Senior Management Team

Lauren Heinz, Vice President of Communications, Marketing, and Public Affairs

Lauren's professional experience spans more than 15 years in the areas of strategic branding and identity development, marketing, creative concept development, crisis communication and issues management, social media, website design and development, communication planning, media relations, video and multimedia production, writing and editing, and internal communications. She is a graduate of Carnegie Mellon University, where she earned a B.A. in Anthropology & History and Rhetoric and an M.A. in Rhetoric (intercultural communications focus). From 2000 to 2006, she served as senior writer/editor and later as the director of marketing communications for Carnegie Mellon University's Software Engineering Institute in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. From 1997 to 1999, she served as a U.S. Peace Corps volunteer, teaching English in Dzierzoniow, Poland, where she received a grant to establish the area's first English library. She joined the Institute for Shipboard Education in September 2006.

Thomas C. Holleran, Vice President and Chief Financial Officer

Tom holds a B.S. in Accounting from Duquesne University and a M.B.A. from Robert Morris University. He came to ISE in 1997 as the Account Controller for the Business Office. Tom has sailed with Semester at Sea on the Fall 1998 and Spring 2001 voyages.

Luke Jones, Chief of Staff

Luke’s professional career includes over 10 years of experience higher education. He has worked in residence life, housing, greek life, admissions, campus involvement, and new student programs. Luke holds a B.A. degree in communications, an M.A.Ed. degree in student affairs, and a Ph.D. in higher education from Washington State University. His research focus was spiritual development of undergraduates in public institutions of higher education. He is interested in the intersection of meaning, faith, experiential learning, and international experiences. He has taught undergraduate courses in leadership development and communications. Luke has traveled extensively and in 2000 spent time in South Africa teaching English, developing youth programs, and worked with underprivileged youth in a township. Prior to his work in higher education, Luke enjoyed a career in broadcasting which included Fisher Radio in Seattle Bunim/Murray Productions in Los Angeles and Publicis Seattle. He sailed with Semester at Sea as a living-learning coordinator in fall 2004 and as the assistant executive dean in spring 2009 and joined the Institute for Shipboard Education in July 2009.

Beth Walker McCarthy, Senior Vice President of Enrollment and Marketing

Beth joins ISE from High Point University (HPU), where she served as the director of admissions through three consecutive record enrollments. Prior to her service at HPU, Beth played an instrumental role in the start up operations at the Charlotte School of Law, where she served as the first director of admissions for the school and worked closely with the ABA accreditation process. She earned her master's degree in higher education from the University of Rhode Island (URI) while working for the URI Admissions Office. She began her career in admissions at Marian University in Indianapolis, where she served for seven years as the associate director of admissions. Beth grew up in Indianapolis and earned her BA in Education from Purdue University.

Salvatore Moschella, Vice President and Chief Operating Officer

Sal holds a B.S. and M.B.A. in Computer Science and is currently pursing a Ph.D. in the field of Organizational Information Behavior at the University of Pittsburgh. He completed part of his studies at the University of Bologna, Italy. Prior to starting his career with the Institute in 1994, Sal provided Management Consulting Services to higher education and corporate clients in the U.S. and Europe. He sailed on Semester at Sea in 1991 as Assistant Dean and in 2002 as part-time faculty and IT Coordinator. As adjunct faculty at Duquesne University and the University of Pittsburgh, Sal has taught courses in e-Commerce, Database Management, and Information Systems Design. Born in Italy, Sal is fluent in Italian and English and has basic knowledge of Spanish.

Megan Murphy, Vice President of Development and Alumni Affairs

A graduate of Allegheny College with a B.A. degree in international studies and french, Megan also holds a master’s degree in public administration and international affairs from the University of Pittsburgh. She began her career as a resident director on the Fall 1990 voyage of Semester at Sea, aboard the SS Universe. From 1991 to 2002, Murphy worked for Allegheny College’s admissions department, beginning as an assistant director of admissions, and later assuming the role of chief enrollment officer. While at Allegheny, Megan served in a variety of leadership positions with regional and national professional organizations and was an active consultant with George Dehne & Associates, assisting private college clients with prospect management and admissions marketing.

Prior to joining the Institute for Shipboard Education in November 2009, Megan served as director of development at Marlborough School in Los Angeles, where she expanded the development office to include all aspects of institutional advancement, including branding, web communications, alumnae outreach, major giving, and estate planned giving. While at Marlborough School, Murphy led one of the largest and most successful capital campaigns ever at an all-girls school, raising $52 million in campaign gifts and another $15 million in annual fund contributions from 2002 to 2009. During her time at Marlborough, Megan was active in the National Coalition of Girls Schools and participated in a fellowship program with the National Association of Independent Schools.

Mike Zoll, Vice President of Enrollment Management and Student Affairs

Mike's two and a half decades of leadership in higher education include both administrative and faculty positions. Before joining the Institute full-time in 2006, Mike served as vice provost at Saint Mary's College of California, dean and adjunct faculty at Mount Saint Mary's University, associate dean at Gonzaga University, associate dean at Harvey Mudd College (Claremont Colleges), and assistant dean at College of the Holy Cross. Mike has sailed on five Semester at Sea voyages since 1990, most recently as executive dean on the summer 2009 voyage. Mike earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in Communication Studies and Religious Studies from the University of California, Santa Barbara; Masters degree in Higher Education and Student Affairs Administration from the University of Vermont; and doctorate degree in Educational Leadership from the University of La Verne. Mike is active in several professional organizations and recently co-presented a NAFSA webinar titled "Parents and Education Abroad: A Training Manual". Mike lives in Charlottesville, Virginia, with his wife and four children.