Vassar Salutes Outgoing and Incoming Chairs of the Board of Trustees
Vassar Trustee Sharon Davidson Chang ’84, P’19 has been named Chair of the Board, succeeding Anthony Friscia ’78, P’15, who is stepping down after 15 years of service, the last six as Chair. And while she acknowledges she will have “huge shoes to fill” replacing Friscia as leader of the board, Chang says she’s looking forward to helping to forge the future of the College she has loved for more than 40 years.
Photo credits: Friscia, Sam Stuart Photography; Chang, Dana Chang ’19
“I didn’t aspire to this role,” she said. But after Friscia and College President Elizabeth H. Bradley approached her last fall and asked her to consider becoming board chair, Chang decided to accept the challenge. “I was humbled and honored to be asked and it took me some time to decide—I have a demanding day job (she is a Partner and Non-Scripted Talent Agent at William Morris Endeavor),” she said, “but I’m also extremely passionate about Vassar and its future.”
Chang said she ultimately decided to accept the position because of what she termed as Vassar’s stellar leadership. “A significant part of my decision came down to my experience with President Bradley,” she said. “I began as a trustee the same year she became president, and I’ve seen how things have evolved since then. She’s a brilliant strategist and masterful communicator who understands how to execute a plan and get things done. She has a strong senior team, and I have a strong, collaborative board—what a gift!”
Friscia said he and Chang had spent a lot of time together since Chang was named Vice Chair of the board last fall. “Sharon and I have had numerous one-on-ones when I shared information with her and she asked lots of questions, so she has a good sense of the nuances of the job and how our committees work,” he said. “But I’ve tried not to give her too much advice. William Plapinger ’74 [Friscia’s predecessor as Chair] was a great mentor but didn’t tell me what to do. I’ve tried to do the same thing. I’m sure Sharon will do things a little differently, and that’s a good thing. She fully knows the way things work. I want to leave it to her and give her room to take the board in a new direction.”
Two other trustees who left the board this year said they revered Friscia’s leadership skills but were confident the board and the College were in good hands with Chang as the new Chair. “Tony was a great leader; he had great analytical and people skills,” said Robert Tanenbaum P’12, who served on the board for 12 years. “He was a thoughtful guy who never shot from the hip. We were lucky in these challenging times to have someone who devoted himself to the job so skillfully.”
Mark Ordan ’79, who stepped down after serving on the board for 20 years, agreed. “I credit Tony and Betsy for guiding us through some challenging times,” he said. “Tony had a softspoken wisdom, a sense of humor, and common sense that truly benefited the College.”
Ordan said he did have one misgiving as he left his seat on the board. “We are lucky to have someone like Sharon to step into this new role,” he said. “If I have any regrets about leaving, it’s that I would love to serve on a board that Sharon is chairing.”
Chang said she is confident that she and the board are equipped for the challenges the College will face in the months and years ahead. “There are exciting things happening on campus—the construction of the Dede Thompson Bartlett Center for Admission and Career Education, the upcoming launch of the Institute for the Liberal Arts, and the ongoing capital campaign,” she said. “At the same time, these are consequential, complex times for higher education, given the fraught political and global environment, along with student unrest. But we are inspired to support our phenomenal students, distinguished faculty, and Vassar community as we stay focused on the strategic goals of the College.”