MARYVILLE, Mo. – Northwest Missouri State University has named Christa Barcus its interim vice president for culture and Lt. Amanda Cullen its interim chief of police effective April 1.
The appointments were approved last week by the Board of Guardians. Barcus, who currently serves as associate vice president for human resources at Northwest, and Colleen will be succeeded by University Police Department administrative lieutenant Clarence Green, who holds both positions, following his retirement from the university on March 31.
The Vice President of Culture at Northwest University focuses on organizational culture, clarifying, instilling, and reinforcing the shared beliefs, norms, and values that are important to an organization's success and effectiveness. Barcus will serve as a member of the Northwest leadership team and oversee the Office of Human Resources, the Office of Institutional Research and Effectiveness, and the University Police Department.
“Miss. Barcus will bring a tremendous sense of passion and dedication to this role,” Northwestern President Lance Tatum said in a university news release. “Krista has proven her effectiveness on the senior leadership team, and I am confident that she will contribute as a member of the leadership team at Northwest and serve well.” Good as leader of our culture department.”
Barcus joined Northwest in the fall of 2018 as director of human resources and comes to the university from SSM Health St. Louis Hospital. Francis, now known as Mosaic Medical Center – Maryville, where she served in numerous roles over a 15-year period, including with the hospital's executive leadership team as human resources leader. She holds a bachelor's degree in sociology from Northwest University and a master's degree in leadership and management from Western Governors University.
Colleen returned to the Northwest staff in the fall of 2015 as a communications and project coordinator for the University Police Department. She previously worked in Jefferson School District C-123, where she taught English language arts, social studies and early childhood parent education for 10 years. She earned her bachelor's degree in advertising from Northwest University and graduated on March 15 from the FBI Academy in Quantico, Virginia.
“Colleen has demonstrated her ability and effectiveness in leading the University Police Department during Dr. Green's interim chief,” Tatum said. “I appreciate her willingness to serve again as interim chief of police as we begin the search for a new police chief.”
