Student Advising Center Advising Team
Helping you navigate the college experience while working toward your academic goals
Meet Our Team
Your advisor is here to guide you through your academic career at ESU: answering questions, choosing a major, connecting you to campus resources, and much, much more!
For advising appointments, call 620-341-5421. The Student Advising Center main office is located in Plumb Hall, Room 106.
Kathy Landwehr: She/Her/Hers
Senior Director for Academic Advising
klandweh@emporia.edu
twitter@esusac_kathy
Kathy began working in the Career Services office at ESU in 1996. In 2000, she joined the Advising Center. Kathy was a first generation college student and oversees the First Generation college student initiative on campus She has a Master’s degree in Organizational Leadership and a BS in Integrated Studies from Fort Hays State University. Kathy is a Gallup-Certified Strengths Coach and has presented at numerous National Academic Advising Association (NACADA) conferences.
Top 5 Clifton Strengths: Restorative, Harmony, Responsibility, Intellection, Empathy
Emily Miller: she/her/hers
Administrative Specialist
emille24@emporia.edu
Emily joined the Student Advising Center in August of 2022. Prior to coming to ESU, Emily worked at Emporia State Federal Credit Union as a Member Service Representative. She has a BSB in Management and a minor in Marketing from Emporia State University. Emily is a typical dog mom to Benji and Nova and loves the Kansas City Chiefs.
Top 5 Clifton Strengths: Achiever, Consistency, Discipline, Competition, Communication
First-Year Advisors
Becca McKenzie: She/Her/Hers
Assistant Director
rmckenz2@emporia.edu
twitter@esusac_becca
Becca moved to Emporia and began working in the ESU Department of Art office in 2015. She joined the Advising Center in July 2017. She has a BS in Environmental Science with an emphasis in Organismal/Population Ecology from Creighton University in Omaha, NE. Becca advises the Sciences, Math, Economics, and HPER majors. She is also our resident “Crazy Dog Lady” and works with her three dogs in flyball, tricks, and nosework.
Top 5 Clifton Strengths: Ideation, Relator, Analytical, Responsibility, Woo
Kay MacGregor: She/Her/Hers
Academic Advisor
Kay joined the Student Advising Center in April of 2023. Prior to coming to ESU Kay worked for Iowa State University. She has a BA in Communication Studies from Emporia State University and an M.Ed. in Student Affairs from Iowa State University. Kay advises first year Art, Music, English, Elementary Education, and Communication/Speech/Theatre. In her free time, Kay loves hiking and going to hockey games and being a dog mom to her pup Chiquita.
Top 5 Clifton Strengths: Learner, Intellection, Discipline, Restorative, Input
Alex Kuhlmann: he/him/his
Academic Advisor
Alex joined the Student Advising Center in June of 2022. Prior to coming to ESU, Alex taught high school mathematics for five years. In 2015 he graduated from ESU with a BSE in Mathematics Education, and most recently graduated with a MS in Academic Advising from Kansas State University in December of 2021. Alex is the biggest sports fan in the office as his office is filled with various Kansas City sports things.
Top 5 Clifton Strengths: Adaptability , Communication, Includer, Belief, Responsibility
Laura Leitnaker: She/Her/Hers
Academic Advisor
Laura joined the Student Advising Center in October of 2023 and is excited to continue her career in an educational setting. She received her Bachelor of Music Education from the University of Kansas in 2012 and taught band, choir, and theater in Peabody, KS for 10 years. She enjoys being outside on her family farm with her husband, two sons, and a plethora of animals. Laura also enjoys reading "romantasy" novels, eating her husband’s cooking, and playing the piano and horn.
Top 5 Clifton Strengths: Connectedness, Communication, Includer, Belief, Empathy
Upper-Level Advisors
Katie Martin: she/her/hers
Academic Advisor
Katie joined the Hornet Nation in 2019 within the Admissions Office as an Admissions Counselor. She joined the Elementary Education program in 2022 as the Academic Advisor. She earned her Bachelor of Arts in Art from Washburn University and is currently pursuing a Master of Arts in Applied Sociology at Emporia State University. In her free time, you will find Katie tending to her plants or reading a good book.
Top 5 Clifton Strengths: Woo, Competition, Harmony, Discipline, Consistency
Emily Perkins: She/Her/Hers
Academic Advisor
Emily joined the Student Advising Center in August of 2022. Prior to coming to ESU, Emily taught K-5th grade elementary music for two years at USD 287 in Pomona, KS. She has also been a substitute teacher for USD 400 in Lindsborg, KS as well as USD 305 in Salina, KS. She has a BME with an Instrumental Music Concentration from Bethany College in Lindsborg, KS. She has a love of animals, dogs specifically, loves to cook and bake, and is an avid crocheter and knitter.
Top 5 Clifton Strengths: Harmony, Responsibility, Analytical, Connectedness, Discipline
Trevor Kamena: he/him/his
Academic Advisor
Trevor joined the Advising Center in August of 2022. Prior to coming to Emporia, he was a house director at a residential teen counseling facility in Texas. He graduated from Boise State University in 2018 with a B.S. in Political Science, and received his Master’s in Political Science from the University of California, Merced in 2020. Trevor is an avid sports fan, and can be found attending college athletics almost every weekend.
Top 5 Clifton Strengths: Strategic , Individualization, Adaptability, Relator, Ideation
Adam Koci: he/him/his
Academic Advisor
Adam has been a part of the ESU community since starting as an undergraduate English major in 2003. Since then, he has earned both his BA in English and his MA in English through ESU, has taught in the English department, and has been an adviser since 2010. When not in the office, Adam likes to get lost in hands-on projects around the house and enjoys the satisfaction of completing them, especially when they are challenging.
Top 5 Clifton Strengths: Deliberative, Individualization, Strategic, Intellection, Responsibility
Jamie Gardner: she/her/hers
Academic Advisor
Jamie joined the Advising Center in January of 2023. Prior to advising, Jamie worked as a research assistant at the Kansas State University Rabies Laboratory. She earned a Bachelor of Science in Biology from the University of Northern Iowa and a MS in Plant Pathology from Kansas State University. She loves dogs and has a goal to go to every State Fair.
Top 5 Clifton Strengths: Connectedness, Intellection, Learner, Empathy, Responsibility
Melanie Hegwald: she/her/hers
Academic Advisor
Melanie joined the Student Advising Team in October of 2023. Prior to coming to ESU Melanie worked for a community center as both a Program Planner and Office Manager. She has a BS in Health and Human Performance from Emporia State University. Melanie advises upper-level Health, Physical Education, and Recreation students. In her free time, Melanie loves going to the gym, being outdoors, and card making.
Top 5 Clifton Strengths: Relator, Responsibility, Arranger, Deliberative, Restorative
Meghan Williams: she/her/hers
Academic Advisor
Meghan joined the BizHornet Center in October of 2023. Prior to coming to ESU, Meghan taught 9-12 Special Education Science at Emporia High School and 7-12 Science at Madison Junior/Senior High School. She graduated from ESU in Spring 2021 with her degree in Biology and Chemistry Education. She has a love for all animals and enjoys spending time with her family.
Top 5 Clifton Strengths: Adaptability, Includer, Arranger, Restorative, and Empathy
Shelby Clark: she/her/hers
Senior Academic Advisor
Shelby has been advising at ESU since 2013, beginning in the Student Advising Center and now in the BizHornet Center (School of Business). She has an MBA and a Bachelor of Science in Business, both from Emporia State. She advises Business Administration and Business Education majors, online and on-campus. She co-presented at the National Academic Advising Association (NACADA) conference in 2021. Shelby loves to travel in her free-time and always tries to have her next trip planned – hopefully to somewhere warm!
Top 5 Clifton Strengths: Communication, Adaptability, Consistency, Woo, Harmony
TRIO Advisors
Regina Mutanha: she/her/hers
Assistant Director, TRIO Student Support Services
Regina started working in Financial Aid at ESU in 2017. She joined TRIO Student Support Services in 2021. She has BA in Human Resources from Kansas Wesleyan University and Master’s degree in Higher Education with an emphasis in Student Affairs from Fort Hays State University. Regina is a first-generation college student. She advises TRIO SSS students and is the instructor for their first- and second-year seminars.
Top 5 Clifton Strengths: Connectedness, Harmony, Restorative, Consistency, Responsibility
Kristi Bolen: she/her/hers
Director, TRIO Student Support Services
Kristi has 30+ years of experience in providing advising and direct support services for first-generation college students. She received her BS in Rehabilitation Services and MS in Rehabilitation Counseling from ESU. She started working for TRIO as a GTA for the SSS program in 1989, then spent seven years with Talent Search. Returning in 1998 to the TRIO SSS program as the Counselor. Since then, she was the Assistant Director and Associate Director for the program. In 2012, she became the TRIO Director working with the TRIO SSS, Talent Search, Upward Bound and McNair Scholars Program. She provides academic advising for the students who are in the TRIO Student Support Services program.
Top 5 Clifton Strengths: Consistency, Deliberative, Analytical, Responsibility, Harmony