Administration

Dr. Royrickers Cook provides university-wide leadership for all outreach and engagement initiatives, spanning 12 colleges and schools, aimed at advancing Auburn University’s outreach mission of applying its educational resources to problems and issues faced by citizens of the State of Alabama and beyond. Dr. Cook has led the University Outreach division since 2006.

Dr. Cook is directly responsible for the following Auburn University outreach centers and institutes: the Center for Educational Outreach and Engagement, the Government and Economic Development Institute, the Office of Professional and Continuing Education, the Encyclopedia of Alabama, the Office of Public Service, the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute, the Office of Faculty Engagement and Outreach Global.

In addition to his administrative responsibilities, he is actively involved in connecting Auburn University to the international community. This involvement includes working on international education programs in South America, Central America, Africa and Asia. Many of these programs promote faculty and student exchanges, educational tours, international program development, and training for educators, businesses and governmental officials from across the globe.

A native of Auburn, Alabama, Dr. Cook holds three degrees in Public Administration and Public Policy from Auburn University, culminating with a Ph.D. in 2000. He also occasionally lectures in the Department of Political Science and the Master of Public Administration Program. He has been principal or co-principal investigator on several large federal grants at the university. Dr. Cook also serves on the boards of several community and academic organizations.

A lifelong Alabamian, Cost is a three-time Auburn graduate with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology, an M.Ed. in Special Education, and a Ph.D. in Rehabilitation and Special Education - Behavioral Disorders. Before her position at the University of Montevallo, Cost worked in the Auburn area in mental health and special education roles in the Lee County school system, East Alabama Mental Health and Lee County Youth Development Center, at Auburn University as a graduate teaching and research assistant and assistant director of the Summer Clinic program, and later as assistant professor at Stephen F. Austin State University in Texas. At the University of Montevallo, Cost was professor of Special Education and responsible for program coordination, assessment and accreditation activities in the department. During her tenure, she launched the university’s service-learning program and developed two major civic engagement initiatives, “Falcon Scholars in Action,” a community outreach program with Shelby County non-profit agencies engaging university students, and the “Montevallo Connection” initiative which promoted collaboration between the university and the city’s public schools.

Cost’s community engagement and advocacy extended beyond campus to civic leadership, in which she served for more than 16 years as an elected Montevallo city council member and Mayor. In her two terms as mayor, she was responsible for all municipal operations including budget management, direct supervision of ten department heads, infrastructure maintenance and improvements, and overall promotion of civic engagement, social equity and inclusivity for citizens. During her administration she initiated a Students’ Institute, a Junior City Council, and a comprehensive recycling program among several other citywide initiatives.

A graduate of Leadership Alabama and Leadership Shelby County, Cost has received a number of educational, municipal and civic engagement certifications from the Alabama State Department of Education, the Alabama League of Municipalities, and Auburn University’s Community and Civic Engagement Imagining America Institute. She has a comprehensive record of disciplinary research, grant acquisition, publication and presentation across her special education, civic engagement, and community development dossier. Among her many notable scholarly and public recognitions, Cost was named a Kettering Foundation Research Fellow, the Albert Schweitzer Fellowship Humanitarian of the Year, the Alabama Main Street Hero Award, Gulf-South Summit Outstanding Service-Learning Collaboration Award, and Auburn University’s Academy for Civic Professionalism Alumni Award. She has been active in community service at both the local and state level including board service with the Shelby County Chamber, Alabama Environmental Commission, Alabama League of Municipalities, Montevallo Sister City Commission and many other initiatives.

Hope Stockton earned her bachelor's degree in finance and history from Huntingdon College, a master's degree in management from Troy University, and is a Ph.D. Candidate in Adult Education at Auburn University. She initially came to Auburn in 2003 as the Executive Director of the Blue Ridge Conference on Leadership in the College of Business. Prior to her employment with Auburn, Stockton spent 13 years in healthcare management and worked for the United States Army Budget Office in Vicenza, Italy. She brings 23 years of administrative and financial management experience to the office along with extensive experience in planning, developing and administering professional and continuing education programs. As the executive director, she provides leadership and administrative, financial and academic management for the OPCE.

Jeremy Arthur joins the Government and Economic Development Institute as Director in February of 2021. A lifelong Alabamian, Arthur is a two-time Auburn graduate with a Bachelor of Arts in political science, and an MPA in public administration. He currently has completed coursework towards his Ph.D. in public administration and public policy at Auburn.

Prior to joining GEDI, Arthur served as President of the Alabama Chamber of Commerce Association for nine years, and as President of the Prattville Area Chamber of Commerce for eight years prior to that. Arthur also serves as an instructor for U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation’s Institute for Organization Management in Washington, D.C.. Arthur began his relationship with GEDI, then named the Economic Development Institute, by working as a research assistant while attending Auburn University. He has also served on GEDI’s Advisory Board and as an instructor in Auburn’s Department of Political Science.

A graduate of Leadership Alabama, Arthur serves on numerous national and state boards and advisory councils including the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Committee of 100, the Governor’s Advisory Commission on Small Business, Alabama School Readiness Task Force, the Business Council of Alabama, the Economic Development Association of Alabama, as well as the Auburn Alumni Association and College of Liberal Arts Dean’s Advisory Council. He also is active in local civic and community service organizations including the YMCA and Rotary.

David Mixson serves as Associate Director of Auburn University’s Government & Economic Development Institute. He is responsible for overseeing GEDI’s operations, training programs, and technical assistance offerings to local governments, elected officials, and economic development professionals. David has over 20 years of university based economic development experience helping communities, businesses, and local governments address challenges using innovative approaches and tools. He has worked with federal and state agencies on economic development and government assistance projects over his career including: NIST, NASA, the Alabama Department of Homeland Security, and the Alabama Emergency Management Agency. In his previous role as director of Auburn University’s Economic Development Administration University Center, he linked university expertise with Alabama businesses and organizations to improve their performance. He has assisted dozens of entrepreneurs, businesses, and non-profits implement innovation methodologies including the Lean Start-Up, Business Model Canvas, and Innovation Engineering. David serves also serves as Vice President of the Educational Association of University Centers, an advocacy group that fosters positive economic transformation through higher education.

David is a certified Innovation Engineering Blackbelt, a Professional Certified Marketer with experience in landing page and search engine optimization. He holds a Bachelor's of Science degree in Management and a Master of Business Administration degree from Auburn University. He is a graduate of the University of Oklahoma’s Economic Development Institute. His prior experience includes working for Total System Services of Columbus, Georgia, where he held positions as Project Support Manager and Project Analyst.

Dr. Matt Ulmer joined GEDI as Assistant Director of Training and Education in August of 2023. In this role, he provides leadership and oversight to the institute’s training programs. Prior to returning to GEDI, Matt served eight years as a Community Development State Specialist with the Alabama Cooperative Extension System. While pursuing his doctorate at Auburn, Matt served as GEDI’s graduate research assistant and conducted policy research, supported institute programs, and assisted with community initiatives. A three-time Auburn graduate, Matt holds a bachelors, masters, and doctoral degree from Auburn and a masters degree from the University of Virginia.

Matt lives in Auburn with his wife Mallory and daughter Amory. He enjoys spending time with family and friends, cooking, supporting Auburn sports teams, and traveling – especially to the mountains and the beach.

Scott Bishop comes to OLLI most recently from Auburn University’s Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art where she gathered fifteen years of experience developing academic and public programs and facilitating campus and community partnership. She earned a BA (Philosophy) and MA (English) from Auburn University, and she studied Art History at the graduate level at Emory University. Raised in Elmore County, she has been a resident of Auburn since 1974 where she and her husband, Associate Professor Emeritus of Art Gary Wagoner, raised two daughters who attended Auburn City Schools, one of whom is a graduate of Auburn University.

Hill most recently served as the Chief Student Development and Retention Officer at Point University. Hill served in an oversight role for the Office of Student Life and the Department of Athletics. He also served as the Director of Student Success, oversaw all efforts to retain students, coordinated all Orientation related activities, served as the Lead Title IX Coordinator, and served as an instructor for BUS 435 Sports Law, as well as EFT 101 Effective Thinking (first-year experience course). Hill formerly served as a Senior Associate Athletics Director at Auburn University for 12 years. Hill oversaw the Auburn Football Letterman Club (AFLC), the A Club (former student-athlete organization), AUBURNYOU – which works to promote student-athlete experience initiatives (internships, programming, etc…) and create a permanent gateway for former student-athletes to remain connected to the athletics department, and he served as the sport administrator for 10 of the 21 sports sponsored at Auburn University.

Hill returned to his alma mater in 2006 after working at Stetson University as the Associate Athletic Director for Compliance for over five years. He has served on several NCAA and institutional committees, been involved with and chaired several search committees, involved with a major facility enhancement to the basketball arena, served as sport administrator for the men’s basketball program, oversaw strength and conditioning for all 21 sports, involved with all major compliance related matters and supervised student-athlete support services (academics) for all 21 sports. Hill serves on the Auburn Water Works Board (AWWB) and previously served on the Downtown West Point Development Authority Board (DWPDA).

He received his Bachelor of Science in Health and Exercise Promotion in 1997 (Auburn University), Master of Education in Higher Education Administration in 2000 (Auburn University), and Ph.D. in Higher Education Administration in 2015 (Auburn University). Hill is a member of several academic honor societies, graduate of the Division 1A Athletic Directors’ Institute, graduate of the NCAA Pathway Program, served as an outsider reader on a couple of dissertation committees and co-author of research: “Cost Control: The Challenge for Intercollegiate Athletics”.

Hill was a member of the Auburn University football team in the early 90’s and served as a high school football coach where several of his former players received scholarships to attend institutions in the Southeastern Conference. Hill is married to Sherina Hill from Bremen, Georgia and they reside in Auburn with their two small children, Kylie (11) and Christian (10).

Ralph Foster is Assistant Vice President Emeritus, having retired in 2020 after more than 31 years in the Outreach division. He continues to contribute to a number of special projects for University Outreach. A third generation alumnus, he has a BS in business administration from Auburn. Foster also received an MS in human resources from Troy University, and completed additional studies at the University of Georgia’s National Leadership Institute in Adult and Continuing Education, and at Northeastern University’s Institute on Experiential Education. Foster’s professional and civic engagement includes board and committee positions in several state, regional, and national academic and community organizations, including the David Mathews Center for Civic Life and Alabama Possible. He has received a number of awards and recognitions for his civic and professional engagement over the years, including the title of Fellow in the Society for Advancement of Management, the highest professional designation of that international organization. His publications include journal articles and book chapters on ethics, education, management, marketing, and civic engagement.