Grand River Solutions

Jody Shipper, J.D., and Cherie Scricca, Ed.D. of Grand River Solutions, Inc. have been chosen to help UMBC address how it can better prevent and respond to sexual violence/misconduct. Shipper and Scricca were selected after a formal competitive procurement process during the fall 2018 semester, which involved input from students, faculty, and staff.

Jody Shipper

Jody Shipper is currently a Managing Director at Grand River Solutions, a consulting and technology company dedicated to helping schools better administer successful Title IX, equity, and campus safety programs. Jody has worked in higher education since 2000, first as outside counsel and then, starting in 2004, as a Title IX Coordinator and Executive Director of Equity and Diversity with oversight over Affirmative Action, Employee Relations, as well as prevention, communication, and investigation programs. In that capacity she provided advice on diversity efforts, sexual assault prevention and training, compliance with state and federal laws and best practices, and guidance to staff and faculty. She also served as the Director for Clery, Title IX and VAWA compliance for the University of California system, where she was integral to the implementation of new system-wide training programs and the roll-out of new policies and procedures. Previously, Jody served as outside counsel to businesses and nonprofits in California, litigating employment and education matters before state and federal courts as well as administrative agencies.

Ms. Shipper received her J.D. from the University of California, Hastings College of Law and her bachelor’s degree from Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service. She is the author of the comprehensive reference manual Workplace Investigations: The HR Manager’s Step-by-Step Guide. Ms. Shipper was also a founding board member of the California Association of Workplace Investigations (now AWI).

Cherie A. Scricca

Cherie Scricca has served institutions of higher education in leadership positions for more than 20 years. She is recognized for her entrepreneurial approach to program development and management, having created programs and academic initiatives drawing on the strengths of public and private partnerships. She is currently a Managing Director for Grand River Solutions.

For the past six years, Dr. Scricca has served as an independent consultant to colleges and universities on matters relating to Title IX. Her work has included helping institutions create and establish Title IX offices, and implementation of prevention and response procedures and protocols. Previously, she held leadership positions at six public and private universities – University of Southern California; University of Maryland; University of California, Berkeley; Golden Gate University; University of California, Hastings College of the Law; and Minnesota State University, Mankato.

Dr. Scricca received her Ed.D. from the University of Pennsylvania, School of Education in the Management of Higher Education Programs, where her research focused on “University-Industry Research Partnerships” in higher education. She received her M.S. in Women’s Studies from Minnesota State University, Mankato, and her B.A. in Political Science from Miami University, in Oxford Ohio.