Universities Announced the Appointment of Eight Women to New Administrative Positions

Alana R. Davis was appointed associate provost and university registrar at the College of William and Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia. She has been serving as associate dean of academic operations and registrar at Randolph-Macon College in Ashland, Virginia.

Davis received her undergraduate degree from the College of William and Mary. She is scheduled to complete her doctorate work in educational policy, planning, and leadership from the College of William and Mary later this year.

Kelli Shomaker has been promoted to senior vice president for business and administration and chief financial officer at Auburn University in Alabama. She has been chief financial officer since 2016. Earlier, she was on the staff at Texas A&M University for 16 years.

Shomaker holds a bachelor’s degree in accounting from Texas A&M University and is a certified public accountant.

Shantay Bolton will be the new executive vice president for administration and finance and chief business officer at the Georgia Institute of Technology, effective August 14. She has been serving as executive vice chancellor for administration and chief administrative officer at Washington University in St. Louis. Earlier, she served as vice president and deputy chief operating officer at Tulane University in New Orleans.

Dr. Bolton earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology and a master’s degree in counseling psychology from Alabama A&M University. She holds an MBA in corporate business from Florida International University and a Ph.D. in organizational psychology with a concentration in industrial psychology from Walden University.

Abigail L. Palko has been named the inaugural director of the residential commons program at Colgate University in Hamilton, New York, effective August 7. She has been serving as the director of the Maxine Platzer Lynn Women’s Center at the University of Virginia.

Dr. Palko earned a bachelor’s degree in English and French from Chestnut Hill College in Philadelphia. She holds a master’s degree in English from Rutgers University in New Jersey and a Ph.D. in literature with a gender studies graduate minor from the University of Notre Dame.

Kristen Schlatre is the new assistant dean for professional and corporate programs for the Susanne M. Glasscock School of Continuing Studies at Rice University in Houston, Texas. She previously served as director of the Center for Philanthropy and Nonprofit Leadership at the university.

Schlatre holds a bachelor’s degree in marketing from the University of Houston and master’s degrees in both public affairs in nonprofit management and philanthropic studies from Indiana University.

Kacey Strickland was promoted to executive director for research administration at Mississippi State University. In this role, she will oversee both the Office of Sponsored Projects and Office of Research Compliance and Security. Strickland joined the staff in 2001 and has led the Office of Research Compliance and Security since 2007.

Strickland earned a bachelor’s degree in genetics from the University of Georgia. She holds a master’s degree in science education from the University of Texas.

Lucreta Tribune has been promoted to associate vice president for finance at Alcorn State University in Mississippi. She served as the director of accounting at the university since August 2022. Earlier, Tribune had a career spanning 14 years in state government finance and an additional five years as a state auditor.

Tribune earned a bachelor’s degree in accounting from Alcorn State University in 2000. She holds a master of professional accountancy degree from Jackson State University in Mississippi.

Kendra Bumpus has been selected as the new director of residence life and university housing at Southern Illinois University Carbondale. She is the former assistant director of administration and operations for university housing at Florida State University.

Bumpers earned a bachelor’s degree in university studies with minors in psychology and classics at Southern Illinois University Carbondale in 2004. She holds a master’s degree in higher education and student affairs from Ohio State University and is completing work on a doctorate in higher education student affairs from Florida State University.