Next TCAT Knoxville president approved

The Tennessee Board of Regents unanimously approved Kelli Chaney, a community and technical college administrator from Kentucky, as the next president of the Tennessee College of Applied Technology at Knoxville.

Chaney was one of two finalists for the position. She was recommended to the board of regents during a special called meeting on Tuesday morning. Board of Regents Chancellor Flora Tydings said she thought Chaney had a “wealth of knowledge” about community colleges that would be beneficial for this role. “I feel that Ms. Chaney is the best choice for TCAT Knoxville going forward,” Tydings said.

Chaney was unanimously approved by the Board of Regents.

“I look forward to this opportunity,” Chaney said, joining the meeting by phone. “I can’t wait to get to Tennessee.”

Prior to being approved as president, Chaney was the dean of career education and workforce development at Big Sandy Community and Technical College in Prestonburg, Kentucky, since 2016.

At Big Sandy Community and Technical College, Chaney was also a member of the President’s Leadership Cabinet, which “leads all areas of the college.” Chaney was also the satellite campus director of the Pikeville campus of Big Sandy Community and Technical College, according to her application materials.

Chaney has an associate of arts degree from Prestonburg Community College, as well as a bachelor’s degree in business administration and master’s degree in community college leadership from Morehead State University in Morehead, Kentucky. She is currently a doctoral candidate at Eastern Kentucky University in educational leadership and policy, and is expected to receive her doctorate at the end of this semester.

Current TCAT Knoxville President Dwight Murphy is resigning on Dec. 31. He has served as a dual president of TCAT Knoxville and TCAT Oneida/ Huntsville, and will remain president of the Oneida/Huntsville campus.

Chaney will start as president on Jan. 2.

Source: Knoxville News Sentinel, by Monica Kast

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Published November 20, 2018