Kelly J Higgins, Ed.D Email & Phone Number

Scottsdale, Az, Us

Specialized collegiate consulting services plus financial & investment advising based on advanced sales/marketing training & licensing while with AG Edwards, Inc. Including, but not limited to interim collegiate athletics personnel services; leadership consulting, development and training; career planning; strategic planning; fundraising, media/public relations, and marketing information services with clients and associations within higher education and private industry.

Portales, New Mexico, Us

Supervision/oversight of football, baseball, softball, plus all athletic facilities and event operations. Consult AD on all departmental operations.

Created a new multisport Division III conference as part of KJH Services. Eventually serving 15 independent institutions to provide them with opportunities to showcase athletic talent and achieve placement in national conferences.• Initiated, negotiated, and managed the merger with the Capital Athletic Conference to achieve long-term sustainability. • Created and directed multiple ACAA Championships leading to NCAA tournament participants, including UVF WBB 2018; TMU WVB 2018; TMU WBB 2019 National Champions; UCSC W Soccer 2019; UW Whitewater M Soccer 2019.

Laredo, Tx, Us

Lead and manage fundraising and events for an 11-sport NCAA DII athletic program, including strategic planning, revenue generation, game day operations, special events, and camp programming. Achievements include: • Developed and implemented the Dustdevil Club, including a new Board of Directors, charter, giving plan, and events. • Increased corporate sponsorships by over 200% between 2017 and 2021.

Alfred, Ny, Us

Led the transition of a 19-sport junior college program into a four-year NCAA DIII program with 100 staff and 400 athletes.• Created and implemented strategic plans to achieve full NCAA membership.• Solicited and won a $1.5M grant to construct a football stadium locker room. • Launched the first corporate sponsorship program and athletics booster club. • Developed the Athletics Excellence program providing opportunities for athletes to donate over 2,500 service hours annually. • Led 19 student athletes to achieve All-American Honors, 19 to achieve regional honors, five named to ECAC All-Star teams, and 50 named to All-Academic teams.• Nearly 70% of teams competed in post-season championships.

Manchester, New Hampshire, Us

Managed a 20-sport NCAA DII athletics program with over 150 paid and volunteer staff and nearly 500 student athletes. • Established a post-season play fix for the ice hockey program. • Used a NE10 minority opportunity grant to create the new AAD External Affairs position. • Developed new marketing and PR partnerships with local ESPN affiliates and the Manchester Union newspaper. • Resolved gender equity issues by creating Women’s Head Coach positions in field hockey, lacrosse, softball, and volleyball. • Earned the highest number of NE10 and NCAA awards for athletic and academic excellence in school history. • Achieved a 91% ASR in the 2013 NCAA graduation rate report.

Durango, Co, Us

Drove competitive success for an 11-sport NCAA DII athletic program with 50+ staff and 450 student athletes. • Helped teams to achieve 14 conference and tournament championships and six national championships.• Solicited and received $1M+ annually in donation commitments over five years. • Created a new Student Services program with fifth-year scholarships, an academic advising program for at-risk student athletes, and an awards banquet to increase retention rates by over 50%. • Developed and implemented diversity and communication training for student athletes and staff. • Increased fundraising and sponsorships by over 50%, doubled the size of the Booster Club during the economic recession, and led program to their greatest competitive successes in its history.

Washington, Dc, Us

Hired on a contract basis and retained for three years, managing a NCAA DII athletics and recreation program.• Successfully led the program through the largest rules infractions investigation in NCAA history and turnaround into a successful program with a high level of integrity. • Reorganized existing staff and rehired entire coaching team with a focus on ethics and integrity. • Closed and reopened the entire program, reinstated all athletes, and created a successful program with excellent coaches. • Solicited and received $1.35M in private funding to renovate athletic facilities.

Vermillion, Sd, Us

Led the athletics department from a failing program with no administration, no organized fundraising, and a poor ranking in the North Central Conference to a successful, 18-sport program in the top DII conference with 200+ staff and 400 student athletes. • Created and executed the department’s DI and DII long-term strategic plans. • Developed and executed a plan to lead the University of South Dakota from the bottom to the top of the North Central Conference all sports competition. • Developed a corporate sponsor program and multiple long-term donor partnership plan to raise nearly $1M+ annually in funds and assisted in the completion of the USD Foundation Capital Campaign. • Launched Women’s soccer, men’s and women’s golf, and women’s tennis programs. • Coordinated multiple facility improvement projects, including pool renovations, the Dakotadome roof replacement, new soccer and softball complexes, and six new tennis courts. • Authored a departmental policy, procedure, and compliance manual. • Earned 14 conference championships, seven national championships, and Top 20 finishes in the DII Director’s Cup.

Fairbanks, Alaska, Us

Led a DII Men’s and Women’s athletics program with DI Men’s ice hockey in a geographically disenfranchised location. • Developed and executed the strategy to achieve full membership in the Central Collegiate Hockey Association (CCHA). • Created programming to enhance recruitment across all sports, improving quality of student athletes, excitement for programming in Fairbanks and the surrounding areas, and program revenue.• Increased donations by 50%+ with over $1M in annual funding. • Negotiated a five-year contract for the title sponsorship of the TOWC DI MBB tournament and a three-year broadcast contract with Fox Sports Net for live national broadcasts. • Launched the Nanook Classic Women’s volleyball tournament (Division I). • Negotiated University of Alaska-Fairbanks’ hosting of the title sponsorship of the TOWC DI MBB tournament.

Ed.D., Management - Ex Physiology Minor

Ms, Exercise Science

Bs, Business Management