Hilltopper Athletic Foundation Adds Aaron Epstein to Leadership Team

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. - Aaron Epstein has been named WKU's Executive Senior Associate Athletic Director for Championship Resources – Assistant Vice President for Philanthropy and Alumni Engagement, Director of Athletics Todd Stewart announced on Thursday.

Epstein will be responsible for establishing the strategy and managing the execution of WKU Athletics' fundraising and outreach endeavors as well as helping manage WKU's partnership with Learfield IMG College, NIL initiatives and serving as the men's basketball sport administrator.

Epstein previously worked at WKU from 2017-20 as the Assistant Athletic Director of Development and Major Gifts and has served as Associate Director of Development at Penn State since January of 2020. Epstein also held previous development roles at James Madison University (Harrisonburg, VA) and Oakland University (Rochester, MI). Prior to his work in collegiate athletics, Epstein served as the Director of Marketing, Business Development, and Game Presentation with the Pensacola Ice Flyers in the Southern Professional Hockey League. The Florida native has a Master of Science in Sports Administration (Marketing minor) from Mississippi State University and a Bachelor of Science in Hospitality, Recreation & Resort Management from the University of West Florida.

Jim Clark will serve as Executive Senior Associate Athletic Director for External Relations/Strategic Resources. Clark will continue in his vital role of working closely with HAF board members, donors, prospective donors and volunteers and is responsible for oversight of the athletic department's courtesy car dealer program and luxury suites in E.A. Diddle Arena. Clark will also manage WKU's partnership with Nike while assuming enhanced responsibilities in his role as WKU's football sport administrator including but not limited to scheduling, team travel, and overseeing the program's Spirit of Excellence Fund as well as assisting with NIL related initiatives.

Clark has worked for 24 years in the WKU Athletics Department, the last 23 following a seven-year stint as the Development Associate at the University of Mississippi from 1993-2000. A native of McComb, Miss., Clark is an active member of the National Association of Athletic Development Directors. He earned his bachelor's degree in Business Administration from Southeastern Louisiana in 1989, while obtaining a master's degree in Sports Administration from Southern Mississippi in 1991.

Kathryn Smith, who was promoted to Associate Athletic Director and Executive Director of the Hilltopper Athletic Foundation in September of 2022 after joining the WKU staff in 2021, will manage the HAF and Ticket Office staff and daily operations. She will also continue to play a vital role in helping manage all fundraising efforts for the Hilltopper Athletic Foundation, the WKU Athletics Major Gift Program, and coordinate with the Philanthropy and Alumni Engagement arms of the university.

In addition to her responsibilities as Executive Director, Smith is also responsible for securing major and annual gifts for HAF, capital projects, and sport-specific enhancement funds, selling premium tickets, and managing all aspects of the Women's Legacy Fund.

She was a softball letterwinner at WKU during the 2014-17 seasons and was named to the C-USA All-Tournament Team as a sophomore, finishing with a .409 batting average on the season. The former Kat Downing is the granddaughter of Dero Downing, who played basketball at WKU for legendary head coach E.A. Diddle and later became president of WKU from 1969-79. A 2017 graduate of WKU, Smith earned a Bachelor's of Fine Arts in broadcasting.

Hilltopper Athletic Foundation Adds Aaron Epstein to Leadership Team

Related Videos