WELD Program Participants Announced for 2017

LEXINGTON, Ky. (March 24, 2017) — The Women’s Executive Leadership Development (WELD) program at the University of Kentucky has announced the faculty and staff members who will participate in the program during 2017. 

Participants are: 

• Chana Akins, professor, Department of Psychology, College of Arts and Sciences     
• Kimberly Anderson, professor and associate dean, Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering, College of Engineering         
• Elizabeth Arnold, associate professor, School of Music, College of Fine Arts           
• Chelsea Brislin, director, Honors Pathway, Gatton College of Business and Economics 
• Gail Carbol, manager, Human Resources and Benefits
• Maria Gabriela Castro, associate professor, Department of Family and Community Medicine, College of Medicine 
• Regina Fragneto, professor, Department of Anesthesiology, College of Medicine                
• Richard Grondin, associate professor, Department of Neuroscience, College of Medicine 
• Alison Gustafson, associate professor, Department of Dietetics and Human Nutrition, College of Agriculture, Food and Environment                                  
• Jennifer Hatcher, associate professor and director of diversity and inclusivity, College of Nursing
• Elizabeth Head, professor, Department of Pharmacology and Nutritional Sciences, College of Medicine
• Grace Hestor, director, Office of Student Organizations and Activities
• Melinda Ickes, associate professor, Department of Kinesiology and Health Promotion, College of Education
• Sarah Kercsmar, lecturer and program coordinator, Center for Instructional Communication, College of Communication and Information 
• Rhonda Killingsworth, corporate director of health information, UK HealthCare
• Liang Luo, associate professor, Department of Modern and Classical Languages, College of Arts and Sciences 
• Emily Lyden, director of operations, UK Swim and Dive Team, Women’s Sports
• Meg Marquis, director of student services, Lewis Honors College
• Jenny Minier, professor, Department of Economics, Gatton College of Business and Economics
• Shana Moore, director of research and program operations, College of Social Work
• Julie Oestreich, director of research, College of Pharmacy
• Jennifer Osterhage, lecturer and director of undergraduate studies, Department of Biology, College of Arts and Sciences 
• Arundathal Reddy, associate professor, Department of Anesthesiology, College of Medicine
• M. Sara Rosenthal, professor, Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine
• Marion Rust, associate professor, Department of English, College of Arts and Sciences 
• Mary Kathryn Starkey, team lead, Analytics and Technologies

“I look forward to working with this talented group," said Hollie Swanson, director of WELD and professor in the Department of Pharmacology and Nutritional Sciences in the College of Medicine. "Our applicant pool was very strong, as so many well qualified individuals had applied. Our Selection Committee had a daunting task.”

The WELD Selection Committee was composed of Terry Allen, former interim vice president for institutional diversity; Nancy Cox, dean of the College of Agriculture, Food and Environment; Penny Cox, director of housing project implementation and new strategies; and Janie Heath, dean of the College of Nursing. Forty-three employees applied for the WELD program this year.

Now in its second year, the eight-month WELD program is designed to develop the next generation of University of Kentucky leaders through retreats, monthly meetings, conversations with upper level administrators and a group project.  The upcoming WELD Kick-Off Lecture April 6 will feature Deneese Jones, vice president for academic affairs at Trinity University and former University of Kentucky faculty member.