Our Team

Aristófanes Cedeño, Executive Director and Academic Dean
Born and raised in Panama, Dr. Cedeño earned the degree of Attorney at Law at the University of Panama where he taught political science before moving to the U.S. and obtaining his M.A. and Ph.D. degrees in Spanish literature from Michigan State University.  For fifteen years, he taught Spanish language and literature as Associate Professor at the University of Louisville.  He has published a book on Panamanian popular culture.  His research interests include natural law, literature of the nineteenth century, the Romantic Movement.  He has published and edited a book and several papers in these areas.  Dr. Cedeño joined the GSP as a faculty in 1992 and has served the Program in several capacities, including Campus Director (NKU 1995-2001), Academic Dean, and Executive Director (2006-present).  Dr. Cedeño serves as the Board Chair of the Kentucky Humanities Council and he is currently completing his appointment as a 2012 Bingham Fellow.   

Sarah Metzmeier (’99), Associate Director
Sarah received her M.A. in English Literature from Northwestern University and her B.A. in English and Spanish from Centre College.  Following her own scholar experience on the NKU campus in 1999, she began spending her summers as a GSP office staff member in 2001.  She has been a full-time employee of the Governor’s Scholars Program since 2005.  Sarah and her husband, Jess, who was also a 1999 scholar, live in Louisville with their son, Luke, and their dog, Bingley.

Danielle Moore, Assistant to the Executive Director
Danielle began working for the Program during the summers in 2005 and, since then, has frequently assisted with recruitment and selection efforts, as well as campus opening and closing days.  In 2010, she joined the GSP staff full-time. Her hobbies include reading, traveling, cooking, and eating- really, she loves anything related to food! Danielle and her three dogs, Bella, Moe and Sadie, live in Shelbyville.   

Bonnie Mullin, Fiscal Officer
Bonnie started her work with the Program in 1998. She lives in Louisville with her husband, Kyle, and has three children - Christopher, Heather, and Taylor. Apart from working on GSP’s finances, she enjoys housing a menagerie of animals, gardening, and supporting Christian Academy of Louisville’s softball team.

Tina Nance, Associate Director of the GSP Foundation
Tina earned her J.D. from the University of Louisville Brandeis School of Law and her B.A. in psychology from Transylvania University.  She previously worked for the Program from 2007 until 2009 and, after completing law school in 2011, she is excited to be a part of the staff again.  Tina currently lives in Lexington and enjoys Thai food, hiking, and tennis.

Jerri Tinsley, Office and Selection Coordinator
Jerri began working for the Governor’s Scholars Program in 1999.  She currently helps promote the Program by traveling across Kentucky to assist students and high school personnel in the application process.  She also manages the central office in Frankfort.  She lives in Shelbyville with her two sons, Garrett and Jake.

Harold (Hal) H. Smith, President of the GSP Foundation
Hal retired as President-Emeritus of Pikeville College and its School of Osteopathic Medicine in 2009.  A native of northern Kentucky, he graduated from Centre College and has an MBA from American University in Washington, D.C.  He served for 20 years as an administrator and lecturer at Centre College, 14 years as a vice president at Muskingum College (OH), and 12 years as President of Pikeville.  He and his wife, Karen, have 3 children and 5 grandchildren.