Current Position and Past Experience
Bonny Ball Copenhaver is currently President at New River Community and Technical College and has been in the role since January 2019, and she is the first female to lead the College. Her career started at Northeast State Community College as an instructor of English and Theatre. She has also been the Major Gifts and Planned Giving Coordinator at Mountain Empire Community College; Dean of Humanities at Volunteer State Community College; Provost at Motlow State Community College; and Vice President & Campus Administrator at Northwood Technical College.
Education, Honors and Achievements
Copenhaver holds a Bachelor of Science and a Master of Arts in English and a Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership/Policy Analysis from East Tennessee State University. Additionally, she holds a graduate certificate in women’s studies and a Master of Arts in Social Responsibility and Sustainable Communities from Western Kentucky University. This fall she will begin work on a Master of Legal Studies with a concentration in human resources and employment from the Texas A&M School of Law.
In 2010 Copenhaver received the Woman of Achievement award from the Women in Higher Education in Tennessee. In 2019, she was selected for and attended the Harvard University’s New Presidents Academy as one of 50 participants chosen for this prestigious professional development experience. Copenhaver was honored by the Greater Greenbrier Chamber of Commerce as the 2023 Business Leader of the Year.
Personal Details and Community Involvement
Copenhaver is an active community service proponent, and she servers on the boards for a hospital, two Chambers of Commerce, workforce development, and a variety of community support organizations that provide support for underserved populations, incarcerated individuals, and substance use recovery/prevention. She has previously served on board for domestic violence shelters and several arts organizations. She is also a member of the East Tennessee State University Center of Excellence for Community Colleges Advisory Board.
She has been married to her husband, Alan, for almost 30 years, and they share their home with Phoebe, a rescued Puggle. She finds rest in vegan cooking and baking and is known for baking wonderful, non-vegan cheesecakes for her staff, friends, and family.
