American Red Cross, Boy Scouts of America, and Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra.

Smith holds a Bachelor of Arts in Marketing from Morehouse College in Atlanta, Georgia. He has also completed the Advanced Management / Minority Business Executive Education Programs at, both, Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth and the Kellogg Scholl of Management at Northwestern University.

Lee Binder, Ph.D. is the director of the Ben Gamla Charter School, a Broward County public school located in Hollywood, Florida. In her role, she oversees marketing, curriculum, and supervises the school’s staff and students. Before joining Ben Gamla, Dr. Binder served in a variety of positions at Greenfield Day School in Miami, Florida. She worked at Greenfield for 26 years, in roles including reading lab director, assistant principal, principal, and head of the school. Dr. Binder began her career as a fourth-grade teacher at Montgomery County Public Schools in Bethesda, Maryland and later at Libertyville Public Schools in Libertyville, Illinois.

Dr. Binder has also served as an adjunct professor for Union Institute & University, Barry University, and St. Thomas University. In addition to teaching in the classroom, she has also shared her knowledge and experience as a presenter at workshops and seminars, through community service, writing articles, and serving in professional associations.

She earned a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education from Northern Illinois University, a Master of Arts in Elementary Education from George Washington University, and a Ph.D. in Educational Leadership from Union Institute & University.

Dr. Dennis J. Tartakow is currently a consultant in orthodontics, TMJ disorders, orofacial pain, practice management, and healthcare administration. Dr. Tartakow is also editor-in-chief and a frequent contributor to the US edition of dental newspaper Ortho Tribune. He previously practiced orthodontics and therapy for TMJ disorders and orofacial pain in Palm Beach, Florida.

Dr. Tartakow is an associate clinical professor at Nova Southeastern University’s College of Dental Medicine in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, where he previously served as the director of the TMD department of post-graduate orthodontics. He is an associate clinical professor in the graduate orthodontic department at the University of Southern California’s School of Dentistry in Los Angeles. He also serves as the senior attending orthodontist and former chairman of dental research at the Albert Einstein Medical Center in Philadelphia. At Union Institute & University’s Florida academic center he served as a primary adjunct professor in the master’s program from 2004 to 2008 and as a doctoral dissertation committee member from 2002 to 2008.

Dr. Tartakow holds two master’s degrees and three doctoral degrees. He earned a Doctor of Dental Medicine (D.M.D.) from Tufts University, and his Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) and Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) from Union Institute & University.

Board chair Virginia R. Wiltse, Ph.D. added her congratulations to the newest members which brings the total of trustees to 16. “The Board is truly honored that these strong and effective professionals have joined our board,” she said. “Katherine brings insight into the future of education. Edgar’s commitment to Cincinnati has helped so many other organizations thrive. And, as alumni, both Lee and Dennis provide a history and also exemplify the impact Union alumni make in the world.”