Meet the Team

Dr. Karleen Swett is a seasoned higher education leader and the current Vice President of Enrollment Management at Unity Environmental University at Pineland. Throughout her distinguished career, Dr. Swett has been at the forefront of enrollment strategy, combining data-driven innovation with a deep commitment to student access, retention, and success.

With a primary focus on enrollment management, financial aid, recruitment, retention, and marketing, Dr. Swett has a proven track record of designing and executing institutional growth strategies. She is a passionate advocate for student-centered policies and has consistently leveraged technology and market analytics to drive results in enrollment and student success.

Before joining Unity, Dr. Swett served as Vice President of Enrollment Management at Somerset Community College in Kentucky. There, she led transformative initiatives that significantly increased enrollment and enhanced student diversity. Her work advanced the college’s academic profile while strengthening support systems that helped students persist and complete their educational goals.

Earlier in her career, Dr. Swett held leadership roles at Spring Hill College in Alabama, including Executive Director of Enrollment Management and Director of Financial Aid. In these roles, she modernized financial aid processes, expanded veteran services, and introduced new outreach models that improved access and equity across the student body.

Dr. Swett brings a unique blend of business acumen and educational leadership to her work. She holds an MBA in Marketing from St. Leo University and a Doctorate in Executive Leadership from Wingate University. Her strategic use of marketing principles and student behavior insights has led to the development of innovative recruitment campaigns that resonate across demographics and markets.

A forward-thinking executive and trusted institutional partner, Dr. Swett remains deeply committed to shaping the future of higher education through inclusive, technology-enhanced, and mission-aligned enrollment practices.

Jeff Marlett currently serves as Dean of Academic Affairs for In-Person Education at Unity Environmental University. Since the mid-1990s he has served as a faculty member and administrator in Arkansas, New York, and now Maine. He earned his Bachelor’s degree from Wabash College, a Master’s degree from Vanderbilt University, and his PhD from Saint Louis University. His 2002 book Saving the Heartland earned an honorable mention from the State Historical Society of Iowa for illuminating the role of rural and environmental images in American Catholic life. He enjoys cross-country skiing, hiking, cycling, and stand-up paddleboarding.

Dr. Gretchen Grebe (she/her) is an Assistant Professor of Aquaculture and Marine Sustainability at Unity Environmental University. She holds a Ph.D. in Aquaculture and Aquatic Resources from the University of Maine. Gretchen also received a M.S. from the Bren School of Environmental Science & Management at UCSB where she specialized in Water Resources Management and Eco-Entrepreneurship, and a B.A. in Latin American and Environmental Studies from Bates College.

Gretchen’s current research and teaching interests include phycology (the scientific study of algae), sustainable ecological aquaculture, food sovereignty, eco-entrepreneurship, water resources management, co-management of natural resources, and climate change resiliency. A Colorado native, Gretchen spends much of her free time playing and exploring outside.