Gov. Bevin makes appointments to Kentucky boards and commissions

FRANKFORT, Ky. — Gov. Matt Bevin has made the following appointments to Kentucky boards and commissions:

Laura Keith Arnold has been appointed as a member of the Southern Regional Education Board. 

• Laura Keith Arnold, of Springfield, is the director of workforce development for Nelson County Public Schools. She will serve for a term expiring June 30, 2022. 

The Southern Regional Education Board is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization that helps government and education leaders in its 16 member states work together to advance education and improve the social and economic life of the region. The SREB is America’s first interstate compact for education. Member states include: Alabama, Arkansas, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia and West Virginia. The Board consists of the Governor and four members appointed by the Governor; one must be a legislator and one must be an educator.

Rodney Kidd, Robert Allen Beard, Neil Gilreath, Rick Alan Hessig, Taylor Allen Payne and Mary Kathryn Shields have been appointed as members of the Kentucky Board of Licensure for Private Investigators.

• Rodney Kidd, of Shelbyville, is chief of police for the City of Lancaster. He will represent police officers of the rank of captain or above and serve for a term expiring Aug. 15, 2020; and
• Robert Allen Beard, of Greensburg, is sheriff of Green County. He will represent county sheriffs and serve for a term expiring Aug. 15, 2020; and
• Neil Gilreath, of Covington, is a private investigator and retired law enforcement officer. He will represent private investigators and serve for a term expiring Aug. 15, 2019; and
• Rick Alan Hessig, of Louisville, is a private investigator. He will represent private investigators and serve for a term expiring Aug. 15, 2020; and
• Taylor Allen Payne, of Lexington, is an assistant attorney general in the Kentucky Office of the Attorney General. He will represent the Office of the Attorney General and serve for a term expiring Aug. 15, 2020; and
• Dr. Mary Kathryn Shields, of Louisville, is a forensic dentist. She will represent citizens at large and serve for a term expiring Aug. 15, 2020.

The Kentucky Board of Licensure for Private Investigators consists of seven gubernatorial appointees. The Board regulates and controls the licensing and conduct of private investigators within the Commonwealth.

William Travis Tennill, John Michael Gosper, Donna Ann Woodward, Wayne G. Herner, William Jason Bratcher, Walter Allen Canterbury and Robert David Kerr have been appointed as members of the Kentucky Community Crisis Response Board.

• William Travis Tennill, of Georgetown, is assistant director for the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC) Division of Enforcement. He will represent emergency services disciplines and serve for a term expiring June 20, 2019; and
• John Michael Gosper, of Lexington, is a firefighter with the Lexington Fire Department. He will represent emergency services disciplines and serve for a term expiring June 20, 2019; and
• Donna Ann Woodward, of Greenville, is a therapist with RiverValley Behavioral Health. She will represent mental health disciplines and serve for a term expiring June 20, 2019; and
• Dr. Wayne G. Herner, of Louisville, is a clinical/forensic psychologist. He will represent mental health disciplines and serve for a term expiring June 20, 2019; and
• William Jason Bratcher, of Calhoun, is a paramedic with Yellow Ambulance. He will represent local community crisis response teams and serve for a term expiring June 20, 2020; and
• Walter Allen Canterbury, of Louisville, is a chaplain for the Shively police and fire departments. He will represent chaplains and serve for a term expiring June 20, 2020; and
• Robert David Kerr, of Ashland, is a retired social worker. He will represent mental health disciplines and serve for a term expiring June 20, 2020.

The Kentucky Community Crisis Response Board recruits and trains volunteers, who compromise the team. The Board also provides technical assistance for the development of local community crisis response teams and maintains a team of volunteers to provide crisis response services statewide.

Barry R. McDonald, Charles R. Murphy, Dennis L. Lacy, Donna Pearson, and Jeff A. Simms have been appointed as members of the West Kentucky Community and Technical College Board of Directors. 

• Barry R. McDonald, of Mayfield, works for Bill Adams Construction, Inc. He will serve for a term expiring April 3, 2024; and 
• Charles R. Murphy, of Hickman, is relationship manager for River Valley Ag Credit. He will serve for a term expiring April 3, 2024; and 
• Dennis L. Lacy, of Hopkinsville, is a retired teacher and veteran. He will serve for a term expiring April 3, 2024; and 
• Donna Pearson, of Murray, is a professional safety consultant for Pearson Safety Services, LLC. She will serve for a term expiring April 3, 2019; and 
• Jeff A. Simms, of Princeton, is a bank loan officer for Farmers Bank and Trust. He will serve for a term expiring April 3, 2020. 

The West Kentucky Community and Technical College Board of Directors consists of 10 members, seven of whom are appointed by the Governor. The Board of Directors is responsible for adopting and implementing an annual budget, approving budget requests, and evaluating the functions of the school and the school’s staff. 

Rebecca Cabe, Cora McNabb, Margretta Hylton, Jeffrey White, Kellie McCain, Jeffrey Edwards, William Bryan Hubbard, Lori Norton, Robert “Larry” Taylor, Amy Cooper-Puckett, Katie Wolf Whaley, Norbert Ryan, Russell Watts, Malkanthie McCormick, Diana Merzweiler, Willis Deitz, Michelle Bazeley, Michael Michalak, Amanda Huddleston, Levi Loverkamp, Kenneth Anderson, Patricia Williams and Garry Gupton have been appointed as members of the Employment First Council. 

• Rebecca Cabe, of Lexington, is a manager of a vocational rehab program. She will represent the Office of Vocational Rehabilitation and serve for a term expiring June 30, 2020; and 
• Cora McNabb, of Mt. Eden, is a vocational rehabilitation administrator. She will represent the Office of the Blind and serve for a term expiring June 30, 2020; and 
• Margretta Hylton, of Cannel City, is the director for the Division of Learning Services for the Kentucky Department of Education. She will represent the Department of Education and serve for a term expiring June 30, 2020; and 
• Jeffrey White, of Frankfort, is a disability services administrator and the project director for KentuckyWorks. He will represent the Division of Developmental and Intellectual Disabilities and serve for a term expiring June 30, 2020; and 
• Kellie McCain, of Frankfort, is the executive director of the Commonwealth Council on Developmental Disabilities. She will represent the Commonwealth Council on Developmental Disabilities and serve for a term expiring June 30, 2020; and 
• Jeffrey Edwards, of Frankfort, is the director of Kentucky Protection and Advocacy. He will represent Kentucky Protection and Advocacy and serve for a term expiring June 30, 2020; and
• William Bryan Hubbard, of Frankfort, is a commissioner for the Department of Income Support. He will represent Disability Determination Services and serve for a term expiring June 30, 2020; and 
• Lori Norton, of Lancaster, is the project director of IPS Supported Employment for the University of Kentucky . She will represent the Division of Behavioral Health and serve for a term expiring June 30, 2020; and 
• Robert “Larry” Taylor, of Shelbyville, is the executive director of the Kentucky Autism Training Center. He will represent the Autism Training Center and serve for a term expiring June 30, 2020; and 
• Amy Cooper-Puckett, of Frankfort, is executive director of the Office of Autism. She will represent the Office of Autism and serve for a term expiring June 30, 2020; and 
• Katie Wolf Whaley, of Lexington, is the project director for the Kentucky Supported Employment Training Project. She will represent the Human Development Institute-University of Kentucky and serve for a term expiring June 30, 2020; and 
• Norbert Ryan, of Versailles, is a state coordinator for Americans with Disabilities. He will represent persons with an impairment and serve for a term expiring June 30, 2020; and 
• Russell Watts, of Vine Grove, is a grant project manager for the Kentucky Commission on Military Affairs. He will represent persons with an impairment and serve for a term expiring June 30, 2020; and 
• Dr. Malkanthie McCormick, of Lexington, is a physician. She will represent family members with a disability and serve for a term expiring June 30, 2020; and 
• Diana Merzweiler, of Mt. Washington, is the executive director for Down Syndrome of Louisville. She will represent family members with a disability and serve for a term expiring June 30, 2020; and 
• Willis Deitz, of Utica, is executive director of Independence Place, Inc. He will represent provider agencies and serve for a term expiring June 30, 2020; and 
• Michelle Bazeley, of Louisville, is an employment counselor. She will represent the State Rehabilitation Council and serve for a term expiring June 30, 2020; and 
• Michael Michalak, of Shelbyville, is president of MiPenico Inc. He will represent employers and serve for a term expiring June 30, 2020; and 
• Amanda Huddleston, of Richmond, is owner of People Plus, Inc. She will represent employers and serve for a term expiring June 30, 2020; and 
• Levi Loverkamp, of Paducah, is director of human resources for Mercy Health. He will represent employers and serve for a term expiring June 30, 2020; and 
• Kenneth Anderson, of Louisville, is the human resources manager for Toyota Motor Manufacturing of Kentucky. He will represent employers and serve for a term expiring June 30, 2020; and 
• Patricia Williams, of Louisville, is president of the Louisville Society for Human Resource Management. She will represent employers and serve for a term expiring June 30, 2020; and 
• Garry Gupton, of Simpsonville, is the executive director of faith-based initiatives and strategic communications for the office of Gov. Bevin and the Tourism, Arts, and Heritage Cabinet..

The Employment First Council was created to ensure competitive and integrated employment in the community will be considered the first and primary option for persons with disabilities who want to become employed. The Council will act as an advisory body of state government to pursue this purpose and include representatives from the Office of Vocational Rehabilitation, the Office for the Blind, the Department of Education, the Division of Developmental and Intellectual Disabilities, the Commonwealth Council on Developmental Disabilities, Protection and Advocacy, Disability Determination Services, Division of Behavioral Health, KY Autism Training Center, Office of Autism, Human Development Institute, people with disabilities, family members, providers, State Rehabilitation Council, and employers. The Council will be administered by the University of Kentucky’s Human Development Institute (HDI).