Executive Vice President and Chief Business Officer
Tricia Chastain has served as the Chief Business Officer (CBO) for Kennesaw State
University (KSU) since September 2023. In this role, Chastain provides leadership
in the day-to-day operations and fiduciary management of the university, delivering an exceptional campus experience for KSU’s students, faculty, staff and visitors and meeting the goals andobjectives of KSU’s strategic plan.Prior to this role, she was the Chief Administrative Officer at KSU beginning in 2019 when she first joined the university. Chastain brings over 23 years of experience in higher education and government in Georgia. Before joining KSU, she was the Executive Vice Chancellor of Administration for the University System of Georgia (USG). Chastain also served as President of the Georgia Student Finance Commission. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism from the University of Georgia, where she graduated summa cum laude and served as student body president. She also holds a Master of Business Administration from KSU’s Coles College of Business.
Vice President of Finance and Chief Financial Officer
Aaron Howell oversees the Office of Fiscal Services and brings over 27 years of experience in higher education. Before joining KSU in 2020, Howell served as the Vice President for Business & Finance at Averett University for almost 5 years and the Assistant Vice President and Controller at Oregon State University for nearly 20 years. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Finance, a Master of Business Administration and a Certificate of Accountancy from Oregon State University. Howell enjoys walking, reading, watching movies and sports.
Vice President of Human Resources and Chief Human Resources Officer
Karen McDonnell oversees all Human Resources functions at KSU including HR Business Partners, Talent Acquisition, Compensation, Benefits, HR Operations, HR Information Systems, Employee Relations and HR Communications. Before joining KSU in 2018, McDonnell was the Executive Director of Human Resources at Piedmont Healthcare (2011-2015) and the Senior Vice President of Human Resources at PruittHealth (2015-2017). McDonnell holds a Bachelor of Science in Health Care Administration from Stonewall College and a Master of Science in Human Resource Management from Southern New Hampshire University. Currently, she is enrolled in a graduate program in Organizational Coaching at the University of Georgia.
Dr. Lesley Netter-Snowden has served as Vice President of Business Services since
January 2024. In her role, Dr. Netter-Snowden oversees Campus Services, Community
and Professional Education, the Office of Scholarships and Financial Aid as well as
Administration and Finance Marketing and Communications. Her prior roles include serving
as Assistant Vice President of Campus Services (2019-2023) and Chief Institutional
Auditor at KSU (2017-2019). Before joining KSU, she spent 13 years working at EY,
a Big 4 public accounting firm, primarily serving not-for-profit clients. Dr. Netter-Snowden
holds a Doctor of Education (EdD) in Higher Education Management from the University
of Georgia, along with a Master of Accountancy and Bachelor of Science in Business
Administration from Auburn University. She is a certified public accountant, a University
System of Georgia Executive Leadership Institute Scholar (2022), and a member of the
Leadership Georgia Class of 2024. Dr. Netter-Snowden enjoys traveling and trying new
restaurants with her husband.
Assistant Vice President of Planning, Design & Construction
Jo Lamb oversees the Planning, Design and Construction and Environmental Health and Safety departments at KSU. Lamb brings over 20 years of experience in planning, design, construction, engineering, project management, capital renewal and space planning/utilization. Before joining KSU in 2023, Lamb was the Director of Planning, Design, Engineering and Construction at King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, the Director of Design and Construction at Piedmont Healthcare, the Senior Director of Planning and Design at Emory University and a Project Manager at both Emory University and Columbia University. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from Columbia University.
Zach Kerns oversees Event and Venue Management (Event Coordination, Event Services, Venue Management, Broadcast, Event A/V and Night Owls), Plant Operations (Energy Management, Maintenance and Operations), Facility Services (Building Services, Landscape and Grounds, Fleet and auto shop), Business and Fiscal Operations (including Resource Management), Presidential Events and Protecting Minors. Prior to this role, Kerns served as the Executive Director of Event and Venue Management at KSU. Before joining KSU in 2017, he held positions as General Manager of Littlejohn Coliseum and the Senior Associate Director of Campus Life with Facilities and Operations at Clemson University. He started his career as the Director of Production for TigerPaw Productions while he was a student at Clemson University. He holds a Master of Business Administration and a Bachelor of Science in Psychology from Clemson University. Kerns enjoys woodworking, hunting, fishing, sports and spending time with his wife, three kids and dog.
Julie Page has been with Kennesaw State University since 2015, currently serving as the Executive Director of Strategic Initiatives. In this capacity, Julie oversees the university's strategic planning efforts, ensuring alignment between the university, divisional, and college objectives. Her responsibilities also include overseeing project management, change management, and process improvement initiatives within the Administration and Finance division. With over 23 years of experience in project management and a PMP certification, Julie recently added credentials as a Strategic Planning Professional and Change Management Practitioner. She holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology and a Master's in Business Administration.
Contact:
470-578-2584 jpage45@kennesaw.edu
María del Mar Ceballos, AIA, LEED Green Associate
Director of Sustainability
María del Mar Ceballos oversees the Office of Sustainability and joined KSU in 2022. She has been a practicing architect for over 13 years and prior to her time at KSU worked at Georgia Tech. Ceballos received a Master of Business Administration with a concentration in sustainability from Georgia Tech. She also has a Master of Architecture from Rice University and Bachelor of Arts from Harvard University. She is originally from Puerto Rico and is a lifelong Girl Scout. She enjoys kayaking and camping with her family and her Girl Scout troop.
