Heather Keene, associate vice president for the College of Health Sciences, was recently selected as a member of Harvard University’s Women in Education Leadership development program.
As a member of the class of 2018 she was fully immersed in women’s leadership topics from top female Harvard faculty. The program convenes senior leaders in education from all over the world to strengthen their leadership skills to advance education initiatives.
Heather Keene
To apply for the highly competitive and rigorous program, Keene had to produce essays detailing her personal leadership style and how she felt the program would benefit her and the educational community she serves. In her essay, she touched on the hardships that she’s faced that plague the Appalachian region and how she has conquered many barriers to become a leader in the initiative to bring health care education and health care services to an area where access is a major issue.
“My time at Harvard was well spent deep in discussion with my peers about our experiences in an often complex educational environment and how we can persevere through authentic leadership and passion. Being self-aware of one’s own personal and professional growth as well as our communication skills can empower us to be better leaders,” said Keene.
“One of the most important aspects I took away from Harvard was that demography isn’t destiny. This portion of the program really resonated for me. Even though I come from an economically distressed and underserved population doesn’t mean that I can’t achieve any goal I set out to. This is the mindset I want to impart to the students and community of central Appalachia.”
Keene was selected as one of 74 women leaders to attend the Harvard Graduate School of Education out of thousands of applications from many different countries. The residential program focuses on how female senior administrative leaders can effectively navigate responsibilities and constituencies, while providing a unique opportunity for growth and renewal among diverse yet like-minded women. The interactive program is designed to facilitate networking and self-reflection through workshops, lectures and case discussions.
“In all my years in the Air Force and higher education, I have never encountered a more motivated, hardworking individual as Heather,” said Dr. Andrew Buzzelli, executive vice president of Tusculum’s College of Health Sciences. “She is detail-oriented and results-driven. Heather is often proactive in ensuring that anything she touches is done with quality, compassion and poise. Her being accepted to Harvard is no surprise to me. Her acceptance to the program just speaks volumes about the type of individual Heather is. She combines intellect and talent, which inspires both those she is responsible for and those she works with.”
Keene was recently named associate vice president for the College of Health Sciences at Tusculum. She assumed her role on January 1.
In her new role, she will aid in the efforts of creating the new Tennessee College of Optometry and Physician Assistant program, which are currently in the feasibility study stage. She will serve as the associate dean of Academic Affairs and Student Success for Optometry and the director of academic administration for the Physician Assistant program.
Keene will function as chief liaison to the respective accrediting bodies. She will be responsible for creating and growing a professional academic environment for the intellectual, social and personal growth of students, staff and faculty and will spearhead the development and advancement of the curriculum for the health science programs.
Previously, Keene served as executive director of the College of Optometry at the University of Pikeville. She has an extensive background in higher education and business management. A native of the Appalachia region of Pikeville, Kentucky, she received her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in business administration from Morehead State University, where she graduated with honors.
“I am excited to be part of the Tusculum family, serving to create the new College of Health Sciences. With the creation of the health science programs, I will be helping a region that I am deeply connected to. Central Appalachia is vastly underserved in many of the health professions. With my position at Tusculum, I can now make a difference in the everyday lives of some of those who need it the most,” said Keene.