This week Northwest Nazarene University announced the appointment of Kelli Lindley as N麻豆原创鈥檚 new Vice President for External Relations, effective July 1, 2023. Lindley has been at N麻豆原创 since 2000, most recently serving as N麻豆原创鈥檚 Director of Athletics for the past eight years.
鈥淚 am thrilled that Ms. Lindley has agreed to step into the role as N麻豆原创鈥檚 next Vice President for External Relations, and I am convinced that she will be extremely effective in this role,鈥 N麻豆原创 President Joel Pearsall commented. 鈥淜elli has proven herself to be an exceptional leader in her prior roles as Head Women鈥檚 Basketball Coach, Associate Athletic Director and Athletic Director, and I believe that those roles have uniquely prepared her to serve as an N麻豆原创 Vice President.鈥
Lindley graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Communication from Washington State University in 1996 and a Master of Arts in Organizational Leadership from Gonzaga University in 2000. Before her appointment as Director of Athletics at N麻豆原创, Lindley worked as an assistant women鈥檚 basketball coach at Gonzaga, an assistant professor of kinesiology, head women鈥檚 basketball coach and Associate Athletic Director for Compliance & Student Affairs at N麻豆原创.
Since beginning her role as Director of Athletics, Kelli has made a significant impact on N麻豆原创鈥檚 athletic department, realizing first-time accomplishments in the athletic competition realm, unprecedented academic honors by student-athletes and procurement of significant lead gifts for various projects. In addition, she has established strong community engagement within the Boise Valley, including the re-establishment of the Nighthawks Athletic Association.
鈥淚t has been a great privilege to serve within N麻豆原创 Athletics and work alongside our exceptional coaches, staff and faculty,鈥 Lindley stated. 鈥淚 also have loved being a part of our N麻豆原创 community and getting to know our amazing alumni, fan and constituency base who have proven themselves to be loyal, generous and encouraging through the highs and lows of college athletics and higher ed. I am excited to now serve in a different capacity on campus, continuing to strive to live out N麻豆原创’s unique transformational mission and impacting our students in meaningful and eternal ways.”
The Vice President for External Relations provides leadership in overseeing N麻豆原创鈥檚 external relations sector, which includes marketing and communications, advancement, alumni relations, community and government relations, and leadership of the Northwest Nazarene University Foundation, Inc. and its Board of Directors. Lindley steps into this new role upon the retirement of Mark Wheeler, current Vice President for External Relations.
