Title: Senior Director of Veterans Education
Company: Tennessee Higher Education Commission
Location: Hendersonville, Tennessee, United States
Kenneth P. Hanson, EdD, senior director of veterans education at the Tennessee Higher Education Commission, has been recognized by Marquis Who’s Who Top Educators for dedication, achievements, and leadership in education.
Dr. Hanson is an experienced educator who has garnered recognition for his diverse expertise for more than 15 years. Hired by the Tennessee Higher Education Commission in Nashville in 2018, he initially served as the assistant director of adult learner initiatives before becoming the senior director of veterans education in 2019. Dr. Hanson’s latest role includes an array of responsibilities, ranging from supporting schools in certifying students for GI Bill payments and inspecting schools for potential issues to conducting risk-based surveys for institutions experiencing difficulty and collaborating with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.
Before being acquired by the commission, Dr. Hanson was affiliated with the Volunteer State Community College as a coordinator of veterans’ affairs and as the director of the Office of Veterans Affairs and Adult Learners from 2011 to 2018. He also excelled as the leadership department chair at the Air Force Special Operations Command between 2009 and 2010. Dr. Hanson’s foundational expertise began in the U.S. Air Force, where he honorably served his country from 1987 to 2010, stationed in Japan and New Mexico before retiring at the rank of major. His success in the military was recognized with a Flight Engineering Instructor of the Year award in 1998.
Highly educated, Dr. Hanson received an Associate of Arts and Sciences in airframe mechanics and aircraft maintenance technology from the Community College of the Air Force in 1997, a Bachelor of Science in workforce education and development from Southern Illinois University in Carbondale in 1999, a Master of Business Administration in business from Webster University in 2007, and a Doctor of Education from East Tennessee State University in 2019. He remains active as a member of the professional development committee of the National Association of State Approving Agencies and the military transition committee of the National Association of State Approving Agencies. He is also affiliated with the Veterans of Foreign Wars. Dr. Hanson attributes his success to the support of his family and the encouragement he has received from his supervisors throughout his professional journey. Moving forward, he aims to have a more significant impact on education, particularly for veterans and adult learners, as well as within the state.
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