Roanoke Education Center Names New Director

Businesses that lease space or partner with the center should expect new leadership when Julie J. Brown starts January 1, 2027.

Updated on Nov. 2, 2026 in People

Bold vector editorial illustration of a brick academic building facade with an arched doorway and tall windows against a soft ridgeline. — The Roanoke Higher Education Center has named Julie J. Brown, Averett University provost, as its executive director effective January 1, 2027, succeeding the retiring Kay Dunkley. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

The Roanoke Higher Education Center has hired Julie J. Brown as its executive director, effective January 1, 2027, 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 is a shared-campus hub for nine member institutions and five partner institutions, so leadership continuity shapes the education and workforce partnerships that regional employers rely on. Dunkley's retirement opens a transition period in which the center reports it is operating at full lease capacity.

The Roanoke Higher Education Center houses nine member institutions and five partner institutions, offers more than 100 programs, and generates an estimated $10 million in annual regional economic impact. The incoming director brings more than 30 years of education experience, succeeding Kay Dunkley, who led the center for 10 years.

The players

Roanoke Higher Education Center

A shared-campus education hub in Roanoke housing nine member and five partner institutions and offering more than 100 programs.

Averett University

A private university in Danville where Julie J. Brown currently serves as provost.

The details

Brown will oversee operations of the Roanoke Higher Education Center and the Roanoke Higher Education Foundation and provide strategic leadership across both. The search committee included members of the Authority Board of Trustees and the RHEC Foundation Board, along with representatives of the center's member institutions. Brown holds a bachelor's degree from the University of Virginia, a master's from Longwood University, and a Ph.D. from Old Dominion University.

November 2, 2026: Roanoke Higher Education Center announces the hire.
January 1, 2027: Brown begins as executive director.

Market Landscape

The center operates as a shared-campus consortium in which several universities deliver programs from one facility, a model that depends on steady leadership to coordinate member and partner institutions. Continuity at the top matters for keeping the lease capacity and program mix stable as member priorities shift.

Operators who lease space or program partnerships with the center should expect the transition to run through early 2027 and should confirm terms with the incoming leadership. Organizations that rely on the center's programs for workforce pipelines should review their partnership contacts ahead of the change.

The takeaway

Leadership transitions at shared-campus education centers can shift partnership terms, so businesses that depend on the center should track the January 1, 2027 start date. Confirm any lease or program agreements with the center directly before the handover.