Board of Directors

John Baines is a consultant and executive coach at Insight Partners, LLC. He previously served as the president for Hahn Automation from 2004 until 2018.

Mr. Baines received his Bachelor's degree and Master of Business Administration from Northwestern University.

Mr. Baines is a member of the Northern Kentucky Workforce Investment Board, the European American Chamber of Commerce, and served on the Kentucky Workforce Innovation Board from 2015 to 2017.

Mr. Baines won Manufacturer of the Year from the Kentucky Association of Manufacturers in 2015 and the Northern Kentucky Thoroughbred Award from Tri-ED in 2014. 

Mr. Baines lives in Ft. Thomas with his wife and two children.

Mr. Baines was appointed by the Governor to the board for a six-year term that ends in November 2025.

Larry Brown has retired after 39 years as a life and health consultant specializing in businesses, estate and business continuation planning.

In his professional career, Mr. Brown worked as the commissioner for the Department of Professional Licensing, executive director of the Kentucky Board of Dentistry and field representative for the Office of the Governor. 

Mr. Brown received his Bachelor's degree from Northern Kentucky State College and completed graduate work at American College. 

Mr. Brown served as the president for NK Soccer Officials Association, was first district representative on the Kentucky Referee Association and currently serves on the adult soccer board of KSA. Mr. B also served on his church expansion fundraising committee and two years as festival chairman.

Mr. Brown lives in Florence with his wife. He has and two children and three grandchildren.

Mr. Brown was appointed by the Governor to the board for a six-year term that ends in November 2025.

Charlie Coleman is a Campbell County Commissioner from District #2. 

Mr. Coleman received his Bachelors at Eastern Kentucky University, his Master of Education degree from Northern Kentucky University, and also his Education Rank 1 from Xavier University. 

Throughout his professional career, Mr. Coleman has been heavily involved in youth education in Campbell County. Mr. Coleman was a teacher, assistant principal, athletic director and head football coach at Bellevue High School, where he spent the majority of his tenure. In addition, he was host of the TV Show “Northern Kentucky Sports Legends” for Insight Communications.

Mr. Coleman has served on numerous boards and commissions, such as the Northern Kentucky Athletic Directors Hall of Fame, the Independent Business Association of Northern Kentucky, and several Exhibit Committees at the Behringer Crawford Museum.

Mr. Coleman was appointed by the Governor to the board for a five-year term that ends in November 2024.

Dr. Paul Klein is an Assistant Professor of Mathematics at Gateway Community & Technical College. 

He has worked in industry as a sales engineer for control systems equipment in manufacturing, power plants, and wastewater treatment plants. He later served as an Assistant Professor of Mathematics at the University of Louisville School of Engineering. 

Dr. Klein has a Ph.D. in Mathematics Education and a Master's degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of Louisville. He has a Master's degree in Education from Xavier University. 

He lives in Covington and has volunteered at soup kitchens and homeless shelters in Northern Kentucky and Over the Rhine. He served on the boards of the Alliance Francaise in Louisville and Cincinnati. 

He was elected in August 2023 to complete a term ending July 31, 2025. 

Mrs. Madeline Kues is an Academic Advisor at Gateway Community & Technical College.

She is responsible for creating and maintaining relationships with area high schools and adult learners to increase enrollment. She started at Gateway in July 2019.

Kues earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communication with a minor in Business Administration from Berea College. She enjoys weightlifting, running, and spending time with her husband, daughter, and two dogs.

Her term will expire July 31, 2025.

Agnes VanderPutten is a Gateway student studying business with plans to work in management. She is a graduate of Assumption Academy. VanderPutten is the president of the Gateway Student Government Association and volunteers as a student Ambassador. She is in the Gateway TRIO Project ASPIRE program.

Her term will expire July 31, 2025.

Michelle Hughes is the Vice President of Sales for ITDS Division of the Castellini Group of Companies. She is a Covington resident and attended Morehead State University. Hughes has served on boards and committees including the Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals (CSCMP) board, the Northern Kentucky Chamber Northern Kentucky International Trade Association (NKITA) committee and Learning Grove.  

She was appointed by the Governor for a term ending Nov. 15, 2025.

Olivia Keller, J.D. is an attorney in the business litigation services group at Stites & Harbison. She has degrees from Centre College and the University of Kentucky.

She is a Covington resident and is a graduate of the Leadership Kentucky Foundation’s Elevate Kentucky class of 2023. She is Vice-President of the Board of Directors for the Children’s Law Center.

She was appointed by the Governor for a term ending July 23, 2030.

Col Owens, J.D. is retired attorney, having worked at Legal Aid Society of Greater Cincinnati and SW Ohio, in private practice, and as an adjunct professor of law at the University of Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky University. He has degrees from Harvard University and Boston University School of Law. He resides in Ft. Mitchell. He has dedicated many years serving on boards for the Covington Housing Authority, Covington Independent Schools, the Kentucky School Boards Association, the United Way of Greater Cincinnati Public Policy Committee, and the Kentucky Voices for Health board. He has been honored by the United Way of Greater Cincinnati as “One of 100 Heroes,” by Universal Health Care Action Network of Ohio with the Outstanding Health Care Reform Advocacy Award, and with the Dennis J. Murphy Award for Outstanding Leadership and Advocacy on behalf of Legal Aid clients in Ohio.

He was appointed by the Governor for a term ending November 15, 2024.