By Daniel Ngongo
In a letter from the university’s president Thursday, two important roles are under transition: Vice President of Government Relations and Executive Vice President of Research and Innovation.
Starting February 1, Ms. Shannon Tivitt will become the new Vice President of Government Relations. She brings more than 20 years of experience in government affairs, having worked with former Gov. Steve Beshear and Lt. Gov. Jerry Abramson. Ms. Tivitt will be responsible for building positive relationships with various levels of government and collaborating with industry and community partners. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in political science from the University of Louisville.
Ms. Shannon Rickett, the current Associate Vice President for Government Relations, will be leaving on January 13th for a new role with the Kentucky Community and Technical Colleges System (KCTC).
Additionally, effective January 25th, Dr. Kevin Gardner will step down from his role as the Executive Vice President for Research and Innovation. During his four-year term, Dr. Gardner oversaw significant growth in the university’s research activities, reaching a record $230 million in research expenditures last year. Dr. Gardner also played a role in enhancing partnerships with industry, bringing the Kentucky Manufacturing Extension Partnership to UofL.
To fill Dr. Gardner’s position temporarily, Dr. Jon Klein will step in as the interim Executive Vice President of Research and Innovation. Dr. Klein, with over 30 years of experience at the university, is a clinician-scientist and founder of the University of Louisville’s Core Proteomics Laboratory and Clinical Proteomics Program.
File Photo // The Louisville Cardinal
