President McKinney Announces Appointment of Dr. Kimberly Luse as Chief of Staff

VALDOSTA – Valdosta State University President William J. McKinney has named Dr. Kimberly A. Luse as his new chief of staff, effective July 21. 

"I am thrilled to welcome Dr. Luse to VSU. She brings a rare range of experiences to this position,” said McKinney. “Her commitments to student success and to higher education's public purpose make her the perfect fit for our vision of a more engaged and innovative Valdosta State." 

Luse will handle a wide range of duties of institutional importance, including supervision of the day-to-day operations of the President’s Office, coordination of the university's external relations, and coordination and oversight in the development of core initiatives within the Office of the President. 

“I am very excited to be joining Valdosta State University at this important juncture,” said Luse. “The focus that is placed on student success at VSU, demonstrated so clearly by President McKinney, the faculty, and staff, is very meaningful to me as a first-generation college graduate. The welcoming environment on the campus and throughout the community is so appealing. I look forward to the work ahead with great anticipation.” 

Luse has more than 20 years of senior administration and scholarly experience in higher education and the health care industry. Her experience includes teaching at community colleges and four-year institutions, developing online curricula, budget management, strategic planning, and human resource management. 

In her recent position as chief of staff and assistant secretary to the North Carolina Central University (NCCU) Board of Trustees, Luse served as a top adviser to the chancellor and corporate secretary to the governing board. Prior to NCCU, she was national academic dean for radiologic technology at Remington College and has held various executive positions at Fairmont State University and Northern Kentucky University.

Luse received a Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) in education foundations from the University of Cincinnati and a Master of Education in executive human resources and development from Xavier University.