Elizabeth “Liz” Zoltan, a university administrator and teacher who co-hosted University of Maryland events for business leaders and benefactors, died June 19 of head trauma following an accidental fall. She lived in Naples, Florida, and was 67.

Born in Camden, New Jersey, she was the daughter of Ivan Miklos Zoltan, an engineer, and Olga Riabova Zoltan, a teacher and school superintendent. Her parents came to the U.S. after living in displaced persons camps in Poland and Germany after World War II.

She spent most of her childhood in Cherry Hill, New Jersey, and graduated second in her high school class of approximately 2,000 students. She went on to earn three degrees in engineering psychology at the Johns Hopkins University. Her doctorate was in computer interface design.

“She was offered positions at both Harvard and MIT for her doctorate, but decided to stay at Johns Hopkins, which she loved,” said her husband, Robert L. Caret. “Liz was a born educator — students loved her — and a researcher.”

Ms. Zoltan taught courses in statistics, research methods, industrial psychology, and ergonomics. Her doctorate was in computer interface design.

“She felt she was destined to do research at Bell Labs, but once she experienced teaching, she decided to remain in the faculty role,” her husband said.

Ms. Zoltan met her future husband at Towson University, where both started their careers as faculty.

She became Towson’s assistant dean of liberal arts and associate dean of liberal arts and undergraduate studies. She worked to develop the Honors College at the school, where her husband became dean, vice president-provost and later president.

“People felt they could go to Liz. She was a problem-solver,” said a friend, Barbara Frey. “She had a genuine concern for others. She supported people in bad times and in their good times.”

She and her husband left Towson to move to San Jose, California, where she joined San Jose State University as a faculty member in engineering. She later became dean of business social sciences at Foothill College in Los Altos.

The two returned to Towson in 2003 when her husband was named president and she became vice president of academic affairs at Frederick Community College. She later joined 1st Mariner Bank to oversee educational opportunities for employees and then joined Connections Education, where she was senior director for school support.

Another friend, Susan Meybohm, said: “Liz was the life of the party. She could talk with everyone and engage with her guests. She was precise and meticulous in everything she did.”

She also acted as the first lady at San Jose State University, Towson University, the University of Massachusetts System, and the University System of Maryland as her husband took other positions.

He said she loved to entertain at university events.

“She met many exciting people, including Beyoncé and Destiny’s Child, Joan Baez, Stephen Hawking, Bill Clinton, the Smothers Brothers, Amy Tan,” her husband said. “Being a New Jersey girl, her meeting with Bruce Springsteen was one of the highlights of her life. People loved Liz and encountered her smile, her energy, her creativity, and her openness.”

A memorial service is being planned.

Survivors include her husband, Robert L. Caret, chancellor emeritus of the University System of Maryland; her daughters, Kellen Barats, of Idyllwild, California, and Katelynn Ford, of Olivehurst, California; her stepchildren, Katherine Addis, of Hanover, Pennsylvania, and Colin Caret, of Leiden, Netherlands; and three grandchildren.

Have a news tip? Contact Jacques Kelly at jacques.kelly@baltsun.com and 410-332-6570.