Kettering University has announced Dr. Kathryn Svinarich as Chief of Staff, Office of the President.

In this newly created role, Svinarich is instrumental in institutional planning, policy development, and problem resolution at the University. She also is the liaison to faculty, staff, and student groups, and leads approaches to a wide range of University-wide initiatives and issues as well as oversees the operations of the Office of the President. 

“I am honored to have the privilege of serving Kettering University at the executive level and supporting the Office of the President,” Svinarich said. “Developing and refining my leadership skills with each new position, I enjoy creating high-functioning teams of people with positive attitudes dedicated to advancing Kettering University’s experiential educational model.”

Svinarich joined Kettering in 1992. Before this appointment, Svinarich held two concurrent University positions: Associate Provost, and Dean of the College of Science and Liberal Arts. As the Associate Provost for Assessment & Academic Support, she oversaw all ABET specialty accreditations and co-led institutional accreditation with the Higher Learning Commission. In addition, she oversaw all the academic support departments:  Registrar, Academic Success Center, Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning, and the Office of Institutional Research.  As the Dean of the College of Science and Liberal Arts, Svinarich oversaw the departments of Computer Science, Liberal Arts, Mathematics, and Natural Sciences. Her Kettering experience also includes leading the Physics Department for several years and teaching physics for more than 20 years as a professor.

“It was evident that Kathryn, with her strong record of creativity, collaboration, and strategy, is the right choice for this new position,” University President Dr. Robert K. McMahan said. “With decades of experience in the classroom and in University-wide collaboration as Dean and Associate Provost, her dedication to Kettering University and leadership will prove invaluable in this new role.”

Svinarich earned her Bachelor’s degree in Physics from the University of Michigan and her Ph.D. in Physics from Wayne State University. 

She participated in the Higher Education Resource Services (HERS) Bryn Mawr Summer Institute and the Harvard Kennedy School’s seminar on Crisis Leadership in Higher Education. She was a founding task force member of the Effective Practice for Physics Programs (EP3), a five-year, $2.2 million program led by the American Physical Society (APS) and the American Association of Physics Teachers (AAPT) to provide physics programs with collections of knowledge, experience, and proven good practices for responding to challenges and engaging in systematic improvement. Svinarich now sits on the Editorial Board of EP3, Effective Practices for Physics Programs, led by the American Physical Society in collaboration with the American Association of Physics Teachers. She also was recently named  a mentor in the American Council on Education’s inaugural program, “Moving the Needle Women’s Leadership Mentoring Program.”