Buchanan Appointed to UNA’s Board of Trustees
May. 16, 2023
Michelle R. Eubanks , UNA, at meubanks@una.edu, 256.765.4392
FLORENCE, AL – The Alabama State Senate has confirmed Gov. Kay Ivey’s appointment of Kyle Buchanan to the University of North Alabama Board of Trustees. Helen Keller Hospital President Kyle Buchanan will fill the unexpired term of Marcus Maples, who resigned his seat effective March 18. This is the at-large seat for the State of Alabama.
“I am grateful to be able to serve the University in this capacity,” Buchanan said. “UNA has such a phenomenal reputation across our state and tremendous impact on our students and communities. I sincerely hope to add to the tremendous contributions of other board members and work with other trustees and university leadership to find new ways to take UNA to even greater heights.”
Buchanan began his career with the Huntsville Hospital Health System as Vice President of Operations at Helen Keller Hospital in 2009 and most recently served as Vice President of Operations at Huntsville Hospital for Women and Children. He is a Class 25 graduate of Leadership Alabama and serves on its governing board. He is also the Chair-Elect of the Shoals Chamber of Commerce.
“It is a pleasure to welcome Kyle to the UNA Board of Trustees,” said UNA President Dr. Ken Kitts. “His leadership locally as well as throughout the state is an excellent indicator of the skills he will bring to our Board. I welcome the voice and expertise he will bring to our deliberations.”
Will Trapp, President Pro Tempore of UNA’s Board of Trustees highlighted Buchanan’s role in the community during the global pandemic, citing “his initiative and clear communications” as critical to the local healthcare response.
“Kyle Buchanan has been on our radar since serving on the UNA Foundation Board and being part of Leadership Alabama,” Trapp said. “We are fortunate to have a very strong Board and one that is supportive of President Kitts and his administration. I think that our good working relationship and committee structure has made an impact on our ability to move forward with our strategic plan. He has worked with boards in his role as an administrator and will be a great addition to UNA. We are so grateful to Gov. Ivey for her appointment of Kyle and the Alabama
Senate for his confirmation. Trustee Maples, whose seat he assumes, served on the Board for many years, and we know Kyle will be another excellent trustee.”
Buchanan lives in Muscle Shoals with his wife, Dr. Kyrel Buchanan, and their two daughters, Carrington and Callie. His appointment is effective immediately. UNA’s Board meets quarterly, and the next regularly scheduled meeting is set for June 9.
About The University of North Alabama
The University of North Alabama is an accredited, comprehensive regional state university offering credential, certificate, baccalaureate, master’s, and doctoral programs in the colleges of Arts, Sciences, and Engineering; Business and Technology; Education and Human Sciences; and the Anderson College of Nursing and Health Professions. The first-choice University for more than 10,000 on-campus and online students, UNA is on a bucolic campus in Florence, Alabama, part of the historic and vibrant Shoals region. Lions Athletics, a renowned collegiate athletics program with seven (7) Division II National Championships, is now a proud member of the NCAA Division I’s ASUN Conference. The University of North Alabama is an equal opportunity institution and does not discriminate in the admission policy on the basis of race, color, sex, religion, disability, age, or national origin. For more: www.una.edu and www.una.edu/unaworks/