Presenter Bio - Kimberly Hardy, Ph.D.

Kimberly Hardy, Ph.D. currently serves as the Assistant Vice Provost for UCF Connect at the University of Central Florida, one of the largest universities in the nation where more than fifty percent of students are transfer students.

She has been with UCF for ten years and currently oversees transfer student success, as well as the nationally recognized DirectConnect to UCF program. She has successfully partnered with six state colleges in this program and is responsible for oversight of ten site locations, administering academic, administrative, operational, marketing, and support services. She also takes a leadership role in strategic planning, data and technology resources, and accreditation for UCF Connect, and has led multiple university and partnership-based initiatives focusing on successful retention and completion efforts. Additionally. Dr. Hardy serves as the community outreach liaison and is the 2024 Chair of the West Orange Chamber of Commerce and West Orange Foundation, connecting education and workforce development communities in Central Florida. 

Prior to UCF, Dr. Hardy served as the interim Assistant Vice President of Student Success, Executive Dean of Student Success and Learning Engagement, and Dean of Instruction and Student Success Florida State College in Jacksonville. Throughout her career, she has held leadership positions in online and distance learning, student success, institutional effectiveness, military populations, and accelerated programs, serving traditional and adult learners in multiple modalities. She also has taught courses in education and technology, utilizing online, hybrid, and traditional formats. Dr. Hardy previously worked as a consultant and senior analyst for a national higher education consulting firm, as well as for the statewide Florida Distance Learning Consortium. She earned a Ph.D. in Higher Education with a specialty in Instructional Systems from Florida State University, a Master of Arts degree in Student Affairs Administration from Michigan State University, and a Bachelor of Science business degree in General Management from Boston College.