HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, KY – Northern Kentucky University has appointed new program heads for its School of the Arts (SOTA).
Brad McCombs.
Brad McCombs will transition from Program Head of Music over to the Program Head of Visual Arts. Brad received a B.F.A. from Washington University in St. Louis and a M.F.A. from Carnegie Mellon University. Brad’s interest in leadership of the arts rests in the power of the arts to transform individuals and communities that both inspires and provokes thought. His research focuses on creating powerful connections with an audience whether they are physical, virtual or somewhere in-between. His role as an artist is comprehensive and embraces activism, anthropology, ecology, and sociology. His regional public art project, the Driftwood Institute, engages students to help educate the community about our watershed. Brad has shown his work both nationally and internationally including a recent project in collaboration with the Cincinnati Chamber Orchestra where he created visuals to accompany the live performance of Darius Milhaud’s “La Création du Monde”.
Kimberly Gelbwasser Lazzeri.
Kimberly Gelbwasser Lazzeri will be assuming the role of Program Head of Music. She is Associate Professor of Voice and Vocal Area Coordinator at NKU’s School of the Arts. In 2016, she was the recipient of the Outstanding Junior Faculty Award in the College of Arts and Sciences. Dr. Lazzeri currently serves as President of the Kentucky Chapter of the National Association of Teachers of Singing. In the summer, she often serves on the music faculty of the Kentucky Institute for International Studies in Salzburg, Austria. Dr. Lazzeri is a certified Kripalu yoga teacher and she teaches a course at NKU entitled “Yoga for Creativity.” Dr. Lazzeri holds a Doctor of Musical Arts degree and a Master of Music degree in Vocal Performance from the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music. She holds a Bachelor of Music degree in Vocal Performance from Northwestern University. To learn more, visit “Kimberly Gelbwasser Lazzeri Voice Studio” on Facebook.
Michael Hatton.
Michael Hatton will be continuing as Program Head of Theatre + Dance. Michael received his M.F.A. in Theatre Pedagogy and Directing from Virginia Commonwealth University and his B.F.A. in Theatre Management from Northern Kentucky University and has been a full-time faculty since 2005. He has served in various forms of university governance and service, including general education, university and college curriculum, e-learning, master advising, international education, and planning committees, and currently serves on the executive board of the Cooperative Center for Study Abroad (CCSA). Additionally, Michael has won awards for teaching, including from the Greater Cincinnati Consortium of Colleges and University as well as the NKU Michael C.C. and Susan S. Adams Outstanding Non-Tenure Track Faculty award. He is a freelance director and stage manager having worked with numerous regional theatre companies.
About NKU School of the Arts
SOTA is the creative engine of Northern Kentucky University. The School of the Arts combines dance, music, theatre, and visual arts to bring unparalleled artistic opportunities to current and future students. Our minors come from every college on campus from nursing to mathematics, political science to construction management. SOTA’s Prep programs, including the nationally recognized String Project, engage 900 students from children to adults annually. SOTA offers 12 degrees with 30 specializations in addition to seven minors. With innovative curriculum, small class sizes and award-winning instructors, students develop expertise and the qualities most in-demand for today’s changing career landscape. To learn more, please visit nku.edu/sota or find us on social media @NKUSOTA.
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