Presidential transition advisory group announced

Published: April 08, 2022

Article body

Auburn president-elect Christopher B. Roberts announced today the formation of an internal transition team to assist him in preparing and planning for his first year as president.

Roberts will assume the presidency on May 16, when President Jay Gogue retires after 12 years of service to Auburn. The transition team will provide Roberts with input on the on-campus and off-campus engagements and events he should consider.

“The transition team will assist me in planning my first year in office to ensure that I meet with all Auburn constituencies—students, faculty, staff, alumni and community members,” Roberts said. “I want to listen and gain an understanding of our constituencies’ key priorities, concerns and areas of opportunity.”

Beginning this summer and through the 2022-23 academic year, Roberts will meet with the four governance groups—the Student Government Association, University Senate, Staff Council and the Administrative and Professional Assembly—as well as visit all academic departments, all extension offices in the state, various alumni clubs across the country and Auburn University Montgomery constituencies.

The 20-member transition team will be chaired by Ron Burgess, Executive Vice President, and includes senior leadership, students, faculty and staff.

Transition team members

Chair–Ron Burgess, Executive Vice President

  • Jennifer Adams, Executive Director of Public Affairs

  • Mark Carpenter, Chair of the University Senate and Professor of Mathematics and Statistics

  • Royrickers Cook, Vice President for University Outreach and Associate Provost 

  • Joffery Gaymon, Vice President of Enrollment

  • Allen Greene, Director of Athletics

  • Jaime Hammer, General Counsel

  • Jake Haston, President of the Student Government Association

  • Clint Lovelace, Chair of the A&P Assembly

  • John Morris, Senior Vice President of Advancement

  • Vini Nathan, Interim Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs

  • Makeda Nurradin, President of the Graduate Student Council

  • Paul Patterson, Dean of the College of Agriculture and Director of the Alabama Agricultural Experiment Station

  • Mike Phillips, Director of Extension and Professor of Crop, Soil and Environmental Sciences

  • Ashley Reid, Chair of the Staff Council

  • Kelli Shomaker, Vice President for Business & Finance and Chief Financial Officer

  • Carl Stockton, Chancellor of Auburn University-Montgomery

  • Jon Waggoner, Secretary to the Board of Trustees

  • James Weyhenmeyer, Vice President for Research & Economic Development

  • Jared White, Executive Director for Governmental Affairs

  • Bobby Woodard, Senior Vice President for Student Affairs

Anyone who would like to provide input to the transition team can do so by emailing presidenttransition@auburn.edu