Staff

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  Cat Serrin Niekro
  

  Catherine (Cat) Serrin Niekro serves as vice president for institutional advancement and marketing at Lenoir-Rhyne. Since 2017, she has led the university's efforts to engage alumni, parents and friends with the university and raise funds for university priorities. In addition, she leads the institution's communication and marketing efforts.

  Previously, Niekro served as the associate vice president for advancement operations and director of special projects at Davidson College. During her seven years in that role, Niekro received multiple promotions, continuously increasing her leadership responsibilities. For example, as a key member of the Office of College Relations senior management team at Davidson College, Niekro helped launch a five-year, $425 million comprehensive campaign. In addition, she played a pivotal role in Davidson's branding initiative to build a national profile for the college to increase awareness among prospective students in critical markets and take advantage of the new athletic conference membership.

  Prior to working at Davidson College, Niekro spent 11 years at the Alumni Association of University of Michigan, where she served as vice president for marketing and communications.

  [email protected]
  828.328.7360
  
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  Liz Cox
  

  Appointed in 2020, Liz Cox is assistant vice president for development at Lenoir-Rhyne. In this role, she oversees major gifts, annual giving, donor relations, capital campaigns and corporate and foundation fundraising. In 2018, she joined the university as a major gifts officer.

  Prior to Lenoir-Rhyne, Cox served in development positions at Davidson College and Guilford College in North Carolina, as well as at her alma mater and in the nonprofit sector.

  [email protected]
  828.328.7322
  
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  Andy Anderson
  

  Andy Anderson is the senior executive director of development at Lenoir-Rhyne University. He began his career at LR in 2013 and continues to work with alumni and community partners to support Lenoir-Rhyne's capital projects, as well as other strategic initiatives.

  Previously, Anderson worked for the public schools in both Burke and Caldwell counties for more than 35 years. During this time, he served as a teacher, guidance counselor, coach, principal and associate superintendent.

  Anderson has a long history of involvement at LR, beginning with his days as a student-athlete in the 1970s. Anderson and his wife are residents of Granite Falls, North Carolina.

  [email protected]
  828.328.7167
  
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  John Gaston
  

  John Gaston joined the Lenoir-Rhyne staff in 2021 as a director of development. Gaston comes to LR from Winthrop University, where he had worked since 2013, most recently as a development officer. At Winthrop, he worked extensively to connect alumni and friends through their passions and interests to the university by building strong relationships. Gaston left Winthrop as their two-year consecutive top-performing fundraiser, helping Winthrop raise a remarkable $6.6M in the 2020 fiscal year.

  Previously, Gaston was one of the United States' leading opera singers as a countertenor and an adjunct professor of voice at Lander University in Greenwood, South Carolina, and at Erskine College in Due West, South Carolina.

  [email protected]
  828.328.7313