My path to becoming the person I am today has not always been easy. When I was in elementary school, my family immigrated to the United States from Romania with nothing but what we could carry in a few suitcases.
I learned English as a second language, worked hard to adapt to a new school, held a job at a department store, and became the first in my family to attend college. While earning my master’s degree, I married my wonderful husband Eric and had three daughters.

Earlier this year, I was selected to serve as the University of Pikeville’s first provost. In June, we moved more than 2,100 miles from Nampa, Idaho, to our new home in Pikeville. Whether as individuals, or an institution, my achievements are the result not only of my own efforts, but of those who came before me.

Life-changing events have often provided me with tremendous opportunities and a multitude of blessings. As UPIKE’s chief academic officer and a leader within our campus community, I report to the president. Planning and implementing the institution’s academic priorities is central to my work. Collaborating with academic deans, department leaders, faculty and staff, strengthens our commitment to quality undergraduate and graduate programs. The provost oversees the teams who focus on recruitment, retention and athletics.
I believe in the transformational impact one person can have on another. During a critical time in my development, two people, my school principal Shirley Vandrell and caring pastor Roy Litsey, believed in me and gave me the courage to set my sights higher than what anyone in my family had done before.

Today, I have the privilege of serving alongside faculty and staff who are passionate about education and dedicated to our community. We have a rich history as a vibrant liberal arts university with a nationally recognized medical school and a new optometry school that are meeting the needs of rural communities and attracting students from across the country.