Katherine “Kathy” Ankerson is an academic leader, architect, and designer who currently serves as interim chancellor of the University of Nebraska–Lincoln. Her appointment was announced Jan. 5, and she begins the interim role on Jan. 13.

Ankerson previously served as UNL’s executive vice chancellor from January 2022 until her retirement on Dec. 31, 2024. She was appointed to that role following an internal search in 2021. Her career in higher education spans 35 years, including 24 years at UNL.

Prior to serving as executive vice chancellor, Ankerson was dean of the College of Architecture from 2016 to 2022, where she led a comprehensive revitalization of the college. Under her leadership, the college experienced significant gains in faculty achievement and student success, including 24% of architecture faculty earning the highest academic and professional honors, an increase in the six-year graduation rate from 50.9% to 71.9%, and five-year employment rates for graduates consistently ranging between 95% and 100%.

Earlier in her career at UNL, Ankerson served as a professor and associate dean in the College of Architecture from 1996 to 2011. She has also held academic positions at Radford University and Washington State University and served as professor and head of interior architecture and product design at Kansas State University.

An award-winning author and educator, Ankerson was named the International Interior Design Association’s 2020 Educator of the Year. She is a strong advocate for interdisciplinary and cross-disciplinary engagement, the value of design and making, and the integration of emerging technologies to strengthen traditional design practices. Her leadership emphasizes inclusive innovation and celebrates excellence across academic disciplines.

Among her notable initiatives, Ankerson led the 20th Anniversary Nuckolls Lighting Grant, a collaborative project involving nine educators across architecture, interior design, engineering, and lighting design from four major universities. The effort produced the award-winning, web-based resource Lighting Across the (Design) Curriculum.

An architect and designer by training, Ankerson earned a Bachelor of Science, Bachelor of Architecture, and master’s degree from Washington State University.