NKU announces new vice president and chief strategy officer

On Tuesday NKU announced its new vice president and chief strategy officer Bonita J. Brown. President Ashish Vaidya created the position of VP and CSO to assist with the overseeing and execution of the university’s “Success by Design” strategic framework.

“Our strategic framework must evolve as regional needs change. In this new paradigm, we need a CSO to ensure NKU is constantly innovating, adapting and executing in an iterative process as we stay responsive to the needs of the region and beyond,” said Vaidya in a press release by the university.

Brown is currently vice president for Network Engagement at Achieving the Dream. According to the organization’s website, the national non-profit organization supports community colleges through non-governmental reform and evidence-based institutional improvement.

Brown’s resume includes director of Higher Education Practice with the Education Trust in Washington D.C. As director,  Brown assisted institutions in “assessing data and implementing national best practices for improving student success and closing completion gaps.”

Brown also created and led the initiative Optimizing Academic Success and Institutional Strategy (OASIS), which helps ensure more underrepresented minority (URM) students receive their bachelor degree by working with regional comprehensive institutions that serve large populations of URMs.

“I am thrilled to be joining the NKU family! … The Success by Design framework resonated with me and my work over the past few years and I look forward to leading the efforts to begin implementation,” said Brown in the release.

Brown will assume the role on Aug. 1.