Meet the New Director of Business Services

CONHI is proud to welcome Kellen Horney as our new director of business services.  Kellen joined the ASU team in 2014 after earning his M.S. Ed. in Sports Administration from the University of Miami.  As the director of business services, Kellen will have the opportunity to interact with students, faculty and staff across the college.  Get to know Kellen with our brief Q&A below.

Q: In case any of our faculty or staff aren’t familiar, what sort of services does Business Services offer?
A: Business Services handles the human resources, finance, and budget functions for all non-research operations. Some examples include, reviewing travel documents, ordering goods & services, hiring a variety of employee types, processing payroll, and ensuring all of our programs are operating within their budgets.

Q: Why did you initially apply for this job with the College of Nursing and Health Innovation?
A: The job presented an opportunity to be involved in more strategic decisions and have the sole accountability over the business operation of a college. I was also intrigued by the area of study (Nursing & Health Innovation), as I did my master’s thesis on corporate wellness programs and worked in the fitness industry for a number of years prior to getting into higher education.

Q: Where did you work before you joined us at CONHI?
A: I have been employed at ASU since February 2014. Most recently, I was the Director of Fiscal & Business Operations for the Humanities Division within the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences (Tempe Campus).

Q: After four years of working on the Tempe campus, this will be your first time making the move to the downtown campus.  Is there anything you’ll miss, or things you’re looking forward to with the location change?
A: Tempe campus had a vibrancy to it when school was in session, but turned into a bit of a ghost town during summer. I am looking forward to life downtown and working for a university that is embedded in an urban business environment. I appreciate and respect the diversity and culture that comes with that space, and will enjoy working and living in central Phoenix.

Q: What are some of your goals while serving as the director of business services?
A: I’d like to focus on improving the organization of information, and how data is communicated to both leadership and broadly to the nursing community. This will allow for transparency and a clearer understanding of our business operation for all of our stakeholders. I also hope for our team to provide excellent service (we are Business Services after all), while still being analytical behind the scenes.

Q: Outside of work, what are some of your hobbies/areas of interest?
A: I’ve been a runner for most of my adult life, and enjoy watching college sports (mostly University of Miami football). My wife (Audra) and I are inseparable, and we enjoy exploring Phoenix and the greater Southwest.