FLORENCE, KY: At its Connecting Communities, Creating Opportunities: Annual Meeting and Awards Celebration on September 10th, the Northern Kentucky Area Development District board of directors installed new officers for 2026-2027 and recognized key employees, partners and volunteers.
Board Leadership Transition:
Following a unanimous vote of the full Board at its July meeting, new board officers and Executive Committee at-large members for the coming year were installed. Those individuals are:
- Mayor Robb Adams, Chairman, City of Carrollton, (Carroll County)
- Judge/Executive Jon “Ryan” Morris, 1st Vice Chair, Gallatin County
- Mayor David Henson, 2nd Vice Chair, City of Williamstown, (Grant County)
- Brittaney King, Treasurer, Kenton County Citizen Member
- Judge/Executive Gary Moore, Immediate Past Board Chair, Boone County
- Matt Elberfeld, Executive Committee Member, Campbell County
- Judge/Executive Todd Woodyard, Executive Committee Member, Owen County
- Judge/Executive David Fields, Executive Committee Member, Pendleton County
NKADD looks forward to the leadership, collaboration, and regional insight this group will bring to the organization as it continues to serve the counties of and communities within Boone, Campbell, Carroll, Gallatin, Grant, Kenton, Owen, and Pendleton.
Celebrating Partnership
NKADD recognized Lee Ann Kramer and the NorthKey Community Care IDD Crisis Team as this year’s NKADD Partner Organization of the Year. The NorthKey IDD Crisis Team is an invaluable partner to NKADD case managers and the individuals and families we serve. When a crisis arises, their team provides timely, compassionate and expert support, helping individuals remain safely in their homes and communities whenever possible. Their dedication, professionalism, and collaborative approach make a meaningful difference for countless individuals throughout Northern Kentucky. NKADD team members and board are incredibly grateful for NorthKey’s partnership and commitment to the people we all serve.
Celebrating Volunteerism
NKADD recognized long-time contributor Bill Mitchell as this year’s Volunteer of the Year. Bill began his career with NKADD in 1985 and spent more than three decades serving communities across our region. After retiring, Bill continued his commitment to NKADD when he was appointed by fiscal court to serve as a citizen representative on the NKADD Board for Pendleton County. In this role, he has stepped in as a mentor to our Community Development Planning and Local Government Services teams. Bill’s passion for regional planning, extensive knowledge and dedication to helping others have made a lasting impact on generations of NKADD staff. His willingness to share his experience and mentor others inspires our team to continue making our communities better places to live.
Celebrating Dedication
Northern Kentucky Area Development District staff are its cornerstone, providing technical expertise and compassionate services to our region. This year, three individuals were recognized as employees of the year:
Melinda Ford, WIOA Contract Compliance Officer
Melinda has been part of our Workforce team since 2013, serving in several roles and consistently going above and beyond to support our team and WIOA contractors. Her attention to detail, collaboration and commitment to helping others succeed have made a lasting impact across our region. Melinda’s dedication empowers contractors to better serve their clients and connect them with opportunities for training and employment.
Grace Herrmann, Community Development Planner
Grace joined NKADD in 2024 and quickly became an invaluable resource to communities across our region, supporting water and wastewater planning, GIS, local road management and funding opportunities. Grace brings extensive knowledge and expertise while making complex issues easy to understand. Her nominators described her as “serious, knowledgeable, trustworthy” and praised her ability to listen to communities and help them understand their options.
Liberty Kordish, Program Budget Manager
Liberty joined our Finance Department in 2011 before transitioning to Workforce, where she became an integral part of the team leading invoicing, grant compliance and budget matters. Since beginning her Master of Public Administration at NKU, Liberty has continued to expand her impact across the agency, serving as Interim Finance Director and, most recently, as Program Grants Manager.