Southeast Names Interim Chief Academic Officer, Two New Deans

Cumberland, KY – Southeast Kentucky Community and Technical College has restructured its Office of Academic Affairs placing familiar faces in new roles. Kevin Lambert, previously the Associate Dean of Academic Affairs, was appointed interim Chief Academic Officer following the July departure of Dr. Joel Michaelis, who has taken a position at Southeast Community College in Lincoln, Nebraska.  

According to Southeast President Vic Adams, Lambert is a natural fit. “Kevin has risen through the ranks from adjunct instructor to full Professor, and he has served in several leadership capacities,” said Adams. “He has both the experience and expertise to excel in this position.  

Lambert began his career at Southeast as an adjunct instructor in 2000. He became a full-time instructor of Computer Information Systems on the Whitesburg campus in the fall of 2002. Kevin achieved rank of Assistant Professor and was appointed to serve as Distance Learning Liaison for the college in 2005. Three years later, he earned the rank of Associate Professor with Tenure and was chosen to become Division Chair of Social Sciences and Related Technologies. Kevin was promoted to full Professor in 2012 and in 2014 was made Institutional Liaison to the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. After serving three years as division chair and accreditation liaison, Kevin became the Associate Dean of Academic Affairs, a position created as a second-in-command for Academics. 

The College has also added two new Dean positions. Dr. Erin Reasor, formerly the Director of Institutional Research, has been appointed as Dean of Healthcare and Technical Programming.

Dr. Reasor received her Ed.D. in Educational Leadership from Eastern Kentucky University in 2016.  She earned her MA degree from East Tennessee State University and her BA from Morehead State University.  Erin began working at Southeast in 2007 as Director of Academic Support Center and teaching developmental reading classes. Since then, she has managed a Title III grant focusing on Transforming Developmental Education while serving as the Director of Developmental Education and then transitioned to Director of Institutional Research for two years working closely with the Chief Advancement Officer assisting with grants.  Dr. Reasor has managed the Perkins grant since 2015, which has enhanced technical programming through purchasing up-to-date equipment and technology.

“I am grateful for the opportunity to serve as Dean of Healthcare and Technical Programming,” Reasor stated. “I look forward to working with our technical programs more closely and helping our students."

Peggy Brown Conklin, Professor of History and Division Chair of Humanities and Social Sciences, has been named Dean of Arts and Sciences. 

Conklin came to Southeast as a member of the history faculty in 2002 and attained the rank of Professor.  In 2017 she assumed the role of Division Chair of Social Sciences and Related Technologies which became the Division of Humanities and Social Sciences in 2019.  Currently working on a doctoral degree at Eastern Kentucky University, Conklin has received the KCTCS New Horizon’s Award for Teaching Excellence and is a two-time recipient of the NISOD Award for Teaching. Ms. Conklin holds a BA and MA degrees from Morehead State University.  

Of her new role, Conklin said, “Higher Education has been both the center of my career and one of the passions of my professional life.  I look forward to the new challenges and opportunities and am excited to work with faculty and students in this new capacity.”

 

 

(Kevin Lambert has been appointed interim Chief Academic Officer at Southeast.)

 

(Dr. Erin Reasor will serve as Dean of Healthcare and Technical Programming.)

 

(Peggy Conklin has been named Dean of Arts and Sciences.)