Learn about UMGC in Asia's leadership team.
James B. Cronin
UMGC Vice President and Director, Asia
James Cronin is vice president and director of the Asia division at UMGC.
Cronin joined the university in April 2000, after retiring from the U.S. Army as a lieutenant colonel that year. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in political science from DePaul University and was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the infantry in 1980. He earned a Master of Science in administration from Central Michigan University and a graduate certificate in distance education from UMGC.
During an Army career that spanned more than 20 years, Cronin served as an infantry officer in the 8th Infantry Division (M) in Mainz, Germany; the 5th Infantry (M) at Fort Polk, Louisiana; and the XVIII Airborne Corps at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. He commanded two infantry companies and served as a brigade executive officer. Cronin also served as recruiting company commander and held various positions in public affairs stateside in Fort Huachuca, Arizona, and overseas in Korea and Bosnia. In his final assignment, he served as director of the Public Affairs and Journalism division of the Defense Information School at Fort Meade. His military service won him the Legion of Merit and six Meritorious Service Medals from the Army.
Since joining the university in 2000, Cronin has focused on improving the functionality of UMGC's military portals and expanding enrollment. He served for a number of years as associate vice president of program management, supervising various programs and partnerships. As program manager, he was responsible for all facets of the move into the GoArmyEd and Air Force institution portals. Cronin also developed and coordinated a number of special partnerships with military institutions, including the Army Signal Center, the Information Resource Management College, and the Army Command General Staff College. In 2013, Cronin was appointed vice president of stateside support, and in July 2016 he was selected for his current role as vice president and director of Asia operations. In addition, Cronin has served as an adjunct associate professor at UMGC, teaching Introduction to Public Speaking. He was inducted into the International Adult and Continuing Education Hall of Fame in November 2017.
Burt N. Okamoto
UMGC Associate Vice President and Deputy Director, Asia
Burt Okamoto is associate vice president and deputy director of the Asia division at UMGC.
Okamoto joined the university in April 2026. He previously commanded the 374th Mission Support Group, Yokota Air Base, Japan, where he led more than 2,800 personnel and oversaw $7 billion in assets; providing combat support, expeditionary capabilities, and mission-ready forces for the 374th Airlift Wing and more than 50 mission partners, including Headquarters U.S. Forces Japan and 5th Air Force. In this capacity he oversaw the delivery of essential services such as force protection, communications, contracting, logistics, civil engineering, and quality-of-life programs for more than 11,500 military and civilian personnel and families.
Okamoto began his military career in 1994 as an infantryman in the Hawaii Army National Guard. He earned a Bachelor of Education in Secondary Education from the University of Hawaii and an MBA from Webster University. He is also a graduate of the Joint and Combined Warfighting School.
Okamoto entered the Air Force through the Reserve Officer Training Corps program. Throughout his Air Force career, he has held key intelligence leadership roles and completed multiple operational deployments.
In addition to his professional accomplishments, Okamoto is deeply engaged in his community. He has served as a USA Swim Official, Scoutmaster for the 2023 World Scout Jamboree in Korea, and Far East Asia District Commissioner for the Boy Scouts of America. He is a lifetime member of the Japanese American Veterans Association, holds second-degree black belts in Aikido and Tang Soo Do, and enjoys cycling and golf.
Okamoto is married with two children and began his UMGC journey as the keynote speaker for the 2025 Tokyo commencement ceremony.
Charles E. Salinas, PhD
UMGC Associate Vice President and Associate Dean, Academic Affairs, Asia
Charles "Lee" Salinas, PhD, is associate vice president and associate dean of academic affairs for the University of Maryland Global Campus in Asia.
In this role, he provides executive leadership in faculty affairs, academic quality, instructional delivery, and strategic academic initiatives supporting students and faculty across the Asia division. Since joining UMGC in 2015 as an overseas collegiate faculty member, Salinas has served in progressively senior leadership roles prior to his current position – including faculty coordinator, director of academic affairs, and assistant vice president for faculty affairs.
Salinas earned a BA in Psychology from California State University, Fullerton, and an MA and PhD in Social-Personality Psychology from the University of California, Riverside. He brings more than 30 years of experience in higher education as both a faculty member and academic leader. He has taught a wide range of undergraduate and graduate courses in psychology, educational psychology, research methods, and statistics at the American University in Bulgaria, California State University, Long Beach, the University of Alaska Southeast, and the University of Maryland Global Campus in Asia. At the University of Alaska Southeast, Salinas also served as assessment coordinator for the School of Education, leading program assessment initiatives and supporting accreditation efforts. His teaching experience spans face-to-face, hybrid, virtual, and live-streamed learning environments, with an emphasis on active learning, critical thinking, and student engagement.