Several administrators at Williams Baptist University have taken on new roles and new responsibilities with the start of the 2026-27 school year.
Luke Colley is now serving as Executive Vice President for Administration, Advancement & Business Development. Colley is a WBU graduate, and he has served at Williams since 2023. In his new role, he oversees the administrative functions of the university, and he will continue to lead advancement and business development efforts.
Tonya Bolton has been named Vice President for Enrollment Management. Also a WBU graduate, she has served at Williams since 1998, most recently as associate vice president. She leads student recruitment efforts and oversees financial aid at the university.
Dr. Brett Cooper is now Vice President for Kingdom Engagement & Creative Services, as well as Director of the newly formed Ministry Training Institute. Cooper has been with Williams since 1993. He continues to oversee marketing, communications and IT, as he has done previously, and he has also been tasked with developing an ongoing, comprehensive focus on prayer at the university, as well as building a Williams Works program for placing ministry students in Arkansas Baptist churches.
Dr. Ruth Provost continues to serve as Vice President of Academic Affairs, and she has also taken on some additional responsibilities. She now oversees the Office of Student Affairs, and she has been named WBU’s Title IX Coordinator. Provost, a Williams graduate, has served at the university since 2004.
Dr. Melissa Keller has been named Dean of Workforce Development, and she will continue to serve as Associate Professor of Agribusiness. Keller, who has been at Williams since 2025, is assuming oversight of the Williams Works initiative and will lead WBU’s efforts to integrate workforce education into the university’s broader curriculum.
Williams Works is WBU’s work initiative that allows students to earn their tuition and fees by working 16 hours per week, as well as equipping them with workforce skills and a Christian work ethic. Some of the students also earn room & board by working full-time in the summer months.
“Williams Baptist University is blessed to have such a talented team of administrators,” said WBU President Dr. Stan Norman. “Each of them is aligned with crucial tasks that match their individual gifts, and we look forward to their leadership in these important areas.”
