Your Kentucky Association of Housing Officers Governing Council provides leadership and oversight of the Commonwealth’s association for housing professionals to advance the organization, the members, their institutions, and the profession. See the profiles below to learn more about the people that serve you!
President – Callie Wallin (she/her/hers)
Director, Housing & Residence Life – Transylvania University
A Lexington, Kentucky, native, Callie holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Spanish, and a Bachelor of Science and Master of Science degrees in recreation and park administration from Eastern Kentucky University.
Prior to joining the Transylvania community in 2023, Callie served for four years as a Residence Hall Coordinator at EKU, supervising various residence halls with responsibility for student staff training, professional staff training, and special events. She started at Transylvania University as the Assistant Director for Residence Life, managing student staff and programming initiatives, and was promoted in 2024 to the Director role, where she took on additional housing operations responsibilities.
Callie loves reality television and is a big Survivor fan. Her Clifton Strengths are Input, Learner, Achiever, Individualization, and Strategic. Her hobbies include reading, gaming, and breaking out of escape rooms.
Callie and her husband Josh are raising their infant son with their Australian Shepherd, Izzy.
President Elect – Catherine Wibbels (she/her/hers)
Director, Housing & Residence Life – Transylvania University
Secretary – Melissa Scuderi (she/her/hers)
Director of Residence Life – Brescia University
Melissa is a Kentucky transplant originally from Baltimore, Maryland. She started her journey in higher education at Texas Christian University in Fort Worth, Texas where she received her bachelor’s in political science. Melissa graduated from Geneva College in Beaver falls, Pennsylvania with her master’s in Higher Education Student Affairs. Melissa started her career in housing as a Hall Director in Nebraska and has since lived in Tennessee, Texas, Georgia, and now Kentucky where she has served at the Director of Residence Life for Brescia University since October of 2022.
Outside the office Melissa and her husband, Mike, run a spice business at the local farmer’s market in Owensboro, Kentucky! They enjoy being homebodies, love football, and spending time with their two dogs Morgan and Norman. Melissa is an avid crafter and loves to crochet.
Colonel – Dr. J. David Wilson
Director of Housing- Murray State University
Dr. Wilson started his journey in education at the University of Montevallo located in Alabama. He had a double major in Accounting and Management, and a master’s in Counseling and Guidance. After graduating he started working at Mississippi State University as a Residence Life Coordinator. When he left State, he moved to Western Carolina University where he served as an Area Coordinator. After leaving Western, he moved to the University of Georgia where he served as a Residence Life Coordinator and started working on his EdD in Higher Education Administration.
In 1996 he accepted a position as Associate Director of Housing at Murray State University, in Murray, Kentucky, and was later promoted to Director of Housing in 2003. He has worked over 40 years in student housing. While in Kentucky, he served KAHO as President-elect; President; SEAHO State Representative, and was awarded the Ruth Ann Howard Service Award/Outstanding Service Award twice. Dr. Wilson has also served SEAHO as Corporate Partners Committee Chair, the 2015 Conference Coordinator, served on several task forces and recently received the SEAHO Founders Award.
He is a member of Delta Chi Social Fraternity and Alpha Kappa Psi Professional Business Fraternity. His involvement in Greek life was very important in his leadership development, and he continues his involvement today serving as Chapter Advisor for Sigma Phi Epsilon at Murray State for the past 18 years. He also was recently elected to serve a three-year term on the Board of Regents as the Staff Regent. In what spare time he has, he likes to lift weights, read, watch anime and have a bourbon or two.
Treasurer – Jacob Smith (he/him/his)
Associate Director of Housing & Residence Life- Bellarmine University
Hello! I am excited to serve as a member of the Governing Council of KAHO in the role of Treasurer. I’m originally from Benton, KY and I attended Murray State University where I received a Bachelor of Arts in History and a Master of Science in College Student Personnel/Higher Education Administration. After graduating with my degrees, my first professional position was at the University of Kentucky where I worked for five years, serving as one of the last Hall Directors of Kirwan Tower and the first Hall Director of the newly re-built Haggin Hall. In 2018 I transitioned out of the KAHO region and worked as an Assistant Director of Housing & Residence Life at Southern Illinois University-Carbondale. In the fall of 2021, I returned back to the bluegrass state where I now serve as the Associate Director for Housing & Residence Life at Bellarmine University.
When I am not working I enjoy spending time outdoors with my wife Heather and our dog Willett, or playing video games, photography, baking, or homebrewing.
Graduate Student Representative – Ben Thomas
Residence Director Elizabeth College – Murray State University
Born and raised in Western Kentucky, Ben is from Barlow, KY in Ballard County. Ben received his Bachelors degree in History from Murray State University (MSU), and is currently working on getting a Masters in Higher Education of Student Affairs from MSU. He is currently in his second year of being a Residence Director at MSU, previously holding the position of resident advisor and desk supervisor for 2 years in total.
Outside of work, he enjoys multiple hobbies like Magic: the Gathering, building Lego, and watching various motorsports. He also loves all animals, especially cats, and spending time with his family.
SEAHO Representative – Sydney Rigdon (she/her/hers)
Assitant Director of Housing – Transylvania University
Sydney Rigdon serves as the Assistant Director of Housing and Residence Life, where she is dedicated to creating a vibrant, inclusive, and supportive residential experience that enhances students’ academic and personal development. In this role, she supervises Area Coordinators and Resident Assistants and supports intentional programming that fosters engagement, leadership growth, and meaningful connection.
Sydney has a strong passion for networking, professional development, and strengthening Kentucky’s identity within housing and residence life. She values involvement at the institutional, state, and regional levels and is committed to building KAHO’s brand through connection, collaboration, and shared learning.
She earned her Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice with a minor in Psychology from Eastern Kentucky University in 2021 and completed her Master of Science in Business Management and Leadership in 2024. Outside of work, Sydney enjoys reading, spending time with friends, and tracking down the best Diet Coke.
Small School Representative – Michael Watts (He/Him/His)
Area Coordinator – Bellarmine University
Born and raised in eastern Kentucky, Michael attended Morehead State University (MSU) and studied Philosophy and Ethical Theory as a BA. He obtained his Master of Public Administration (MPA) at MSU as well. As many housing officers have done, Michael began his career as an RA at MSU during undergrad and continued as a GA during grad school. Post graduate school, there was a short stint in banking before he decided to pursue housing and residence life as a career by returning to MSU as a Hall Director in 2017. Michael has been at Bellarmine University since 2021 as an Area Coordinator. His experience spans all aspects of residential living environments- traditional, suite-style, apartments, married housing, international and non-traditional populations, and specialized-interest group housing such as athletics and honors.
Michael’s Clifton Strengths include Deliberative, Restorative, Intellect, Strategic, Input as the top 5, which he highly agrees with as his leadership and work styles are a blend of analytical and pragmatic. “There’s an excel sheet for that!” is a common phrase in the daily job life. Outside of work, Michael enjoys spending time with his Siberian Husky Anakin and his cat Leia. Hobbies include video games, miniature model painting, 3D printing, reading, and baking.
Kentucky Association of Housing Officers 