KCTCS is governed by a 14-member Board of Regents. Eight members are appointed by the Governor and six are elected members: two members of the teaching faculty elected by faculty; two members of the nonteaching personnel elected by nonteaching personnel; and two members of the student body elected by students. The KCTCS Board of Regents welcomes your comments.
Porter G. Peeples, Sr., KCTCS Board Chair, lives in Lexington, Kentucky, and serves as President/CEO of the Lexington Urban League. Mr. Peeples is a graduate of the former Southeast Community College (now Southeast Kentucky Community and Technical College) and the University of Kentucky, where he earned a Bachelor’s of Arts in Elementary and Special Education. Mr. Peeples is active in several community and service organizations, some of which include the Kentucky Housing Corporation Board, Bluegrass Airport Board, Bluegrass Community Foundation Board, St. Joseph Hospital Foundation Board, Lexington Chamber of Commerce Board, World Equestrian Games 2010 Board, Fayette County Education Foundation Board, Fayette County Schools Equity Council, Central Bank’s Advisory Board, and the Kentucky Horse Park Foundation. In June 2011, Mr. Peeples was elected as KCTCS Board Chair for a two-year term. He was appointed to the KCTCS Board of Regents for a six-year term that expires in 2012.
Marcia L. Roth, KCTCS Board Vice Chair, lives in Louisville, Kentucky, and serves as the executive director of the Mary Byron Project, a public grant-making charity fostering innovations and strategies to end domestic violence. A graduate of Northwestern University, she has served on numerous boards at the local, state, and national levels. Ms. Roth has lectured, written, and trained extensively in the field of domestic violence. She is a member of the Kentucky Commission on Women, the Jefferson County Domestic Violence Prevention Coordinating Council and the Library Foundation Board. In June 2011, Ms. Roth was elected as KCTCS Board Vice Chair for a Board Officer term that ends June 30, 2013. Her term as regent ends in 2014.
Jackie B. Cecil, KCTCS Board Secretary, lives in Stanville, Kentucky and currently serves as Director of Human Resources for Big Sandy Community and Technical College. Mr. Cecil holds an associate degree from Prestonsburg Community College and a bachelor’s degree from Eastern Kentucky University. Mr. Cecil has served on various boards and committees in eastern Kentucky, including president of Big Sandy Health Care Board of Directors. He also is past president of the Gateway Regional Society for Human Resource Management Chapter in eastern Kentucky and has been instrumental in the Chapter’s reactivation. Mr. Cecil is a member of Big Sandy Community and Technical College’s President’s Advisory Council, Planning Council, President’s Diversity Advisory Council, College Leadership Team, as well as a member of the KCTCS Human Resources Peer Team. In August 2009, Mr. Cecil was elected to the KCTCS Board of Regents to serve a second term as the General Education Staff Regent. In June 2011, Mr. Cecil was re-elected as Board Secretary for a two-year term. Mr. Cecil's term as staff regent expires in October 2012
Richard A. Bean lives in Louisville, Kentucky. Mr. Bean has extensive experience in real estate and banking. He is a member of the National Association of Home Builders and is a director of the Home Builders Association of Kentucky and Louisville, having been active with those associations for more than 30 years. He is a member of several banking associations, including the Louisville Mortgage Bankers Association and the Mortgage Bankers Association of Kentucky. He also teaches continuing education classes. Mr. Bean is a veteran of the U.S. Army and served tours in Germany and Vietnam. Mr. Bean received a bachelor’s degree from the University of Kentucky and is a member of Phi Gamma Delta, a past president and member of the UK Alumni Association, recipient of the UK Alumni Service Award, and is a UK Fellow. He also is a past member of the former Jefferson Community College (now Jefferson Community and Technical College) Board of Directors and former chair of the JCC Education Foundation. Mr. Bean has served the KCTCS Board of Regents in various leadership roles, including chair of the Finance, Technology, and Human Resources Committee; Board Vice Chair; and four years as Board Chair. Mr. Bean was reappointed to the Board in 2007 for a six-year term that ends in 2013.
Elijah Buell, Jr., lives in Cumberland, Kentucky. He has 30 years experience teaching Business Administration, primarily accounting and economics, at Southeast Kentucky Community and Technical College where he is a professor. In addition, Mr. Buell also has worked as an adjunct faculty at Lincoln Memorial University and the University of the Cumberlands. Mr. Buell has served in several leadership positions at the local and System levels, including Social Sciences Division Chair, Business Administration Program Coordinator, Faculty Chair, KCTCS Faculty Council, KCTCS Faculty Curriculum Review Committee, and the KCTCS Promotion and Tenure Committee. He is a member of the Kentucky Society of Certified Public Accountants Educators Association and the Kentucky Economics Association. Mr. Buell earned a Bachelor’s of Art in Business Administration from Hanover College in Hanover, Indiana, and a Master’s of Business Administration from Morehead State University. In August 2009, Mr. Buell was elected to the KCTCS Board of Regents to serve as the Occupational/Technical College Faculty Regent. Mr. Buell’s term as faculty regent ends in October 2012.
Robert G. Cooper lives in Newport, Kentucky. He is Vice President – Public Finance of J.J.B. Hilliard, W.L. Lyons, Louisville, Kentucky. Mr. Cooper graduated from Thomas More College with a B.A. in Business Administration. He is active in community and service organizations, including the Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame and Museum Board, Executive Committee and past Chair; Northern Kentucky Chamber of Commerce, past Chair; Thomas College Board of Trustees and Foundation Board; Saint Elizabeth Health Care, Finance Committee; Northern Kentucky Port Authority Board; Campbell Leadership Action Group, past Chair; Vision 2015 Regional Stewardship; and Legacy Mentoring Program. Mr. Cooper was appointed to replace Ms. Johnna Reeder whose term had expired. He will serve a six-year term that expires in 2017.
Carolyn E. “Betsy” Flynn lives in Murray, Kentucky. Ms. Flynn is the President, Chief Executive Officer, and Chair of Community Financial Services Bank in Benton, Kentucky. She has been with the bank for over 30 years. Ms. Flynn has served in leadership positions on many area boards, committees, and commissions. Some of these include the Federal Reserve Consumer Advisory Committee and Chair of the Deposit and Delivery Systems Committee, Marshall County Tourist Commission Director and Chair, Purchase Regional Industrial Park Board and Executive Committee, PADD SBA Loan Committee, Regional Economic Development Marketing Committee Chair, PACRO Finance and Executive Committee, Murray State University Regional Stewardship Committee, and the Kentucky Workforce Investment Board. Ms. Flynn attended the former Paducah Community College (now West Kentucky Community and Technical College) and Murray State University. Ms. Flynn was appointed to serve the remainder of Mr. Ron James’ term on the KCTCS Board of Regents. She will serve a five-year term that expires in 2016.
Michael Ginsberg, Ph.D., lives in Louisville, Kentucky. He has 19 years teaching experience at Jefferson Community and Technical College. Early in his career at the college, he taught developmental reading and, for the last 11 years, he has taught English and Journalism. Dr. Ginsberg earned a Bachelor’s of Arts in history from State University New York at Buffalo, a Master of Arts in Teaching from the University of Louisville, and Doctor of Philosophy in Language Education with a minor in English composition from Indiana University. He has served in professional and community leadership positions, including as an elected member of the Site-Based Decision Making (SBDM) Board at Atherton High School and as a volunteer at Planned Parenthood of Kentucky. Dr. Ginsberg has received numerous journalism awards, such as first place in the Warren Adler Short Story Contest and second place in the LEO Short Story Competition. He is a member of the National Council of Teachers of English, Two Year College Association, and the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators. In August 2009, Dr. Ginsberg was elected to the KCTCS Board of Regents to serve as the General Education Faculty Regent. Dr. Ginsberg’s term as faculty regent ends in October 2012.
Gail R. Henson, Ph.D., lives in Louisville, Kentucky. Dr. Henson is employed by Bellarmine University as a professor and chair for the Department of Communications, which she founded in 1987. Dr. Henson is also the director for the Brown Scholars Leadership Program. She has extensive leadership, public service, and community service experience for which she has received several awards, including two from Metroversity for service related to adult learning. A past at large member of the Kentucky Board of Education and chair of the Kentucky P-16 State Council, she is a member of several national organizations, such as the National Council for Accreditation Teacher Education Unit Accreditation Board, Society for Professional Journalists, and the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization. An accomplished author and presenter, Dr. Henson also is a reviewer for the International Communication Division of the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication. Dr. Henson’s academic interests in end-of-life communication, communication and the elderly, and intercultural communication are reflected in her research, teaching, as well service to a great number of organizations, including Louisville’s Metro Healthy Communities Initiative, Highland Community Ministries, and Bellarmine University’s Multiculturalism Task Force. Her term as regent ends in 2015.
Jan M. Hite lives in Henderson, Kentucky. Mrs. Hite is pursuing an associate degree at Henderson Community College, where she was elected as the college's 2011-12 Student Government Association (SGA) President. She is also the president of the college's Phi Theta Kappa chapter, a student ambassador, member of the History Club, and a student representative on the college Quality Enhancement Plan Committee. After receiving an associate degree, Mrs. Hite hopes to continue her education to obtain a bachelor’s degree and pursue law school or a master’s degree in political science. Mrs. Hite was elected by the 16 KCTCS college 2011-12 SGA Presidents as one of the KCTCS Student Body Co-Presidents and as a member of the KCTCS Board of Regents. Her one-year term as regent will expire August 10, 2012.
Barbara A. Hoskins lives in Lexington, Kentucky, and currently serves as Director of Professional and Organizational Development at Bluegrass Community and Technical College. She has 30 years experience working in multiple roles within technical and community colleges at both the college and System levels in positions such as program director, faculty, and web designer. Currently, Ms. Hoskins is providing leadership as an Ex Officio member of the college’s, Distance Learning, Internet Services, Graduation, and Strategic Planning Committees as well as Chair of the Adjunct Faculty Annual Professional Development Conference. Ms. Hoskins holds an Associate in Science in Nursing from Eastern Kentucky University. She earned a Bachelor’s of Science in Education and a Master of Science in Education Administration (Higher Education Concentration) from the University of Kentucky. In August 2009, Ms. Hoskins was elected to the KCTCS Board of Regents to serve as the Occupational/Technical College Staff Regent. Ms. Hoskins' term as staff regent ends in October 2012.
John W. Pence lives in Jackson, Kentucky. Mr. Pence is pursuing an Associate in Science degree at Hazard Community and Technical College, where he was elected as the college's 2011-12 Student Government Association (SGA) President. He is also the vice president of Fellowship for the college’s Phi Theta Kappa chapter and a member of the Breathitt County Community Action Team. After receiving a degree from KCTCS, Mr. Pence plans to transfer to a four-year institution to obtain a bachelor’s and master’s degree in psychology. Mr. Pence was elected by the 16 KCTCS college 2011-12 SGA Presidents as one of the KCTCS Student Body Co-Presidents and as a member of the KCTCS Board of Regents. His one-year term as regent will expire August 10, 2012.
Doris C. Thomas lives in Smiths Grove, Kentucky. She is vice president of Marketing and Development for Commonwealth Health Corp in Bowling Green. She is a Fellow with the American College of Healthcare Executives and a member of the Healthcare Strategy Forum Board of Directors. Ms. Thomas has a broad range of leadership, communication, public service, and community service experience. She has served in leadership positions on numerous boards and organizations, including the Bowling Green Technical College Board of Directors (past chair), the Kentucky Society for Healthcare Public Relations and Marketing (past president), and Kentucky Society for Healthcare Public Relations and Marketing (past president), and Western Kentucky University National Alumni Board of Directors (past president), . She has also served on the Kentucky Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors, the Kentucky Hospitals Association’s Healthcare Strategy Forum Advisory Board, and Girls Inc. Board of Directors. Her term as regent ends in 2015.
Thomas O. Zawacki, lives in Georgetown, Kentucky. He retired as General Manager of General Affairs for Toyota Motor Engineering and Manufacturing America in June 2009. In October 2009, Mr. Zawacki was appointed by Gov. Steve Beshear as Commissioner of Vehicle Regulation in the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet. He holds a bachelors degree from Ferris State University and a master’s degree from Webster University. Mr. Zawacki is a graduate of Leadership Kentucky and is a member of various other boards, including the Kentucky Workforce Investment Board and past board member of the Japan-America Society of Kentucky. Mr. Zawacki is a past chair of several organizations, including the KCTCS Foundation, Inc.; the Kentucky Chamber of Commerce; Center for Quality People and Organizations; Georgetown Community Hospital; and the Lexington-Fayette Urban League. From July 2005 through June 2009, Mr. Zawacki chaired the KCTCS Board of Regents Finance, Technology, and Human Resources Committee and from July 2009 through June 2011, Mr. Zawacki served a two-year term as KCTCS Board of Regents Chair. His term as regent ends in 2012.