Senior Leadership
Dr. Karen Holbrook
Regional Chancellor
Karen Holbrook was appointed regional chancellor at the University of South Florida Sarasota-Manatee campus on Jan. 2, 2018, after serving as executive vice president for the campus and senior advisor to the president of the University of South Florida since the summer of 2017.
Holbrook was the interim president at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University for one year before returning to USF. She previously served as USF’s senior vice president for global affairs and international research (2010-12), senior vice president for research, innovation and global affairs (2007-10) and as senior advisor to the USF president (2013-16).
Holbrook initially came to USF after serving as the president at The Ohio State University (2002-07); the senior vice president for academic affairs and provost at the University of Georgia; vice president for research and dean of the graduate school at the University of Florida; and associate dean for research and professor of biological structure and medicine at the University of Washington School of Medicine.
She has served on the boards of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), ACT, Inc., the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC), the American Council of Education (ACE), the National Association of State Universities and Land-Grant Colleges (now APLU), the Association of American Universities (AAU), the Council of Graduate Schools (CGS), and Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME), Washington Advisory Group (WAG), among others. Dr. Holbrook has also participated on advisory panels and councils for the National Institutes of Health (NIAMS) and was a member of the Advisory Committee to the immediate past Director of the NIH (Elias Zerhouni). She currently serves on the boards of the Institute of International Education (IIE), CRDF Global, Bio-Techne, Academic Assembly, Inc., INTO USF, and is the immediate past board chair for Oak Ridge Associated Universities (ORAU) and until recently, served on the Board of Trustees for Embry Riddle Aeronautical University and King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST). She is a Distinguished Fellow of the Global Federation of Councils of Competitiveness (GFCC).
Holbrook was an active biomedical researcher and NIH MERIT Award investigator early in her career. She earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Zoology at the University of Wisconsin in Madison and a doctorate in Biological Structure at the University of Washington School of Medicine where she served as a postdoctoral fellow in dermatology, faculty member and research administrator.
She is married to Jim Holbrook, a physical oceanographer who spent his career with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) at Pacific Marine Environmental Lab in Seattle, Washington and in Washington, D.C. They have one married son, James who is the Senior Art Director and Producer for ABC World News in New York City.
Mr. Eddie Beauchamp
Regional Vice Chancellor for Business and Financial Affairs
Eddie Beauchamp serves as regional vice chancellor for business and finance. Beauchamp previously worked at Georgia Gwinnett College (GGC) in Lawrenceville about 30 miles northeast of Atlanta, where he served as vice president of operations.
During his time at GGC, Beauchamp played a pivotal role in the campus’ rapid expansion, helping it increase from 118 students in 2006 when the college opened to more than 12,000 students today. GGC is a four-year college with 15 majors and 42 concentrations.
Beauchamp holds a master’s degree in accounting from Kennesaw State University and a bachelor’s degree in accounting, with a focus on computer science and computer information systems, from David Lipscomb University.
Dr. Brett Kemker
Regional Vice Chancellor and Vice Provost, Academic Affairs and Student Success
Brett Kemker is the regional vice chancellor and vice provost for academic affairs and student success. Kemker brings faculty and administrative experience from a number of institutions of higher education — including the University of New Orleans, the University of Southern Mississippi and Florida State University — where he served as a tenured faculty member, faculty senator, department chair, dean, assistant provost and vice president.
His research interests lie in the investigation of the effects of auditory and visual stimuli on cognitive resource allocation. More recently, his research interests have expanded to include investigations of student persistence in higher education. He has published and presented over 100 original papers in top tier journals, conventions, and consortiums all over the world. He has a strong record of successful grant writing and contributions from the community culminating in the millions thus far.
Kemker holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of South Florida and a master’s degree and Ph.D. from the University of Florida. He has been an active member of the administration and of the faculty at a number of institutions of higher education including: University of New Orleans, University of Southern Mississippi, and Florida State University.
Ms. Marrie Neumer
Associate Vice President of Advancement
Marrie Neumer has spent her entire professional career working in higher education, first as a head swimming and diving coach for more than 20 years, then as a director of development, assistant dean and major gifts officer at Cornell University for 17 years where she led many successful initiatives, including fundraising for scholarships, hiring faculty and enhancing the student experience. Neumer also spearheaded fundraising for the new wing at Cornell’s I.M. Pei-designed art museum and was instrumental in completing the campaign to build Bill & Melinda Gates Hall, which houses computing and information science at Cornell.
A four-time NCAA Division III All-American swimmer and Certified Fundraising Executive, Neumer grew up in Rochester, New York, and received a bachelor’s degree at the College of Wooster and a master’s degree in exercise physiology at Springfield College, where, along with the University of Rochester, the University at Buffalo and Cornell University, she spent the next two decades coaching.
Mr. Casey Welch
Assistant Vice President for External Affairs and Government Relations
Casey Welch serves as the assistant vice president for external affairs and government relations at the University of South Florida Sarasota-Manatee campus. As a member of the University of South Florida Office of Government Relations, he serves as the official liaison between the Sarasota-Manatee campus and government entities. Under External Affairs he oversees community engagement and corporate partnership activities for the campus.
Welch is also is the executive director of the Institute for Public Policy and Leadership at USF. The Institute for Public Policy and Leadership (IPPL) is the designated Office of Public Policy Events at the University of South Florida.
As part of his leadership of IPPL, he serves on the Government Issues Council of the Greater Sarasota Chamber of Commerce, the Career Edge Regional Workforce Council, the Government Affairs Committee of the Lakewood Ranch Business Alliance, the Public Policy Committee of the Venice Area Chamber of Commerce and as Chair of the Legislative Committee for the Manatee Chamber of Commerce.
Before joining USF in 2011, Welch served as senior staffer for a Member of Congress who represented portions of central Florida and the greater Tampa Bay area. Prior to his position in Washington, D.C., Welch worked in the Florida House of Representatives and the Executive Office of the Governor of Florida. He also represented two of Florida’s largest agricultural trade associations at the U.S. Congress and various federal agencies.
Welch is a graduate of Florida State University with a bachelor’s degree in political science and history. He is a Sarasota native, former president of the Florida 4-H Foundation and a member of the Mote Marine Laboratory Advisory Council.
Dr. Greg Smogard
Assistant Vice President of Innovation and Business Development
Greg Smogard is the assistant vice president of innovation and business development at the University of South Florida Sarasota-Manatee campus, where he leads business engagement efforts with a focus on creating and enhancing mutually beneficial partnerships with businesses by leveraging the university’s resources and innovation expertise.
He has worked at Fortune 500 companies and global brands in more than 40 countries and held management positions at American Express’ Latin American Division, Blockbuster/Viacom and other major corporations.
Smogard previously worked at the Center for International Business Education and Research at the University of Miami Business School, where he served as director of the Innovators for the Americas program, an experiential entrepreneurship course that partnered Miami students and professors with their counterparts at four Latin American universities. He also participated in the Global Business Consulting program, which enabled MBA students to consult with international corporations.
Smogard is author of the book, “A World of Opportunities for Aspiring Entrepreneurs: Creating Your Own Job in the New Normal.”
He earned a bachelor’s degree in history and political science at Minnesota State University-Moorhead, a master’s degree in psychology at St. Cloud State University and a Ph.D. in international studies at the University of Miami. He was recognized as a Minnesota State University-Moorhead Distinguished Alumni in 2013.
Ms. Sandra Justice
Director for USF Research & Innovation
Sandra Justice was appointed director for USF Research & Innovation in 2024. She has served as a research administrator at USF for more than 15 years, leading the research office at the Sarasota-Manatee campus since 2017, with oversight for all campus research programs and grant services as a key member of the administrative leadership team of the regional chancellor.
She served on the Task Force for the USF Pandemic Response Research Network (PRRN) and is a member of the National Organization for Research Development Professionals (NORDP), Society of Research Administrators International (SRAI), and National Council of University Research Administrators (NCURA). She serves on the editorial board for the Journal for Research Administration, and the board of The Perlman Music Program Suncoast, as well as the liaison IRB member for New College of Florida. In 2016, her team at USF was awarded the “Big Ideas Research Grant” entitled, Themes for International Research Toolkit, with USF World Vice President Kiki Caruson and Laurel Thomas, International Research & Global Engagement Manager.
She received a JRA Arthur Fellowship in 2021 for her study examining the impact of grant writing workshops on faculty productivity. Prior to her tenure at the USF Sarasota-Manatee campus, she served as a grant administrator in the School of Medicine at Emory University. She is a graduate of the University of South Florida and holds CRA certification from the Research Administrators Certification Council.
Ms. Tressa Presley McLeod
Director of Communications and Marketing
Tressa Presley McLeod serves as director of communications and marketing. She leads
strategic communications and marketing for the university, including executive communications,
brand and reputation management, media relations, advertising campaigns, event promotion
and campus initiatives and goals.
She was most recently associate director in the same office. Prior to that, she spent
nearly a decade at the University of Mississippi, where, as graphic web designer and
special projects manager, she implemented a project management system, developed comprehensive
email and digital communications policies and procedures for the university, spearheaded
the development and updating of the university's coronavirus website and managed digital
campaigns for campus messaging, recruitment and community engagement. She has additional
leadership experience at a Fortune 500 company as well as at small and medium independent
businesses.
She has expertise in project management, communications, digital and web strategy,
event planning, corporate branding, print production, website management, SEO, social
media, content marketing and strategic planning.
She holds a master of business administration from the University of Mississippi (Ole
Miss) as well as a bachelor of science in horticulture and business from Mississippi
State University and a bachelor of fine arts in graphic design from the University
of South Alabama. While at the University of Mississippi, she was selected to represent
the University at the SEC MBA Case Competition (2021) in Lexington, Ky., where her
team received honorable mention. She was also the elected MBA representative on the
University of Mississippi graduate student council, where she served as MBA senator
and president pro tempore of the senate.
Mr. Darren L. Gambrell
Director of Student Success
Darren L. Gambrell is a director of student success in the Office of Student Success. He previously served as the assistant director for the Office of Student Services, where he supervised the Office of Student Services, the Office of Multicultural Affairs, commencement and the FCCI Rotunda. Darren has engaged students at the Sarasota-Manatee campus since 2003, when he became involved with the Student Government Association and assisted in securing $26.9 million for the campus.
Since graduating from USF with a Bachelor of Arts in psychology and a Bachelor of Arts in Criminology, he has received certificates in Hotel Management and Restaurant Management and is pursuing a Master of Science in Hospitality Management and Tourism Leadership.
Gambrell is the recipient of many awards, nominations and recognitions, including the Staff Senate Quiet Quality Award in 2006 and 2012, the Diversity Honor Roll Award in 2010, the USFSM Outstanding Staff Award nomination in 2009 and 2012 and the USFSM Outstanding Staff Team Award in 2014 and 2016.
Ms. Kristi Hoskinson
Assistant Vice President for Strategy and Campus Initiatives
Kristi Hoskinson has a diverse background in program management, training and development, communications and marketing and consulting. As a Canadian-born competitive figure skater, she had the opportunity to work for Disney on Ice as a cast member and, later, in a leadership role as Performance Director for Feld Entertainment. Her passion for well-being led her to pursue leadership roles in Manatee County, Florida, managing the county government’s recreation programs and pioneering and leading the delivery of the school district’s comprehensive employee well-being program. Recognizing she could impact more lives with her thought-leadership and consultative skills, Kristi opened her own firm providing expert guidance to employers with a results-driven employee well-being strategy.
Hoskinson continued her work in organizational well-being at FCCI Insurance Group, managing their learning and development program, and overseeing the earliest phases of its customer experience strategy. Hoskinson came to the University of South Florida Sarasota-Manatee campus to serve as assistant vice president for strategy and campus initiatives in 2022, having served as vice president for the Sarasota Chamber of Commerce and leading all operational and fiscal responsibilities of the Chamber's workforce development program, CareerEdge.
Over the course of her career, Hoskinson has worked with international and national organizations, including Canon Europe, Intel, United Services Organization (USO), Florida Blue and HR Florida among others. She holds a Bachelor of Science in health from Eastern Oregon University and is a senior certified professional for the Society of Human Resources Management (SHRM). Hoskinson is an engaged leader in her community, having served as a Board of Director for the Lakewood Ranch Business Alliance, Team Tony Cancer Foundation, and CareerSource Suncoast.