PRESIDENT'S CABINET

Mr. Ken Bothof
Athletic Director

133F BB&T Arena at Northern Kentucky University
(859) 572-6639 | bothofk1@nku.edu

Mr. Ken Bothof
Athletic Director
 

Ken Bothof is entering his fifth year as Northern Kentucky University’s director of athletics after taking the helm in August 2013.
 

Since arriving at Northern Kentucky, Bothof has led the charge in NKU’s Division I transition, advancing the Norse through the reclassification process, which culminated with active DI membership prior to the 2016-17 season.  Bothof was also instrumental in NKU’s acceptance into the Horizon League, a move that aligned Northern Kentucky with other regional institutions that share the same vision. Membership in the Horizon League advances the university’s athletics mission of supporting student-athlete well-being; engaging the university and local community; and establishing relationships with alumni, friends, and fans.
 

NKU experienced tremendous success in its first season eligible for NCAA postseason competition, as both the men’s basketball and women’s soccer teams won Horizon League Tournament championships and advanced to the NCAA tournament. For men’s basketball, the accomplishment made NKU just the seventh team all-time and only the second since 1970 to reach the NCAA tournament in its first season eligible.  Bothof hired head men’s basketball coach John Brannen prior to the 2015-16 season and the team is rapidly becoming one of the nation’s premier mid-major programs.
 

Northern Kentucky Athletics’ strategic plan Uprising was also established by Bothof in August 2015. The plan further engrains the athletic department’s mission, vision and values, while also establishing eight strategic priorities: Integrity, Accountability & Compliance; Academic Achievement; Student-Athlete Well-Being; Competitive Excellence; Facility Enhancement; Campus & Community Engagement; Resource Development & Fiscal Management; and Brand Awareness.
 

During his tenure at NKU, the athletics department has undergone reorganization throughout multiple departments in order to meet the priorities set forth in the strategic plan. Northern Kentucky’s external areas are growing at a rapid rate under his guidance. Men’s basketball season-ticket sales have nearly tripled during Bothof’s tenure and attendance has risen correspondingly. The success of NKU’s inaugural A Night with the Norse Gala in October 2016, a fundraiser that generated over $110,000 in support of Norse student-athletes, embodies the growth of Northern Kentucky’s philanthropic efforts over the last four years. Fundraising has more than doubled. And, with over 60 home events being broadcast on ESPN3 annually, Norse Athletics is gaining national exposure.
 

Northern Kentucky’s student-athletes have demonstrated unprecedented success in the classroom during Bothof’s tenure, including 12-straight semesters above a 3.0 GPA and six-straight above a 3.2.  In fact, NKU’s GPA is still rising. In fall 2016, a program-record 3.28 GPA was recorded. Then, in the spring of 2017 the Norse posted a 3.25, the second-best in school history.
 

Bothof came to NKU from the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay, where he served as athletic director from 2002-13. Bothof’s tenure at Green Bay was marked by great success both on the field and in the classroom, as well as tremendous growth in support for the school’s 16 athletic programs. During his tenure, Green Bay was one of only two Horizon League schools to be ranked in the top 100 in the NCSA Athletic Recruiting Collegiate Power Rankings. Contributions to the Phoenix Fund more than tripled while membership in the fund quadrupled under Bothof. Ticket revenues and corporate sponsorships also increased. 
 

Bothof has also served as chair of the Horizon League Finance Committee and chaired the Horizon League Executive Committee. He serves as the conference’s representative to the Division I-AAA Athletics Directors Association Executive Committee.

Prior to his tenure at Green Bay, he served as associate athletic director for external operations at Saint Louis University and served as associate athletic director and then senior associate athletic director at Idaho State University from 1990-95. He began his career at San Jose State University, where he served as assistant athletic director.

Bothof earned his bachelor of arts in education from Buena Vista University, where he competed in baseball and basketball. The Slayton, Minn., native is married to Carrie and has two children – Tyson and Kendra.

Ms. Bonita Brown
Vice President and Chief Strategy Officer

800 Lucas Administrative Center
(859) 572-5172 | brownb33@nku.edu

Ms. Bonita Brown
Vice President and Chief Strategy Officer

Bonita is our inaugural Vice President and Chief Strategy Officer. She is tasked with campus-wide oversight and execution of our Success by Design strategic framework.

Bonita previously served as the vice president for Network Engagement at Achieving the Dream, a national non- profit leader that champions evidence-based institutional improvement in community colleges across the country. In this role, she was responsible for supporting a network of over 220 community colleges in 41 states as they work to implement sustainable, campus wide student success efforts. Prior to her role at Achieving the Dream, Bonita served as the director of Higher Education Practice with the Education Trust in Washington D.C. While at the Education Trust, she created and led an initiative entitled Optimizing Academic Success and Institutional Strategy (OASIS), which was a national network of regional, comprehensive, minority serving institutions that enroll large numbers of low-income students and students of color.

Over the course of her career, Bonita served as the vice chancellor and chief of staff, and as assistant secretary to the Board of Trustees at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. She has also served as the chief of staff at the University of North Texas, general counsel at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts and assistant attorney at Winston-Salem State University. She has participated in the HERS Leadership program, the AASCU Millennium Leadership Initiative and is a graduate of the Harvard Institute of Educational Management. Bonita received her BA in history from Wake Forest University and her JD from Wake Forest University School of Law.

Bonita is married to Wesley Brown and has two children, Joshua Brown, a student at Morgan State University and Myliah Brown, a student at Bridgewater College in Virginia.

Dr. Matt Cecil
Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs

830 Lucas Administrative Center
(859) 572-5788 | cecilm3@nku.edu

Dr. Matt Cecil
Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs

NKU is pleased to welcome Dr. Matt Cecil as its next Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs. Dr. Cecil comes to NKU after a distinguished career as faculty and university administrator.

A native of Brookings, South Dakota, Cecil has more than a dozen years of administrative experience in higher education. Most recently, he served as Interim Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs at Minnesota State University, Mankato. Prior to that, Cecil served as Dean of the College of Arts & Humanities, at Minnesota State Mankato, as Director of Wichita State University’s Elliott School of Communication, and as a department head and program coordinator at South Dakota State University. Cecil served for 17 years as a faculty member in mass communication or communication studies at Purdue University, The University of Oklahoma, South Dakota State and Wichita State. A media historian, Cecil is a leading scholar of FBI history during the J. Edgar Hoover era. He is the author of three books and more than two dozen articles on the topic. His 2014 book, Hoover’s FBI and the Fourth Estate, was named national History Book of the Year by the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication.

Cecil is a graduate of South Dakota State University and earned his M.A. in History at Minnesota State Mankato along with a Ph.D. in Mass Communication at The University of Iowa. Prior to his academic career, Cecil worked as a political journalist in South Dakota and North Dakota, as a media relations specialist for Daktronics, Inc., the world’s largest manufacturer of scoreboards and electronic displays, and as a political press secretary. He and his wife, Dr. Jennifer Tiernan, have one son, Owen Cecil.

Mr. Benjamin Figueroa
Vice President for Administration & Finance / Chief Financial Officer (Interim)

836 Lucas Administrative Center
(859) 572-5152 | figueroab1@nku.edu

Bio

Mr. Benjamin Figueroa
Vice President for Administration & Finance / Chief Financial Officer (Interim)

Ben joined Northern Kentucky University on January 1, 2022.

Ben has over 30 years of experience in higher education finance in the California State University System office, Cal State LA and more recently at Hartnell Community College District as their Vice President for Administrative Services and Chief Business Officer. He also worked at Children’s Hospital of Los Angeles– a teaching hospital of the University of Southern California as the Associate Vice President of Research Administration overseeing compliance requirements, pre-award proposal submissions, fiscal post-award, research facilities development and maintenance and intellectual property requirements. As Financing and Program Manager in the CSU System Chancellor’s Office, he was responsible for bond financing for the construction of new campus facilities, and oversight for University auxiliary organizations (501c3 organizations) created for the purpose of serving campuses such as Foundations, Student Union Associations, Child Care Centers, Housing Corporations and Food Enterprise Activities, among others. He recently retired from Hartnell College and has since been doing consulting work, most recently facilitating a start-up, helping with patent development, and leading the dissolution of a 501 (c)(3) organization.

Ben was a first generation college student completing his Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from Cal State LA and a Master’s in Public Administration from Cal State Long Beach. He has also completed the Institute for Educational Management program at Harvard University’s Graduate School of Education and the Stanford University/ Western Association of College and Universities Business Officers (WACUBO) Executive Leadership and Management Institute.

Ben resides in Pasadena, California with his wife of 30 years, Marion Chew Figueroa. They have three adult children.

Mr. Eric C. Gentry
Vice President for University Advancement

822 Lucas Administrative Center
(859) 572-5129 | gentrye3@nku.edu

Mr. Eric C. Gentry
Vice President for University Advancement

• Eric Gentry was appointed Vice President for University Advancement in October 2013, to lead the university’s fundraising, alumni programs, marketing and communications, media relations, the NKU Foundation, and special events. 
  
  
• Prior to NKU, Gentry was Associate Vice President for Development at The University of Texas at San Antonio, overseeing fundraising, donor relations, prospect research, data services, and development communications.  He led the university through the leadership phase and public launch of its first capital campaign, We Are UTSA – A Top Tier Campaign.  Even with a relatively young alumni base and during a down economy, under Gentry’s leadership the initial campaign goal of $120 million was met two and half years ahead of schedule.
  
  
• Before UTSA, he worked at The University of Texas at Dallas on the Fearless Engineering $100 million capital campaign.  At Purdue University, he worked on the $1.8 billion The Campaign for Purdue.  During both campaigns, Gentry served as a Director of Development in Engineering.
  
  
• Before higher education, Gentry spent more than seven years managing, fundraising, and consulting on political campaigns.  Gentry worked with Sutter’s Mill Fundraising & Consulting, a Washington, DC, based firm that specialized in congressional campaigns.  Gentry’s most recent political campaign work was as President of Cornerstone Strategies, a full service firm in Kentucky, consulting or managing on U.S. Congressional races, state senate and house races, and local issue elections.
  
  
• A native of Leitchfield, Kentucky, Gentry graduated from Murray State University in Murray, Kentucky, with a bachelor’s degree and from the University of Akron in Akron, Ohio, with a master’s degree.  He and his wife Loni have twins – Parker and Emery Lynn.

Dr. Valerie Hardcastle
St. Elizabeth Healthcare Executive Director of the Institute for Health Innovation and Vice President for Health Innovation

225J Health Innovation Center
(859) 572-5376 | hardcastle@nku.edu

Dr. Valerie Hardcastle
St. Elizabeth Healthcare Executive Director of the
Institute for Health Innovation and
Vice President for Health Innovation

• Valerie Gray Hardcastle joined NKU in June 2018 as the St. Elizabeth Healthcare Executive Director of the Institute for Health Innovation and Vice President for Health Innovation. As the ED/VP, she advocates on behalf of the region, serves as a thought-leader around health policy, pursues an aggressive externally funded research program, promotes the transdisciplinary work of health innovation across the institution, and attracts talent to NKU and the region in the healthcare space.
  
  
• Previously, she served as the Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences and then as the Academic Director of the Weaver Institute for Law and Psychiatry at the University of Cincinnati.   Before coming to Cincinnati, Hardcastle served as Associate Dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences at Virginia Tech as well as Head of the Department of Science and Technology in Society and Director of the Graduate Program in Science and Technology Studies at Virginia Tech.   
   

• An internationally recognized scholar, Dr. Hardcastle is the author of five books and over 170 articles. She received an interdisciplinary Ph.D. in cognitive science and philosophy from the University of California, San Diego, a master’s degree in philosophy from the University of Houston, and a bachelor’s degree with a double major in philosophy and political science from the University of California, Berkeley.
   

• She and her husband Jim Benton live on a farm in southern Campbell County, and she has three grown children.

Dr. Eddie Howard
Vice President for Student Affairs

832 Lucas Admin. Center
(859) 572-6447 | howarde10@nku.edu
 

Dr. Eddie Howard
Vice President for Student Affairs

Eddie J. Howard, Jr. is a Georgia native with over 25 years of professional experience in Higher Education, working in a variety of educational institutions ranging from a major research university to a four year public college and even a two year technical college. With all of these experiences Dr. Howard has gained a unique perspective on the issue of diversity, inclusion, and race relations in this country. As a practitioner working mostly at predominantly white institutions (PWIs), and sometimes being the only person of color in the department, he has had to learn how to lead in these environments, while maintaining a neutral viewpoint and supporting issues that matter.

Eddie began his journey during his undergraduate days while attending Valdosta State University and participated in a variety of activities from working as the Testing Office assistant, Orientation Insight Leader, Campus Activities Board Officer, Resident Assistant, and SGA Senator. GO Blazers!

After graduating with a BA in 1993, he continued in his journey to the University of Georgia, where he was one of eighteen students across the nation selected to participate in the Higher Education Graduate program. Although the schools changed, his desire to remain involved in campus life stayed constant. As a GA in housing he was responsible for over 200 residents at UGA’s Creswell Hall. There he developed and implemented programs which directly impacted the educational and personal aspects of the residents’ lives. GO Dawgs!

After graduating with a Master’s Degree in Student Personnel in Higher Education, his path was set. He accepted a position at the University of Louisville as Coordinator of Leadership and Services. Finding his way was rewarding; however, “Getting paid for something he truly loved” was the icing on the cake. After two years of service, he was promoted to Assistant Director. GO Cards!

Howard moved back to Georgia in 1998 and accepted a position with Georgia College & State University as the Director of Student Activities. He was able to hone his skills as an administrator by creating new programs, establishing a mission and strategic plan for the department, and assisting the university with developing plans and a funding source to renovate a historic church into a Student Center. There he increased overall student participation by changing the campus culture. GO Bobcats!

Those skills and a desire to relocate to another city led him to Augusta State University in 2004 where he was responsible for overseeing the Student Activity Budget, program implementation, supervising the office staff, and serving as building manager for the 50,000 square foot Jaguar Student Activities Center which he designed. During the consolidation of ASU and GHSU (now Augusta University), Dr. Howard was promoted to Assistant Vice President of Student Life. GO Jaguars!

In 2013 he accepted a position at Augusta Technical College as Vice President for Student Affairs and was responsible for providing direction for the offices of Admissions, Financial Aid, Student Records, Counseling Center, and the Office of Student Activities. Working at the technical college truly broadened his prospective on student development and the importance of higher education regardless of the institution.

Before coming to NKU, Dr. Howard’s last move was to the position of Vice President for Student Affairs at Youngstown State University, where he oversaw twelve departments which included the Division of Student Experience and Enrollment Management.  In his first year, Dr. Howard was awarded the Dr. Martin T. Manning Award for his exceptional mentorship to students by the Student Government Association. GO Penguins!

Dr. Howard is excited to be at NKU and ready to use all the skills he has accumulated during his career to lead the Division of Student Affairs to more effectively serve our students and help them succeed. Helping students to realize their dreams and creating the best experience humanly possible is the motto that drives his work. GO Norse!

Eddie is an active member of his fraternity, Kappa Alpha Psi, where he has received several awards and distinctions. He also has served as the president of the Georgia College Personnel Association, where he received the Theodore K. Miller Distinguished Service Award in 2012.  As a member of the American College Personnel Association, he was named State and International Division Leader of the year in 2010. Eddie is married to Zelda Hughes-Howard and together they have 4 children, Kristafer, Avery, Taylor and Trinity.

Tammy Knochelmann
Executive Assistant to the President and
Secretary to the Board of Regents

800 Lucas Admin. Center
(859) 572-5191 | knochelmann@nku.edu
 

Tammy Knochelmann
Executive Assistant to the President and
Secretary to the Board of Regents

Tammy manages the day-to-day services and administrative activities of the Office of the President and acts as a liaison between the President, President’s Cabinet, members of the Board of Regents, and other internal and external constituents. She is responsible for Board meeting logistics, inquiries and records.

Tammy holds a bachelor's degree in psychology and an M.B.A. with a concentration in Human Resources, from NKU. She previously received the Professional in Human Resources Certification (PHR).

Prior to joining NKU in 2008, Tammy served for 13 years at General Cable Corporation General Cable Corporation in roles ranging from administrative professional to manager of human resources services. In that capacity, she developed new employee training curriculum, created a successful interviewing program for the company's management team and coached and mentored associates. Prior to her service at General Cable, Tammy served for 11 years at Beiersdorf (formerly the Kendall-Futuro Company).

Tammy is married to Donald Knochelmann and has two children, Bradley and Jared.

Mr. Darryl A. Peal
Chief Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Officer

824 Lucas Administrative Center
(859) 572-6630 | peald1@nku.edu

Mr. Darryl A. Peal
Chief Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Officer

Ms. Lori Southwood
Chief Human Resources Officer

713 Lucas Administrative Center
(859) 572-6384 | southwoodl1@nku.edu

Ms. Lori Southwood
Co-Interim Chief Administration Officer
Chief Human Resources Officer

• Lori Southwood joined NKU in 2004 as Senior Director of Human Resources.  During her time here, at NKU, she has served as a mentor and coach to division and department heads in order to expand their capabilities to achieve strategic goals.
  
  
• She and her team are responsible for employment, employee relations, position classification and compensation, training and development, payroll and taxes, records and information management, faculty and staff benefit administration and university wellness programs.
  
  
• Lori provided leadership with the multi-year ERP implementation of SAP and completed a comprehensive, market driven, total-compensation redesign of more than 850 non-faculty positions.  She redesigned the Human Resources department and service delivery system, extensively expanding the scope and services of Human Resources.
  
  
• Lori has also helped to achieve a low employee turnover rate and an employee satisfaction rate that has ranked NKU as one of the best places to work in the Greater Cincinnati area.
  
  
• Prior to her appointment at NKU, Lori served as Assistant Vice President of Human Resources at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, where she worked for 15 years.  During her time at CCHMC, Lori provided senior HR leadership for the complex academic, research, and medical center of more than 8,000 employees.  She was responsible for HR Services including employment, employee relations, and created the Division of Employee Training and Organizational Development.  She provided HR leadership for a nationally recognized training and work program for people with disabilities.
  
  
• Currently, Lori is working to support a positive, productive culture based on strengths and wellbeing that will support the university’s promise to put students first, lead with excellence and make a lasting impact.  She holds a Senior Professional Human Resources (SPHR) certification and belongs to the Society of Human Resource Management (SHRM) and College and University Professional Association for Human Resources (CUPA-HR).  Lori serves as an Advisory Board Member for the Masters of Science Executive Leadership and Change (ELOC) Program, Advisory Board Member for the Masters of Industrial-Organizational Psychology (MSIO) Program, Human Resources Committee member for the Board of Trustees for St. Elizabeth Healthcare, and as a Steering Committee member for the Women’s Institute for Leadership Development (WILD).
  
  
• A native of Ohio, Lori majored in marketing at the University of Cincinnati and completed her baccalaureate degree at the College of Mount St. Joseph; she received her Masters of Education in Human Resources Development from Xavier University.  Lori and her husband, Kim are currently living in Fort Thomas, Kentucky and have two sons.