Meet This Year’s Keynote Panel

Dr. Kimberly van Noort

Chancellor of UNC Asheville

Dr. Kimberly van Noort is UNC Asheville’s Chancellor, bringing over three decades of higher education experience to the role. She previously served as Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs and Chief Academic Officer for the University of North Carolina System, which she joined in 2016. Prior to joining the UNC System, she was at the University of Texas at Arlington where she served in various roles including Associate Vice Provost for Undergraduate Studies, Director of University College, Associate Dean of Liberal Arts, and tenured faculty member in the Department of Modern Languages. Dr. van Noort received her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in French from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and earned a Ph.D. in French at Boston University.

Dr. Paul J. Maurer

President & CEO of Montreat College

Dr. Paul J. Maurer is the president & CEO of Montreat College with more than 30 years of leadership experience in nonprofit and higher education administration. Dr. Maurer’s tenure at Montreat College has been marked by multiple years of record enrollment, a host of new academic programs, and dozens of physical campus upgrades. A published author and frequent speaker, Dr. Maurer co-wrote The Code of Honor: Embracing Ethics in Cybersecurity at the request of the National Security Agency (NSA). He earned his Ph.D. in political science from Claremont Graduate University, where he was an H. B. Earhart Fellow and a John M. Olin Fellow. He earned his B.A. from the University of Cincinnati and his Master of Divinity from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary.

Dr. Shelley White

President of Haywood Community College

Dr. White joined Haywood Community College on January 1, 2020, as its seventh President, bringing more than 20 years of experience in higher education leadership. Her first year at HCC was defined by the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, during which she led efforts to maintain a safe environment for employees and students while guiding the college through a rapid transition to a high percentage of online instruction. A graduate of Isothermal Community College, Dr. White earned her Doctorate in Education with a concentration in Community College Leadership from Western Carolina University. In recognition of her leadership and service, she was named the 2025 President of the Year for the North Carolina Community College System.