The External Affairs and Strategic Initiatives division’s mission is to provide support, leadership and direction for institutional initiatives, special projects, critical, time-sensitive decisions, and protocol and policy development. Areas within the division collaborate enterprise-wide to support and further Appalachian's greater mission.
Vice Chancellor
Chief of Staff
Secretary of the University
828-262-2880
foremanht@appstate.edu
Hank Foreman was named vice chancellor and chief of staff for Appalachian State University in 2017. He oversees the areas of University Communications, Arts Engagement (An Appalachian Summer Festival, the Schaefer Center for the Performing Arts and the Turchin Center for the Visual Arts), the Holmes Convocation Center, the Office of Sustainability, the Small Business and Technology Development Center and External Affairs and Community Relations. As the principal aide to the chancellor, he is the liaison to the University of North Carolina’s Board of Governors, Appalachian’s Board of Trustees and community and university constituencies. Additionally, he assists in providing leadership and direction for institutional initiatives, special projects, critical, time-sensitive decisions, and policy development. Foreman has worked at Appalachian since 1993. He has held the positions of acting chief of staff, senior associate vice chancellor, special assistant to the chancellor for special initiatives, chief communications officer and founding director and chief curator of the Turchin Center for the Visual Arts. Foreman is a first-generation college student who earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte in 1986 and a master’s degree from Appalachian in 1995.
Division Leadership
- Elizabeth Auer
Executive Director, Arts Engagement and Cultural Resources
828-262-2939
aueree@appstate.edu - George Baldwin
Director, Corporate and Foundation Relations
828-262-2040
baldwingm@appstate.edu - Patrick Billings
Director of Special Projects
828-262-8217
billingspw@appstate.edu - David Cook
Hickory Campus Director
828-262-3159
cookdh@appstate.edu - Matthew Dockham
Director, External Affairs & Community Relations
828-262-2040
dockhammt@appstate.edu - Alyson Ebaugh
Associate Vice Chancellor, Human Resources
828-262-6482
ebaugham@appstate.edu - Megan Hayes
Senior Associate Vice Chancellor and Chief Communications Officer
828-262-7983
hayesme@appstate.edu - Anna Jackson
Interim Director, Small Business Technology Development Center
828-827-6112
ajackson@sbtdc.org - Nick Katers
Associate Vice Chancellor, Facilities Management
828-262-6432
katersnw@appstate.edu - Jason Marshburn, MS
Director, Environmental Health, Safety and Emergency Management
828-262-8081
marshburnjs@appstate.edu - Margaret McCoy
Executive Director of Donor Engagement & University Events
828-262-8485
mccoymm@appstate.edu - Jason Parker
Director, Holmes Convocation Center
828-262-7890
parkerjc@appstate.edu - Johnny Brown
Interim Director of Public Safety and Chief of Police
828-262-2150
brownjm@appstate.edu
police.appstate.edu