Two Women Announce Their Retirements From Executive Posts in Higher Education

Kathy Zoner, the first woman chief of police at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York, has announced she will step down from her position on March 4, 2019. She is leaving to become director of organizational assessments at Margolis Healy, a professional services firm that consults on safety and security needs for K-12 schools, universities, and colleges throughout the country. Under her leadership, in 2010 Cornell became the first university in New York to be accredited by the International Association of Campus Law Enforcement Administrators. She also established the weekly Blue Light safety email, which updates the campus community on situations of concern and promotes a safe campus environment.

Zoner is a graduate of Ohio State University and the FBI National Academy.

Frankie Jeffries, longtime director of alumni affairs and sustained giving at LeMoyne-Owen College in Memphis, retired on February 1, 2019. She began her 31-year career at the college as a volunteer in the admissions office. Six months later, she was hired as a recruiter, and a year after that, she became director of admissions. Jeffries has served as director of alumni relations and sustained giving for the past 13 years. In this role, she has been the liaison between the college and alumni, working to keep graduates connected to the college, including coordinating national alumni association chapters’ events with campus activities – especially commencement and homecoming.

Jeffries holds a bachelor’s degree in social science from LeMoyne-Owen College and a master’s degree in education from Trevecca Nazarene University in Nashville.