Roanoke Higher Ed Center Hires Julie J. Brown

Julie J. Brown, currently provost at Averett University, will take over as executive director of the Roanoke Higher Education Center on January 1.

Updated on Nov. 2, 2026 in People

Roanoke Higher Ed Center Hires Julie J. Brown

The Roanoke Higher Education Center has hired Julie J. Brown as its executive director, effective January 1, succeeding Kay Dunkley, who is retiring after 10 years in the role. Brown is currently provost at Averett University in Danville.

Why it matters

The center houses nine member institutions and five partner institutions and oversees more than 100 programs, making the executive director role central to regional higher education in the Roanoke Valley. Brown's selection follows a search committee drawn from the Authority Board of Trustees, the RHEC Foundation Board and member institutions.

The center houses nine member institutions and five partner institutions, offers more than 100 programs, and is operating at full lease capacity under Dunkley, who served 10 years as executive director. The source does not specify budget figures or enrollment data for the coming year.

The players

Julie J. Brown

Julie J. Brown is an education administrator with more than 30 years of experience in higher education, currently serving as provost at Averett University in Danville.

Kay Dunkley

Kay Dunkley is a higher education administrator who led the Roanoke Higher Education Center as executive director for 10 years before retiring.

The details

Brown's responsibilities will include overseeing operations of the Roanoke Higher Education Center and the Roanoke Higher Education Foundation and providing strategic leadership. She has worked in education for more than 30 years and holds a bachelor's degree from the University of Virginia, a master's from Longwood University and a Ph.D. from Old Dominion University.

Nov. 2: Center announces the hiring of Julie J. Brown.
Jan. 1, 2027: Brown begins her term as executive director.

People Moves

The appointment follows the 10-year tenure of Kay Dunkley, whose leadership saw the Roanoke Higher Education Center grow to host nine member institutions and five partner institutions. Brown's arrival marks a transition from that long-serving executive to a new leader expected to strengthen partnerships across the region.

Students and partner organizations using the center's more than 100 programs will work with a new executive director starting January 1. The transition may affect how regional partnerships and member institution services are coordinated in the Roanoke Valley.

The takeaway

Leadership transitions at shared higher education hubs can shape how institutions in a region coordinate programs and partnerships over time. Readers following the center can watch for Brown's first initiatives after she takes office in January.