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Karen Finger and Vaughn Williams join host Alvin C. Miles to discuss how leadership delivers results for multiple stakeholders!
Karen Finger / President, The National Association of Telecom Professionals (ATP)
Karen Finger has over 20 years of experience in the communications and technology industry. She has held leadership positions in sales, service and product delivery, customer lifecycle operations, network design, and software development working with the largest enterprise and service provider clients with companies such as Nortel, Sprint, and currently, CenturyLink Business.
Karen is an active leader and “connector” in the Atlanta business community serving as President of the Association of Telecommunications Professionals (ATP), a non-profit industry association. She has been actively involved with ATP since 2008, and has held various leadership roles on the board including Vice President and Director. Karen has also chaired the prestigious ATP Awards Gala in 2009 and 2011, which recognizes and promotes leadership, innovation, and excellence in Georgia.
Karen grew up in Memphis, TN where she graduated from Lausanne High School and then went on to the University of Florida where she earned a Bachelor of Science degree in computer science and business administration. She is married with two children and lives in East Cobb Marietta, Georgia.
Contact Karen: (404) 964-4688, Karen.Finger@atpconnect.org
Vaughn Williams / Athletic Director & Presidential Cabinet Member, Kennesaw State University
Vaughn Williams brings his extensive knowledge and experience of collegiate athletics to the position of athletic director at Kennesaw State University. On April 12, 2011, University President Dr. Dan Papp announced at the conclusion of a national search that Williams would fill the void created by the retirement of Dr. Dave Waples, who had been the department’s athletic director since 1987. Williams officially took his post on May 2, stepping in for Senior Associate Athletic Director Scott Whitlock, who had served as Interim Athletic Director since Waples’ departure in August, 2010.
Prior to accepting the job at Kennesaw State, Williams has had a prestigious six-plus year tenure at the University of Connecticut. While there, Williams served as Associate Athletic Director, with his responsibilities mainly involving strategic planning, facility master planning and policy and procedure improvement. He also served as chair of the University of Connecticut’s Sportsmanship/Fan Environment Initiative Committee. At Connecticut, Williams directed the operation and management of 11 campus athletic facilities for 24 varsity sports and 600 student-athletes, as well as the university’s recreational/intramural program, which serves 3,500 participants.
He also oversaw the Huskies’ event management team that provides support to varsity sports, including the hosting of Big East and NCAA post-season events. In addition, Williams served as the program’s home game administrator for football and basketball games. Before arriving at Connecticut, Williams had over 10 years of NCAA Division I athletics experience. He was a staple at Boston College in their athletic department as an assistant athletic director for six years from 1998-2004. While working at Boston College, he earned his Masters degree in Administrative Studies.
Williams got his start working in collegiate athletics at the University of Utah. During his two years there, Williams went from the Assistant Director of Finance to the Director of Finance before leaving for the University of Toledo, where he served as the Associate Athletic Director of Business Affairs from 1996-1998.
Williams’ experience in athletics reaches beyond the boundaries of administration. Earning his bachelor’s degree in Sport Management from the University of Massachusetts (UMass) in 1992, Williams was a four-year letter winner in football at UMass.
Williams and his wife, Eileen, have three children.
Contact Vaughn: (770) 423-6284, vwilliam@kennesaw.edu
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