Board of Regents

Mr. Barry K. Martin lives in Lexington, Kentucky and is the Chief Executive Officer of Primary Care Centers of Eastern Kentucky (PCCEK). PCCEK operates four rural health clinics in the heart of Appalachia in southeastern Kentucky. He started the organization in 2003 with the goal of providing quality healthcare to the residents of the region and to contribute to the communities where the patients live.

Mr. Martin began his career in healthcare straight out of college as a Kentucky Medicaid Auditor. He worked as a Controller in a long-term care facility after he left State Government. His next move was to the position as the CFO of Shriners Hospitals for Children in Lexington, KY. During his experience at Shriners, he remained involved in working with RHCs as a consultant and this helped him decide to return to his home region to make a difference.

Mr. Martin’s work ethic, along with his 30 years of diverse health care experience has given him the business understanding and industry knowledge to build a clinically integrated, multi-tiered, patient centered primary care system using the RHC model. The practice includes Family Medicine, Pediatrics, OB/GYN, Behavioral Health, Dentistry, Diabetes Center, Pharmacy and other ancillary services all in one location. Additionally, he has developed unique relationships with various partners to meet the needs of the patients PCCEK serves. Working with the local hospital, the University of Kentucky, and a regional Community Mental Health Center he has developed innovative approaches to issues faced by the patient population served by PCCEK. Mr. Martin has the willingness to adapt to an ever changing healthcare environment and he makes needed investments to serve the patient population and meet their needs.

He graduated from the University of Kentucky in 1986 with a Bachelor of Science in Accounting and obtained a Master of Health Administration degree, also from the University of Kentucky, in 1995.

Mr. Martin currently serves as Finance Chair of Kentucky Primary Care Association (KPCA) and has been Chairman, a board member and/or committee member of the organization for over 25 years. In addition to his duties as Finance Chair he currently sits on the organization Executive Committee, IPA Committee and Kentucky Medicaid Primary Care Technical Advisory Committee. He was also recently appointed to the Kentucky Advisory Council for Medical Assistance by the Governor to represent KPCA. Some of his community service includes Chair of Kentucky Mountain Health Alliance, Past President of the Hazard Rotary Club.

In June 2023, Mr. Martin was elected as the KCTCS Board of Regents Chair for a Board Officer term that ends June 30, 2024. He will serve a Board Officer term that ends June 30, 2023. Mr. Martin was appointed to the Board in July 2020. He will serve a six-year term that expires in 2026.

Mr. Keith Hamilton lives in Louisville, Kentucky and is the President/CEO of LB Manufacturing, LLC corporately based in Springfield, Kentucky. During his tenure as CEO, Mr. Hamilton has led his company to exponential growth and success. 

Mr. Hamilton purchased his first company in 2005 and quickly expanded the customer base and core automotive manufacturing capabilities in metal stampings, robotic welding, plastic injection molding, and window glass assemblies.

Mr. Hamilton earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Toledo with a minor in Business/Entrepreneurship and is a graduate of the Business Executive Management Program at the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University. 

Mr. Hamilton is a native of Nashville, Tennessee. His board affiliations include the Tristate Minority Supplier Development Council (TSMSDC), and the Mayor’s Community Action Partnership (CAP) Board in Louisville, KY. He is a member of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc., and has been an active supporter of and sponsor of the YMCA Black Achievers Program for several years. 

In April 2022, Mr. Hamilton was appointed to fill the unexpired term of Mr. Damon Allen, who resigned. He will serve the remainder of Mr. Allen’s term which expires in July 2024. In June 2023, Mr. Hamilton was elected as the KCTCS Board of Regents Vice Chair for a Board Officer term that ends June 30, 2024. 

Brianna Sanders Whitten lives in Mt. Olivet, KY. She teaches English at Maysville Community and Technical College where she is a member of the Liberal Arts & Education Division. Professor Whitten’s leadership experiences include: three terms as Chair of the KCTCS Senate Council, six terms as the Chair of the Maysville Faculty Assembly, Maysville Operations & Oversight Committee, Chair of the KCTCS Senate Advisory Committee on Promotions, and membership on the KCTCS English, Women and Gender Studies, and Anthropology Curriculum Committees. Professor Whitten was in the inaugural class of the KCTCS LEAD Academy. She received her Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Kentucky, her Master of Arts from Georgetown College, and is working on her doctoral degree in English Pedagogy from Murray State University. In October 2021, Professor Whitten was elected to serve a three year term as the General Education Faculty Regent. Her term ends in October 2024.

Mr. Russell F. Cox lives in Louisville, Kentucky. Mr. Cox assumed his current position of CEO of Norton Healthcare on Jan. 1, 2017. He joined Norton Healthcare in September 2000 as vice president of support services. He was appointed senior vice president, operations and development, in October 2002; executive vice president in September 2004; and executive vice president and chief operating officer in September 2005. Mr. Cox has more than 38 years of executive experience in health care. Before joining Norton Healthcare, he spent six years as executive director of resource operations at Caritas Health Services in Louisville. Before that, he worked for Humana Inc., Galen Healthcare and Columbia/HCA Healthcare Corp., in various executive roles, including human resources, development and acquisitions, and operations support.
Mr. Cox is active in the community by serving on various nonprofit and volunteer boards. He currently serves as chair of the Bellarmine University Board of Trustees and is a member of its Executive Committee; Kentucky Chamber Board of Trustees; chair-elect Greater Louisville, Inc. Board of Trustees; Louisville Healthcare CEO Council, LHCC, Inc.; Kentucky Community and Technical College System Board of Regents; and Simmons College of Kentucky’s Kerner Commission 2.0. He previously served on the Downtown Development Corporation Board as treasurer and member of its Executive Committee; Kentucky Country Day School Board of Trustees as board chair and member of its Executive Committee; and as past chair of the Leadership Louisville Foundation Board. In 2018, he was honored by the Girl Scouts of Kentuckiana with the “Man Enough to Be a Girl Scout” award. In 2019, he was named one of the Most Admired CEOs in the Louisville area by Louisville Business First. In 2020, he was inducted into the Kentuckiana Business Hall of Fame; and in 2021, he was named a Health Care Heroes Health Equity Champion by Louisville Business First.
Mr. Cox earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of Louisville’s College of Education and Human Development. He also attended the Vanderbilt University Owen School of Management in Nashville, Tennessee, and completed the requirements for certification from its Executive Development Institute. Mr. Cox was appointed to replace Dr. Gail Henson, whose term had expired. He will serve a six-year term that expires in 2027.

Mr. Chris Girdler lives in Somerset, KY.  Mr. Girdler is the President & CEO of Somerset Pulaski Economic Development Authority, also known as “SPEDA”.  In addition to being elected senator for Kentucky's 15th district in 2012 (a position he decided not to run for a second term), Girdler is a graduate of Pulaski Southwestern High School and Eastern Kentucky University, where he earned a earned a Bachelor of Business Administration degree. Mr. Girdler previously served as a CEO in the houseboat manufacturing industry and is the founder and President of Possum Trot Investments LLC, an investment and consulting company.  Mr. Girdler resides in Somerset, KY, with his wife Courtney, and has two daughters, Charleston and Channing. Mr. Girdler was appointed to replace Mr. Donald Tarter, whose term had expired. He will serve a six-year term that expires in 2025.

Dr. Ryan Hall serves as the Director of Adult Education at Owensboro Community and Technical College (OCTC). Originally from Somerset, Kentucky, Dr. Hall earned a Bachelor of Science in English and Economics from the University of Kentucky. He continued his academic journey at Western Kentucky University, obtaining a Master of Arts in English Literature and a Doctorate in Education Leadership.

Dr. Hall's professional career includes serving as President of an ESL company, ESLI, and teaching as an adjunct instructor in the English department at OCTC. He has worked in over 20 countries, including China, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Turkey, and Vietnam, where he opened schools and collaborated with governments and universities to establish partnerships and advance education.

In addition to his professional work, Dr. Hall is a Board Member of Cliff Hagen’s Boys & Girls Club of Owensboro and serves on the OCTC President’s Administrative Council.

Robert Higdon of Hazard is a student representative to the Board of Regents. A second-year, nontraditional student at Hazard Community and Technical College, he served one term as the student representative to the HCTC Board of Directors. Higdon now serves as a presidential student ambassador and is a part of the Ready to Work program. He is majoring in computer information technology and plans to pursue a bachelor’s degree after earning an applied associate of arts and an associate of arts.

Candace McGraw is an aviation professional with more than 30 yearsof operational and legal expertise who has led the transformation ofthe Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport (CVG) into athriving enterprise, which has been recognized by Skytrax as the “Best Regional Airport in North America” for eight years since 2011.

Candace is proud to lead a team that has positioned the airport forcontinued future success by navigating a once-in-a-generation pandemic; completing a 2050 Master Plan Study; consolidating operations into a renovated and expanded terminal; diversifying revenues through targeted cargo, land, and concessions improvements; finalizing modernized Use Agreements with air carriers; introducing low-cost air carriers to the airport; expanding the airport’s international passenger air service; and growing startup businesses to support the airport ecosystem and Cincinnati region.

CVG has been positioned to become the epicenter of e-commerce for the United States. Currently the 7th largest cargo operation in North America, CVG is home to the Amazon Air mega cargo hub, its largest operation in the world, as well as DHL’s Global Super Hub for the Americas, its second largest operation in the world.

Candace is a globally recognized leader in the airport industry. She is the incoming Chair of the World Board of Airports Council International, which represents 90% of all commercial airports throughout the world. Candace was appointed to serve on two U.S. Department of Transportation boards: the Women in Aviation Advisory Board and the NextGen Advisory Committee, charged with providing counsel and recommendations to the Federal Aviation Administration as to operational capabilities and technology that affect the future of the national air traffic system.

In addition to serving on numerous local and state boards, Candace serves as Chair of the Kentucky Chamber of Commerce and the Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber. She is on the board of the Kentucky Community and Technical College System and is a member of the Kentucky Economic Development Partnership Board, which oversees the strategic plan and goals for the Commonwealth’s Cabinet for Economic Development. She also serves on the Advisory Board for Fifth Third Bank.

Candace is a graduate of the University of Pittsburgh School of Law and holds a bachelor’s and master’s degree

from Duquesne University.

Raeanne Powers is the occupational/technical staff representative to the Board of Regents. A graduate of Bluegrass Community and Technical College, she has been employed at BCTC in human resources for the past 12 years and earlier worked in the banking industry.

Ms. Katheen Kelly Rabinowitz lives in Versailles, KY. She is married to Jonathan Rabinowitz with whom she has three children: Caroline, Madelynn, and Charlotte. Kelly presently oversees the day-to-day operations of Rose Hill Rentals and Amsden Properties. Kelly previously taught high school business for 11 years at Ballard High School and Central Hardin High School. During her time as a teacher she served as department chair, on SBDM, grant coordinator and dual credit teacher. Presently, KelIy is a member of the Woodford County Tourism Board and Woodford Forward. She is a graduate of Newberry College with a degree in Business and a graduate of University of Louisville with a Master of Education. She was appointed to replace Ms. Lisa Desmarais, whose term had expired. She will serve a six-year term that expires in 2028.

Audra Shouse of Sturgis is a student representative to the Board of Regents. She attends Henderson Community College where she is pursuing an associate degree. She serves as president to HCC’s Phi Theta Kappa (PTK) chapter and as a vice president on the PTK Kentucky Regional Officer Team.  She plans to continue her education at Murray State University to earn a bachelor’s degree in integrated studies.

 Mr. James Lee Stevens, lives in Madisonville, Kentucky. He is a retired Superintendent of Hopkins County Schools having served 45 years in public education, 42 years of which were served in Hopkins County, and thirteen of which were served as the Superintendent. Mr. Stevens also served 24 years in the U.S. Army Reserve and retired as a Lt. Colonel. He has been active in community and service organizations, including serving as a member of the School Facilities Construction Commission (past chairman) until December 2020, Urban Superintendent Association, Kentucky and National School Boards Associations, Kentucky Association of School Administrators, the Kentucky Association of Fairs and Horse Shows (past-Chair), the Kentucky Education Association (over 30 years) the Kentucky Parent Teacher Association (life-time member), and Phi Delta Kappa. Mr. Stevens received a Bachelor of Arts in Health and Physical Education, a Master's in Political Science, and Rank I in School Administration from Murray State University. Mr. Stevens has been married to his wife Kaye, for 59 years. He has two children John Aaron Stevens, who lives in Louisville and Ann Kaye Stevens who lives in Lexington. In June 2021, he was re-elected as KCTCS Board Vice Chair for a Board Officer term that ends June 30, 2023. Mr. Stevens was elected as the KCTCS Board of Regents Chair in a special election held August 30, 2022. He will serve a Board Officer term that ends June 30, 2023. Mr. Stevens was reappointed to the Board in July 2021. He will serve a six-year term that expires in 2027. 

Marty L. Sutherland is a professor of engineering and electronics technology at Elizabethtown Community and Technical College. Mr. Sutherland has been employed as a member of the ECTC faculty since 2002, where he has served in several positions of leadership. He currently serves as the chair of the engineering and electronics curriculum committee and was recently elected to the KCTCS Senate Council for ECTC with a term beginning in August. He earlier served on this council from 2016-2022.

Mr. Sutherland is the program coordinator for engineering and electronic technology and serves as chair of the Engineering and Electronics Curriculum Committee. He is also the coach of the only VEX U robotics team across KCTCS.

A resident of Elizabethtown, Sutherland holds a bachelor’s degree in workforce education, training and development from Southern Illinois University as well as numerous professional certifications. He also attended Florida Community College at Jacksonville.