Lena V. Shapiro has been named Program Development Project Manager at the University of Mary Washington’s College of Graduate and Professional Studies in Stafford County. Shapiro has more than 20 years of experience in business marketing, analysis and management.
Shapiro will identify new programs, initiatives and partnerships by assessing needs, conducting surveys and competitor analyses, locating target markets, anticipating program demand, and developing business plans and enrollment projections. In this new position, Shapiro will report to Meta R. Braymer, vice president for graduate and professional studies and special assistant to the president for government and external relations. Shapiro will work closely with academic program directors, the UMW Center for Leadership, Technology, and Professional Development, and the Rappahannock Regional Small Business Development Center, which is headquartered at the Stafford campus.
“Lena will play a key role in our efforts to investigate and explore market needs and opportunities and quickly respond with initiatives that serve the region,” Braymer said. “We’re delighted that the university will benefit from Lena’s varied background in higher education, business and government.”
Shapiro previously worked as a technical contractor for nonprofit and professional services firms, handling such duties as project management, marketing, and database analysis and management. She has taught business and marketing courses at Strayer University for several years. Her career began with the U.S. International Trade Commission, and has included positions with the U.S. Small Business Administration, the Wyoming Department of Commerce, Virginia’s A.L. Philpott Manufacturing Extension Partnership and Campbell County, Va.
Shapiro earned a bachelor’s degree in government and economics from The College of William and Mary, and a master of business administration from the Thunderbird Graduate School of Global Management.