Staff Contacts

Eileen M. Soto, M.A.

Senior Director of Assessment and Accreditation Liaison Officer (ALO)

eileen.soto@lmu.edu

Eileen serves as the Senior Director of Assessment and Accreditation Liaison Officer (ALO). In this role, she collaborates with faculty, staff, and administrators to lead university-wide assessment and accreditation activities. She is instrumental in supporting the design and implementation of both institutional and program-level assessment projects. She works alongside the Academic Planning and Review Committee and degree program departments on Academic Program Reviews. Eileen provides workshops, training, and consulting for faculty and staff, strengthening LMU’s commitment to evidence-based decision-making and continuous improvement in assessment, program evaluation, and accreditation.

Prior to joining LMU, Eileen served as Director of Educational Effectiveness at Biola University, where she transformed the university’s assessment culture to focus on student success. She led faculty development initiatives, guided accreditation efforts, and oversaw state authorization processes to expand student access. Her expertise in WSCUC standards and strategic leadership in accreditation are a valuable asset to LMU. Eileen earned a B.A. in Psychology from California State University Fullerton and an M.A. in Education with an emphasis in Educational Leadership from Biola University.

Russell K. Mayer, Ph.D.

Interim Assistant Vice Provost of Educational Effectiveness and Assessment

russell.mayer@lmu.edu

Mayer serves as Interim Assistant Vice Provost for Educational Effectiveness at Loyola Marymount University. In this role, he leads university assessment, accreditation, and institutional change efforts to enhance learning environments and respond to the needs of learners in the 21st century. His published work on assessment considers how service learning and community-based research contribute to the development of a more engaged citizenry.

Prior to joining LMU, Mayer served as Interim Vice President and Chief Learning Officer at St. Joseph’s College in Maine. Over the course of his 25-year career in higher education, he has been a Provost, Vice President for Institutional Effectiveness and Strategic Initiatives, Faculty Senate President, and Department Chair. He has also received appointments as an American Council on Education Fellow at Salem State University and as a Research Fellow at the Harvard University-MIT Data Center. Mayer earned a Ph.D. in Political Science from the University of Michigan and his undergraduate degree from Wesleyan University.

Claire Wigginton, M.A.

Research Associate in Assessment

Claire.wigginton@lmu.edu

Claire serves as a Research Associate for Educational Effectiveness and Assessment at Loyola Marymount University. In her role, she helps to design and carry out research projects to assess and improve student learning and experience and LMU. She also assists with the academic program review process and carrying out educational effectiveness surveys for LMU program chairs and faculty.

Prior to joining LMU, Claire was a research assistant in a quantitative social psychology lab at California State University Long Beach and did program evaluation work for the College of Liberal Arts Dean’s Office. Claire holds a B.A. in Psychology from the University of Southern California and an M.A. in Psychological Research from California State University, Long Beach.

Savio Ragonesi

Graduate Research Assistant in Assessment

Ragonesi is currently a graduate student pursuing a Master of Science in Business Analytics at LMU. In this capacity, he plays a pivotal role in supporting the university’s Educational Effectiveness and Assessment office. His responsibilities include monitoring, analyzing, and enhancing university-wide assessment, accreditation, and institutional change efforts to improve the learning environment at LMU.

Prior to his enrollment at LMU, Ragonesi gained valuable experience as an intern in Product and Business Development within a startup environment. He holds two bachelor's degrees in International Business and Marketing from Delta State University, which he obtained in 2022. During his undergraduate years, Ragonesi also excelled as a competitive swimmer at the NCAA level, earning 7 All-American honors during his tenure at Delta State University.