Louisiana Christian University names Maxey VPAA
Louisiana Christian University has named Dr. Natalie Maxey the new Vice President for Academic Affairs.
Maxey was unanimously approved by the Board of Trustees and began her new position on May 19.
Maxey has served in a variety of roles at the university over the past decade, most recently as the interim dean for the Ray and Dorothy Young School of Business. From 2019-2024, she was the project director for the IDEA federal Title III grant that implemented initiatives developing new online programs, student support services and IT infrastructure on campus.
Maxey earned her Ph.D. in chemical engineering in 2006 from Georgia Institute of Technology. She completed her B.S. in chemical engineering in 2000 at Louisiana Tech University.
She came to LCU in the fall of 2016 to form the pre-engineering program, which launched new degree programs and saw the renovation of classroom and lab space.
“Over the last 10 years here, I have grown to love the students, faculty and staff at this institution, and I am deeply committed to our mission and role in the world of education,” Maxey said. “I’m excited to become VPAA. The VPAA’s role is both keeper of the academic flame and steward of the academic systems that sustain it.”
Maxey said she hopes to bring a love of knowledge and learning and an orientation toward process thinking to the role, to contribute toward an environment where everyone thrives in their educational and professional pursuits.
“My prayer is that, as an institution, we align ourselves with the tenets of our faith—loving God, loving our neighbors and making disciples of Jesus—while we deliver academic excellence,” she said.
Before her work in academia, Maxey had an interesting and varied professional path. Initially, she was a stay-at-home mom. She has also been a pastor’s wife, while her husband Kirk served as a bi-vocational minister and engineer.
She has also worked in her family’s formal garment manufacturing business, engineering wedding dresses out of camouflage.
After that, Maxey worked in engineering as a design engineer at the GE Oil and Gas plant in Pineville.
Coming to LCU in 2016 was an answer to prayer, after GE announced it would close and relocate the plant to another part of the country. She and her husband both worked there as engineers.
“We grew up in this community, and both felt called to stay in the area,” Maxey said. “That spring, the previous president of LCU came to speak at my church, and I was asked at the last minute to join the group taking him out to lunch afterward. When the subject of the newly announced pre-engineering program came up, he asked me to consider applying, and it was quickly apparent that this was exactly what God had been preparing me for.
“I found teaching even more rewarding than I could have imagined, and I was so grateful for the opportunity to explore the science, engineering and math content areas that I loved from a Christ-honoring perspective.”
While her new role as VPAA will be quite a different experience from being in the classroom, she said her work implementing new systems and tools with many academic departments on campus and working closely with academic leadership across campus should make the transition easier.
“I hope to bring to the position a commitment to the academic mission, systems-oriented thinking,” she said, “and love for the people on our campus and in our community.”
LCU President Dr. Mark Johnson said Maxey understands the importance of helping the university engage with religious, business, political, and educational leaders and institutions in ways that remain academically relevant and workforce-minded, while firmly grounded in our Christian mission and values.
“Dr. Maxey brings a combination of intelligence, professionalism, leadership and heart to the role of VPAA,” Johnson said. “Her academic background and administrative experience provide a strong foundation for helping move us forward during an important season of growth and momentum. She is deeply committed to students, supportive of faculty and staff, and passionate about academic excellence within a Christ-centered environment. She balances high expectations with thoughtful leadership.
“I am grateful for her leadership, thankful for her partnership, and excited about the impact she will continue to have on our university community.”
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Media Release | May 26, 2026 | Pineville, Louisiana
Contact: Dr. Elizabeth B. Clarke, Director of University Communications | Elizabeth.clarke@lcuniversity.edu