Four new members join the Gateway Foundation Board

Florence, Ky. (July 26, 2017) — The Gateway Community & Technical College Foundation welcomes four new members to the Board of Directors: Blevins Bowlin, Dr. Kathlyn Burkhardt Patrick Henshaw and Sharmili Reddy.

“We are pleased to welcome these talented community leaders to the board,” said Jim Parsons, chair of the Foundation Board. “We look forward to working with them to further the mission of the college.”

Bowlin founded the Bowlin Group in 1997, a specialty contractor in the power line, telecommunications and wireless construction industry. He has over 30 years experience in the field. He has served on the Gateway Consortium, Kentucky and Northern Kentucky chambers of commerce and numerous charities.

“I strongly support the trade industries and am passionate about providing the best education and learning environment for students and trade groups,” Bowlin said.

Dr. Burkhardt has served the Erlanger-Elsmere Independent School District as superintendent since 2009. She was assistant superintendent prior to that. She has served as a teacher, curriculum consultant and principal. She earned her doctorate from the University of Kentucky, master’s degree from Eastern Kentucky University and bachelor’s degree from Berea College.

“I look forward to serving on the board so I may assist in providing opportunities through the college that will advance individual students’ goals and provide and educated workforce,” said Dr. Burkhardt.

Henshaw is the Director of Development for Cintrifuse a $57 Million Venture Capital Fund that facilitates innovation, investment and new technologies, from startups to large enterprises. Patrick also serves on the board and as the Entrepreneur-in-Residence for Aviatra Accelerators a female focused venture building non-profit in Northern Kentucky.

“In our community, we must develop talent pipelines to create, innovate and execute. I believe in the mission of the Gateway Foundation because at the core that is what the foundation does,” said Henshaw.

Reddy has been City Administrator for Fort Mitchell, Kentucky since May 2015. She oversees the daily operations of the city and works extensively with the mayor and council to set a strategic direction and vision for the city. With a background in Community Planning and Development, she focuses on implementing various economic development projects through collaboration with business owners and in partnership with other organizations.

“The demand for a talented and educated workforce is more important now than ever. Gateway is a critical player and I am excited to serve on the Foundation board to help further this cause and support our community,” said Reddy.

Bowlin, Burkhardt, Henshaw and Reddy begin their service on the board at the Aug. 3 board meeting.  Over 20 community leaders serve on the Gateway Foundation board representing a broad array of industries and organizations that partner with Gateway.

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Gateway Community and Technical College is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges to award the associate degree. Contact the Commission on Colleges at 1866 Southern Lane, Decatur, Georgia 30033-4097 or call 404-679-4500 for questions about the accreditation of Gateway Community and Technical College.

The Commission is to be contacted only if there is evidence that appears to support an institution’s significant non-compliance with a requirement or standard.

GCTC is Northern Kentucky’s only public, two-year comprehensive community and technical college, and its SACS accreditation has been reaffirmed through July 2023.  SACS is a U.S. Department of Education-recognized agency that evaluates academic programs at two-year and four-year institutions to ensure the quality and acceptability of each institution. SACS accreditation means that Gateway students can transfer their course credits to four-year colleges and universities throughout the nation.

Gateway enrolls nearly 5,000 students and offers associate degrees, diplomas and certificates in 30 subject areas. Classes are provided at GCTC locations in Boone County, Covington, and Edgewood. Through partnerships with more than 400 local businesses, GCTC provides customized, short-term training to more than 3,000 other people. Find out how to “start here and go anywhere” at gateway.kctcs.edu. GCTC is one of 16 colleges that comprise the Kentucky Community and Technical College System.

The Kentucky Community and Technical College System is the Commonwealth’s largest postsecondary institution with 16 colleges and more than 70 campuses. We also are Kentucky’s largest provider of workforce training and online education. Through partnerships with business and industry, we align our programs to meet the needs of local employers. We help students fulfill their dreams of creating a better life through programs that lead directly to jobs or help them transfer to one of our four-year partners.