SPEAKER BIOS
President Rebecca Cunningham
Dr. Rebecca Cunningham began her appointment as the 18th President of the University of Minnesota System on July 1, 2024. As President, Dr. Cunningham is committed to working closely with the U of M community and Minnesotans broadly to shape a strong vision for the five-campus system and execute innovative strategies that achieve excellence in fulfilling the University’s three-part land-grant mission of teaching, research, and outreach. President Cunningham also has a faculty appointment in the School of Public Health's Division of Epidemiology & Community Health.
Dr. Cunningham most recently served as the Vice President for Research and Innovation at the University of Michigan, where she was responsible for fostering excellence and upholding the institution’s public mission in research, scholarship, and creative practice across three campuses and a health system. In 2019, Dr. Cunningham was elected to the National Academy of Medicine, and in 2023, Crain’s Detroit Business recognized Dr. Cunningham as a “Notable Leader in Higher Education.”
Dr. Cunningham holds a bachelor’s degree from Fairfield University and a medical doctorate from Jefferson Medical College. She completed her residency in emergency medicine at the University of Michigan Health System and a postdoctoral research fellowship with the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism.
Provost Gretchen Ritter
As chief academic officer, Executive Vice President and Provost Gretchen Ritter leads the academic enterprise across all five U of M campuses, working alongside chancellors, deans, professors, and advisors to shape your overall campus experience. From shaping unique majors to supporting top-tier faculty, her office ensures you have the resources and support to thrive from your very first lecture to graduation day.
Having started her own higher education journey as an undergraduate studying government at Cornell and political science to earn her doctorate from MIT, Dr. Ritter brings her background as a scholar of democracy and citizenship to her leadership. She is deeply committed to creating a vibrant community where every University of Minnesota student is empowered to explore big ideas, exchange diverse perspectives, and turn their education into real-world impact.
Dr. Emily Fairfax
Dr. Emily Fairfax is an Associate Professor of Geography at the University of Minnesota and an affiliate faculty member at the Saint Anthony Falls Laboratory. Dr. Fairfax double majored in Chemistry and Physics as an undergraduate at Carleton College, then went on to earn a PhD in Geological Sciences from the University of Colorado Boulder. She uses a combination of remote sensing, modeling, and field work to understand how beaver ecosystem engineering can create drought and fire-resistant patches in the landscape under a changing climate. Her research has been featured internationally in National Geographic, the New York Times, the LA Times, PBS, NPR, BBC, and others. She was also the Science Consultant for Pixar's 2026 movie: Hoppers. When Dr. Fairfax says she can talk about beavers all day, she’s not kidding.
Fatima Aden
Fatima Aden recently kicked off her term as President of the Undergraduate Student Government at the University of Minnesota. She is double majoring in Political Science and Economics, and has interests in pursuing a dual Masters in Public Policy and her Juris Doctorate, law degree, upon graduation. Fatima grew up in the south metropolitan area, graduating from Eagan Highschool– where her passion for student advocacy began after she founded the school’s first Black Student Union. She is a first-generation student coming from a rambunctious Somali household, a trait that has clearly contributed to her extroverted personality. When she’s not talking about how much she loves the Undergraduate Student Government, she’s probably telling you why you should join it.
Dr. Betsy McCann
Dr. Elizabeth (Betsy) Kerns McCann is the Assistant Director of Bands/Director of Marching and Athletic Bands at the University of Minnesota. McCann is the first female head director of a marching band in the Big Ten Conference. She started with the U of M Marching Band in 2013 as Assistant Director. She previously directed bands at Watertown-Mayer High School (Watertown, MN), Waubonsie Valley High School (Aurora, Illinois) and Burnsville Senior High School (Burnsville, Minnesota). She holds degrees from Northwestern University (Master of Music) and the University of Minnesota (Bachelor and Doctor of Music).
