New members join board of directors for Behrend’s Council of Fellows

Three leaders of the region’s health and business communities have been appointed to the Board of Directors for Penn State Behrend’s Council of Fellows, which advises Chancellor Ralph Ford and the campus leadership team on strategic direction for the College and manages the business of the Council.

The 95-member council provides insight and advice on matters ranging from strategic planning and academic programs to fundraising and alumni affairs. Three new members have been appointed to the council’s Board of Directors:

• Ed Auslander, retired president and CEO of LORD Corporation. Auslander, who earned a master of business administration at Penn State Behrend and a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering at Penn State, began his career at LORD in 1984, in the student co-op program, and advanced through a series of management and leadership positions. When LORD was sold to Parker Hannifin Corporation in 2019, the company was valued at $3.67 billion. Auslander is now a senior adviser at Blackstone.

• Dr. Christopher Clark, president of AHN Saint Vincent Hospital. Dr. Clark has held various leadership roles at Saint Vincent over the last decade, serving as senior vice president of medical affairs, chief quality officer and director of medical education before being named president in 2017. He holds a master of health administration degree from Penn State.

• Dr. Halina Zyczynski, a practicing urogynecologist and chair of the department of obstetrics and gynecology at UPMC Hamot. Dr. Zyczynski also serves as medical director of Magee-Womens Research Institute of Erie, a partnership of MWRI and Penn State Behrend.

“The Council of Fellows is an invaluable resource to Behrend’s leadership team as we position the college to support all aspects of Erie’s growth,” Ford said. “Our new board members are already engaged in the mission of the college, which includes an open lab approach to bringing students together with external partners for learning and discovery. Formalizing their role with the council will enhance and expand their influence as advisers, advocates and ambassadors for Penn State Behrend.