Executive Leadership

Ken Styron – President

Ken Styron’s role as the president of Columbia Southern University in Orange Beach, Alabama, began on May 1, 2018. Since joining CSU in 2002, Styron has capitalized on decades of experience in information technology to propel the online...
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Dr. Barry Goldstein – Provost

Dr. Barry D. Goldstein has approximately 40 years of experience as a research scientist, educator, administrator and accreditor in higher education. After serving as a post-doctoral fellow at the University of Illinois College...
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Pat Troup – Chief Financial Officer

Pat Troup, a Mobile, AL native, joined CSU in February 2008 bringing more than 15 years of experience in the areas of accounting, information technology and supply chain management. He currently oversees the departments of accounting...
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Scott Oswald – Chief Information Officer

Scott Oswald serves as the chief information officer for Columbia Southern University. Capitalizing on more than 20 years of information technology experience in the corporate sector, Scott brings expansive knowledge and expertise to...
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Eric McHaney – Chief Marketing Officer

Eric McHaney serves as chief marketing officer for Columbia Southern University. In this role, he oversees a division that includes marketing, corporate outreach and community & alumni relations. As an executive with more than 18...
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Chelsea Hoffman – Chief of Staff

Columbia Southern University chief of staff Chelsea Hoffman has more than a decade of experience in higher education. Throughout her 11-year tenure with CSU, Chelsea’s career has spanned across many university departments...
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Janell Gibson – Vice Provost of Academic and Student Affairs

Janell Gibson, vice provost of academic and student affairs, joined Columbia Southern University in 2018. Gibson came to CSU with 18 years of higher education experience with an emphasis in online education. She has extensive...
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Institutional Leadership

Sue Butts – Vice President, Human Resources

Sue Butts joined the human resources department of CSU in January 2008. During her time at CSU, Sue has served in multiple roles and contributed to many areas within the university. She...
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Rick Cooper – Vice President, Business Development and Military Initiatives

Rick Cooper serves as the vice president of business development & military initiatives at CSU. He earned his bachelor’s degree in business administration at CSU in 2002. He manages educational representatives responsible for...
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Craig Taylor – Associate Vice President of Finance

Craig Taylor joined CSU in June of 2010 and currently serves as the associate vice president of finance for Columbia Southern University. He brings more than 17 years of experience in...
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Caroline Walters – Vice President of Outreach & Alumni Engagement

Caroline Walters serves as vice president of outreach and alumni engagement overseeing corporate outreach, corporate relations, community relations and student and alumni engagement at Columbia Southern University.

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Ed Witherington – Associate Vice President of Business Intelligence

Ed Witherington Jr. joined Columbia Southern University in April of 2010. He currently serves as the university’s associate vice president of business intelligence. Ed...
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Academic Leadership

Dr. Lee Barnett – Dean and Assistant Provost for Student Affairs

Dr. Lee Barnett joined Columbia Southern University in May 2019 as the dean and assistant provost for student affairs. In this role, he oversees Academic Advising and Student Support...
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Khalilah Burton – Assistant Provost of Institutional Effectiveness & Accreditation

Khalilah Burton joined CSU in April 2013 as the director of curriculum planning and outcomes assessment. Prior to joining CSU she earned bachelor and master of biology degrees with a concentration in microbiology from Alabama A...
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Dr. Elwin Jones – Dean, College of Business and Assistant Provost

Elwin Jones joined CSU in 2008 as an adjunct faculty member and served as chair of undergraduate business, dean of faculty services, and the interim dean of the College of Business...
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Dr. Misti Kill – Dean, College of Safety and Emergency Services and Assistant Provost

Misti Kill joined CSU in 2012 and is the assistant provost for the College of Safety & Emergency Services. A graduate from North Dakota State University and Minnesota State University Moorhead, Misti has received degrees in criminal...
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Dr. Joe Manjone – Assistant Provost of Special Programs

A longtime member of the CSU family, he has served as president of Waldorf University from 2009-2011 and as CSU provost. Manjone holds a bachelor’s degree in math, a master’s degree...
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Dr. Sonya Rogers – Dean, College of Arts and Sciences and Assistant Provost

Dr. Sonya Rogers, assistant provost and dean for the College of Arts and Sciences, joined Columbia Southern University in 2009. Rogers previously served as the chair for CSU’s College of Business, as well as the lead and academic...
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