PORTSMOUTH- Shawnee State University’s Office of the President has announced Dr. Amanda Hedrick will assume the role of Director of the Kricker Innovation Hub effective Aug. 1.

In a 23-year career at SSU, Hedrick has served in various leadership positions including Director of the Children’s Learning Center, Director of the Verizon Innovative Learning STEM education program, and the Executive Director of Campus Partnerships and the Center for Lifelong Learning.

Hedrick will take over the KIH in place of David Kilroy who led the development of the facility from concept to completion as a landmark downtown facility. Kilroy will be leaving SSU at the end of this summer to further his education at the Yale School of Management.

“David, supported by leadership at SSU, has worked diligently over the last five years to take the Kricker Innovation Hub from an idea to a beautiful facility positioned to anchor entrepreneurship and technology throughout the region,” said Hedrick. “I am looking forward to what’s next – taking the facility to the next level by building partnerships throughout the region supporting tech innovation and entrepreneurs.”

“David established a vibrant team, developed numerous partnerships, expanded programming, and secured over $7 million in federal grants to support innovation and entrepreneurship. We thank him for his years of service and outstanding accomplishments at the Kricker Innovation Hub,” SSU Interim President Eric Braun said.

Hedrick earned an undergraduate degree in human ecology with an emphasis in human development, family studies, and early childhood development from Ohio State University, a master’s degree in adult learning and higher education with an emphasis in counseling from Morehead State University, and a doctorate in educational leadership also from Morehead University.