Senior Leadership Team
Senior Leadership Team
Jesse Cureton MBA ’02
Acting President and CEO
Jesse Cureton ’02, MBA is the university’s acting president and CEO, having previously served as the chair of the university’s Board of Trustees. Cureton previously served as the Chief Consumer Officer and Executive Vice President at Novant Health, where he spearheaded the organization’s rebranding initiative to unify the system. Prior to healthcare, Cureton spent 25 years at Bank of America. Cureton has held leadership roles on numerous boards, including UNC-Chapel Hill, HomeTrust Bancshares, and the Charlotte Regional Business Alliance. As acting president, Cureton will lead the university by maintaining momentum on key institutional initiatives; supporting students, faculty, and staff; overseeing financial management; and ensuring operational and academic excellence during the search for a permanent president. In addition to an MBA from Queens University, Cureton has completed executive programs at Harvard Business School and The Wharton School and holds a B.S. in Administration of Justice from UNC Chapel Hill.
Sarah Fatherly, Ph.D.
Chief Operations Officer
Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs
fatherlys@queens.edu
704-337-2568
Sarah Fatherly is the chief academic officer for Queens University of Charlotte, overseeing all academic programs and services. With over two decades of experience in higher education administration, Fatherly joined Queens in 2012 as associate provost and dean of university programs, providing a renewed focus on student success and retention initiatives, before subsequently moving into the provost role in 2017. She currently serves as the university’s interim chief operations officer, a role that includes oversight of all campus operations and management of the senior leadership team. In addition to scholarship in her academic fields of study, Fatherly has published and presented widely on scaling high-impact practices, equity-minded curriculum innovation, faculty development practices, and campus partnerships for student success. She earned a B.A. from Gustavus Adolphus College, an M.A., and a Ph.D. in United States History from the University of Wisconsin-Madison with specializations in early American and women’s history.
Kenitra Horsley
Chief of Staff and Chief Information Officer
Kenitra Horsley is the Chief of Staff and Chief Information Officer at Queens University of Charlotte. Kenitra is the principal technology leader for the University, providing the vision and leadership for information technology services while managing the strategic planning and effectiveness of the Senior Leadership Team and President’s Cabinet. Kenitra has more than 20 years of experience in the Information Technology industry spanning both public and private sectors, higher education, manufacturing, healthcare, and government. Her current work includes driving innovation and leading technology initiatives such as enterprise data management, cybersecurity, and infrastructure modernization to ensure that Queens stays competitive, offers an exceptional student experience, and operates efficiently while implementing long-term strategies to achieve the institution’s academic and operational goals. Kenitra holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Computer Science from the University of Maryland and a Master of Business Administration from Johns Hopkins University. Kenitra serves on the board of the Higher Education Systems and Services Consortium and the Advisory Board of CharlotteCIO.
Matt Packey
Chief Financial Officer and Vice President for Administration
Matt joined Queens as chief financial officer and vice president for administration in June 2010 and later served as Special Counsel to the President and Associate VP for Sustainability and Institutional Planning before returning to the CFO role where he has responsibility for the financial affairs of the university, campus services, dining services, campus safety, emergency response, capital planning, risk management and the campus bookstore. His past experience includes seven years with a “Big 4” accounting firm and fourteen years with public and private companies in various financial leadership roles, including controller, VP of financial reporting, chief accounting officer, and chief financial officer. Matt is a CPA and is an honors graduate from the University of Akron, holding a B.S. in Accounting degree. He is an active volunteer with Trips for Kids Charlotte, serves on their Board and is the Finance Committee Chair for the organization.
Amber Perrell Slack, Ed.D.
Vice President for Student Affairs and Dean of Students
Slack returned to Queens University in 2025, bringing with her a wealth of experience and a deep understanding of the university. She previously served Queens for more than 15 years, most recently as associate dean of students for residence life and housing. Before returning, Slack served as associate vice president of student affairs and dean of students at Winthrop University. Prior to Winthrop, she served as dean of students at Johnson & Wales University’s Charlotte campus. Slack is also actively engaged in the community, serving as a board member for Safe Passage, Inc., in Rock Hill. She is a member of the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators. She holds a Master of Education from Campbell University and a Doctor of Education from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte.
Lori Ann Summers, Ed.D.
Vice President of University Advancement
An experienced leader with more than two decades in higher education fundraising, Summers joins the leadership team as our new vice president of advancement. She comes to Queens from Newberry College in South Carolina, with previous leadership roles at the University of South Carolina, Auburn University, and Colorado College. Summers earned a bachelor’s degree in political science and a master’s degree in education from the University of South Carolina. She earned her Ed.D. in Higher Education Leadership.
Cherie Swarthout
Director of Athletics
swarthoutc@queens.edu
704-688-2809
After serving in a variety of capacities for more than ten years within Queens’ Athletic Department, Cherie Swarthout was promoted to director of athletics in May 2016. In her current role, she leads a team of coaches, sports performance professionals, and administrators who are responsible for the 30 NCAA DI teams fielded by the Royals. Sports information, community partnerships, and the management of all athletic facilities also fall under Swarthout’s oversight. She has been engaged in community leadership roles throughout her tenure at Queens, including board positions with the Charlotte Business Guild, Michigan State Alumni National Board, Girls On The Run, and Myers Park Baptist Through The Week School. Currently, she serves as a deacon at Myers Park Baptist Church. Swarthout holds a bachelor’s degree in physical education and health from Michigan State University where she was a standout basketball player. She has two master’s degrees, one from Illinois State University in sports psychology and athletic administration, and a second from Queens in organizational development. Additionally, Swarthout holds an executive coaching certificate from Queens. Swarthout has two daughters, Mattison and Zuri.