UQ Team

Assess your institution’s performance against well-chosen peers, set targets, and prioritize areas for strategic focus

The UQ team combines deep experience in higher education, data, and business strategy. Our data tools are informed by our experience as higher ed leaders and consultants, and the data tools in turn shape our consulting approach. With decades of experience in senior leadership, we make sure you have the best data available, and we help you translate that data into effective processes and wise decisions.

UQ Team

Assess your institution’s performance against well-chosen peers, set targets, and prioritize areas for strategic focus

UQ Team

Assess your institution’s performance against well-chosen peers, set targets, and prioritize areas for strategic focus

UQ Team

Assess your institution’s performance against well-chosen peers, set targets, and prioritize areas for strategic focus

Dr. Seth Houston
Founder and CEO
seth.houston@uq.solutions

BIO

Dr. Seth Houston, founder and CEO, enjoyed a successful early career in higher education, serving on the faculties of Carroll University and the University of California, Irvine, where he was also Associate Chair. A choral conductor and composer, he established programs under his direction as centers of excellence, innovation, and collaboration. While at UCI, Seth was selected to participate in the Provost’s Leadership Academy, a year-long training program for emerging academic leaders. Seth also completed an MBA at UCLA Anderson, where he focused on business strategy and finance, and went on to work at another consulting firm. Seth has consulted with—and built data tools for—dozens of colleges and universities across the country, from small private colleges to large public universities, from community colleges to leading online providers. In addition to his MBA, Seth holds a doctorate from USC Thornton and degrees from Oberlin and the University of Michigan, where he received the Regents Fellowship. Seth lives in Charlottesville, VA, where his wife attended UVA Law.

Dr. John Woell
Senior Affiliate Consultant
john.woell@uq.solutions

BIO

Dr. John W. Woell, senior affiliate consultant, is also Founder and Principal of Manitou Passage Consultancy, which helps higher education executives and boards navigate strategic challenges surrounding leadership transitions. He served previously as Senior Vice President and Academic Dean at Simpson College, as Associate Vice President of Strategic Initiatives and Academic Affairs at Albion College, as Assistant Dean in the Lloyd International Honors College at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, and as Professor of Religion and Philosophy and department chair at Greensboro College. His doctorate in religion and master’s in philosophy were earned at the Claremont Graduate University, his master’s in religion at Vanderbilt University, and his bachelor’s at Valparaiso University. John’s scholarly work focuses on the intersection of philosophy and religion with a foundation in early American pragmatism. He continues to be motivated by the interdisciplinary and critical questions raised by classical texts, a love for which he discovered in Christ College, the interdisciplinary honors college, at Valparaiso University. John lives in Traverse City, MI.

Dr. Jennifer deCoste
Senior Affiliate Consultant

BIO

Dr. Jennifer DeCoste, senior affiliate consultant and President of ACT Executive Coaching, leads UQ’s work on change management. Jennifer brings over 25 years of experience in higher education, focusing on leadership, strategy, diversity, and culture. Known for her radical candor and passion for shared governance, she has consulted with over 100 institutions and coached hundreds of executives to tackle culture and leadership challenges. Her career includes senior roles such as Vice Chancellor and Chief Diversity Officer at the University of Wisconsin, Clarkson University, Penn State, and the University of Hartford. In addition to her coaching and consulting, Jennifer is an ICF-certified Executive Coach and an accomplished musician and actor. She holds a master’s and doctorate from Penn State.

Dr. Michael Thorp
Senior Affiliate Consultant
michael.thorp@uq.solutions

BIO

Dr. Michael Thorp has served in a wide range of interim leadership roles at numerous colleges and universities. With over 15 years of executive-level experience, he has helped multiple institutions increase academic profile while simultaneously improving net revenue and headcount. He has worked with colleges in developing market share in regional, national and international markets. Dr. Thorp has extensive experience with multiple CRM and SIS platforms.

Michael’s doctoral dissertation studied price responsiveness in high ability students and their parents. He remains active in price-point research and international education. He has guided multiple campus-wide institutional planning efforts and has chaired or participated in successful re-accreditation efforts within both North Central and Southern States.

Michael holds a BA from Wabash College, a MA from the University of Louisville and an earned Ph.D. in Educational Policy from Jackson State University.

Melissa Farmer Richards
MPA, APR, Senior Affiliate Consultant

BIO

Melissa Farmer Richards, MPA, APR, senior affiliate consultant, supports UQ partner institutions with communication strategy and major decisions. Principal and founder of iMarketingMix LLC, Melissa is an author, teacher, consultant, and executive leadership coach. She also serves as a Vistage Chair, bringing together small business CEOs to collaborate on solving business issues and achieving goals. Melissa’s 32-year career has spanned corporate industry, technology, small business start-ups, nonprofit, and higher education administration. She held senior positions at start-up software companies and global technology organizations, and later led in such roles as chief of staff and vice president for communications, marketing, and enrollment, serving liberal arts colleges and a large public university. She has founded two small businesses and co-founded two nonprofits. Melissa holds a master’s degree from Virginia Tech and a bachelor’s from the University of Virginia. She achieved the Accreditation in Public Relations credential and the Association of Governing Boards (AGB) Board Professional Certificate. Her book, The 30-60-90 Day Handbook: Checklists for Communications and Marketing Leaders in Higher Education, was published by the Council of Advancement and Support of Education (CASE) in February 2025.

Dr. Martin Lemelle, Jr.
Senior Affiliate Consultant

BIO

Dr. Martin Lemelle, Jr., senior affiliate consultant, advises UQ and UQ partner institutions on translating data to strategy and action. Lemelle has a rich background in finance, operations, and strategy. Prior to his current position as President of Grambling State University, Lemelle served as Executive Vice-President and Chief Financial Officer at the Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA). Martin has also advised corporations including PwC, IBM, General Electric, Dean Foods, and Industry Retail Group. Martin holds a DBA from SKEMA (France), an MBA from George Washington University, and a master’s degree in accounting from Grambling State.

Dr. Bruce Suttmeier
Senior Affiliate Consultant

BIO

Dr. Bruce Suttmeier, senior affiliate consultant, is Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at Lewis & Clark College. Bruce joined the Lewis & Clark faculty in 2001 after receiving his doctorate in Asian Languages (Japanese Literature) from Stanford University. His early research examined the resurgence of WWII memories in postwar Japan, tracing its effects in writers such as Kaiko Takeshi, Oda Makoto, Oe Kenzaburo, and others. More recently, he has studied counterfactual history, with support from The American Philosophical Society (2019) and The Japan Foundation (2020). Bruce has served as Dean of the College since 2017. In that role, he is Chief Academic Officer and oversees all academic departments and programs, as well as the library, overseas programs, advising, and several academic support offices. Recent highlights include establishing a position of Director of Operations and Finance, which has enabled more effective data-informed decision-making, and leading the faculty through an academic program review. Bruce lives in Portland, OR.

David A. Browning
Senior Affiliate Consultant

BIO

David A. Browning, senior affiliate consultant, has held financial and operational leadership roles in higher education serving at four independent non-profit colleges and one public research university for 23 years. Since 2021, David has served as the Vice President of Finance and Administration, Chief Financial Officer for Salem College. Earlier in his career, David was also a manager at KPMG and RSM with over 10 years public accounting experience. David is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) with a bachelor’s degree in accounting from Appalachian State University and a master’s from James Madison University.

Michael K. Schuchert
Research Consultant
michael.schuchert@uq.solutions

BIO

Michael K. Schuchert, research consultant, has held leadership roles in institutional research, assessment, and planning during his over 20 years of working at higher education institutions. His experience includes work with community colleges, for-profits, and most recently Marymount University in Arlington, Virginia where he served as the Associate Vice President for Planning and Institutional Effectiveness for 15 years. Since retiring in 2019, Michael has primarily worked with other independent colleges to maximize the usefulness and impact of institutional data. He holds a bachelor’s degree in philosophy and sociology and a master’s in sociology, both from the University of Toledo.

Dr. Miles Canaday
Director of Client Success
miles.canaday@uq.solutions

BIO

Dr. Miles Canaday, director of client success, supports UQ partner institutions in the effective implementation and ongoing use of UQ’s data tools and advisory services. In this role, he works closely with campus teams to support onboarding, training, and integration of UQ’s tools into existing planning and decision-making processes. A choral conductor, Miles has served on the faculties of institutions including Whitman College and William & Mary, as well as staff roles at several universities. Miles, who lives in Washington, D.C., holds degrees from Harvard University, Yale University, and Eastman School of Music of the University of Rochester. In addition to his work with UQ, Miles is the Artistic Director of the Thomas Circle Singers, an award-winning auditioned choir with a service-oriented mission.

Lucas Wisnieski
Lead Developer
lucas.wisnieski@uq.solutions

BIO

Lucas Wisnieski, lead developer, leads the development of tools that transform complex institutional, market, and financial data into clear, usable resources for higher education leaders. His background includes application engineering and data analysis roles with multinational companies including Whirlpool and Nidec, followed by technology projects for startups and small businesses. At UQ, Lucas leads the development of product capabilities that turn complex institutional, market, and financial data into clear, usable resources for higher education leaders. He brings together analytical rigor, software engineering expertise, and a practical orientation toward solving client needs through thoughtful data tools.

Guilherme Braga Reitmeyer
Developer
guilherme.reitmeyer@uq.solutions

BIO

Guilherme Braga Reitmeyer is a software developer at UQ Solutions, where he focuses on building and optimizing data tools and product capabilities. He brings a unique multi-disciplinary background combining engineering rigor with deep financial sector expertise. Guilherme holds a bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering and a postgraduate degree in Business Management. He spent his early career in application engineering and sales for multinationals like Whirlpool and Franklin Electric. He later transitioned to the financial market, serving as an investment advisor for six years and completing an MBA in Banking and Financial Institutions at Fundação Getulio Vargas (FGV). While managing financial portfolios, Guilherme began developing custom automation tools to streamline advisor workflows. This technical pivot revealed a strong aptitude for software solutions, leading him to transition fully into software engineering and join UQ Solutions in October 2025 to drive product enhancement.