President’s Cabinet
Averett University’s President’s Cabinet is the administrative team consisting of the University President and Vice Presidents, who oversee all functions and operations of the University.
Dr. Julie Brown
Provost
Distinguished community leader Dr. Julie Brown has been named Averett University’s next Provost beginning August 1, 2025.
Dr. Brown brings 30 years of education experience in a variety of settings, including working for a public research university, two community colleges and regional K-12 districts, and has extensive experience in grant development and execution, evaluation, program development and fiscal accountability.
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Dr. Brown received her baccalaureate degree from the University of Virginia, a master’s degree from Longwood University and a Ph.D. from Old Dominion University. A graduate of the Sorensen Institute and Lead Virginia, she currently serves on numerous boards including the Center for Early Success, Sovah Health, the West Piedmont Workforce Development Board and the Danville Public Schools Education Foundation. Dr. Brown was recently inducted into the Academy of Community Engagement Scholarship, and was the recipient of the 2025 WE Lead Award from the Danville Pittsylvania Chamber of Commerce. She is an active member with the Danville Riverview Rotary Club and The Wednesday Club. Additionally, Dr. Brown and her family own and operate 2 Witches Winery & Brewing Company.
Ginger Henderson
Special Assistant to the President for Accreditation
When we meet Ginger Henderson outside her office, she comments on her clothing with a sentence you’ll likely not hear often: “I’m dressed for barn work.” And she means it literally.
She’s on her way to work in a barn because that’s still part of her job — teaching a riding class in the Equestrian Department … as well as advising students and helping run weekend horse shows.
Henderson’s love of and expertise in all things equine is recognized nationally, but she also is enjoying the challenges and successes of the role of overseeing Academic Affairs.
Henderson knows firsthand how what you study and experience can shape your future, especially at Averett, because she was an Averett undergraduate herself. That was back when it was Averett College; how have things changed since her days?
“We now have a laser-sharp focus on student success! That goal absolutely guides and defines every decision we make, way more even than when I came back here in 2006 to work. The Galesi Student Success Center, all of Student Life, our expanded student support services, our Center for Community Engagement and Career Competitiveness with its strong internships and service learning opportunities … it’s an impressive list of talented people here, all dedicated to making sure that our students have whatever help and experiences they need to succeed.”
She also is convinced that Averett’s level of student support is what sets the University apart from other schools: “It sounds like a cliché, or a marketing tool, when we talk about ‘The Averett Family,’ but it is true. Here’s some proof —
‘Last weekend we did an Equestrian Open house. We had five students and their parents here on Friday night — dinner at the cafeteria then Saturday a clinic at the barn. Current students joined us for the dinner.
‘We all stayed at the cafeteria until 8:30, listening to current students talk to prospects about life at Averett. One Equestrian student also plays football and baseball for us, and he specifically told the visitors that you hear about the Averett Family all the time, and it is true!
‘He said there is NO ONE on this campus who is not here to support you. And, he added with amazement, as a student you’ll even go to the Averett President’s house for dinner.’ That was truly his lived experience — two hours of unsolicited, heartfelt testimonial.”
Here are her own words for prospective students: “If you are looking for your next home, and want an environment where you will be supported, challenged and prepared for your future, then Averett is the place for you.”
She adds that if/when you visit, drop in and tell her Hello.
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Ms. Ginger Henderson has served Averett University as Professor of Equestrian Studies, Chair of the Equestrian Studies Department and Coach of the Intercollegiate Dressage Team. She is a Certified Level III Dressage and Level I Eventing Instructor, a Certified Mental Health and Equine Specialist and a licensed Mental Health Counselor. In addition to a Bachelor of Science degree in Human Resource Development from Averett, she also earned an Associate of Applied Science degree in Horse Management and Production from Ohio State University; a Master of Education degree in Counseling from Lynchburg College; and she completed postgraduate courses in Counseling from Longwood University. She joined Averett in 2006.
Matthew Mann
Vice President for Enrollment
Originally from Danville, Virginia, Matthew Mann graduated from Averett University in 2008 with a B.S. in global marketing management. He enjoys sharing his Averett experience with families and, as a transfer student, he can talk to students about why he chose Averett and why it was such a great fit. After graduation, Mann worked in the golf industry, youth development and marketing, and returned to Averett in 2012 as a senior admissions counselor. Since then, he has held several advancing roles in the admissions department, most recently being named vice president for enrollment in 2025.
Danny Miller
Director of Athletics
Danny Miller currently serves as Averett University’s director of athletics after retiring from coaching in December 2021 to focus solely on administrative duties.
Before retiring from coaching following the 2021 season, Miller was the volleyball head coach for 27 seasons. Miller led the Cougars to a 661-319 record and four NCAA Tournament appearances. He also won eight conference tournament titles and 14 regular season crowns, including the 2020-21 USA South Conference Tournament East Division championship, the program’s fifth title of any kind in a six-year span.
Miller raised the bar in the USA South, while his teams posted victories in nearly 70 percent of their overall contests. At the time of his retirement from coaching, he was seventh in the nation in career victories among active Division III coaches and was in the top-50 among active Division III coaches in career winning percentage at .674. That is a remarkable feat, considering he has done it against some of the top teams in the nation.
In conference play, Miller’s resume was second to none. He had a career record of 335-66 against USA South opponents and won nearly 84 percent of his league games. In 2013 and again in 2015, his team set a program single-season record with 17 conference wins. In 2016, his Cougars went 15-0 against league opponents and followed that with a 16-0 mark in 2017. Averett finished the 2017 season with a 41-match winning streak against conference opponents during the regular season.
Averett set the program record for overall wins by going 32-4 in 2017 while earning the USA South East Division title for the third consecutive season. Miller netted his record ninth USA South Coach of the Year award and was named the Virginia Sports Information Directors State Coach of the Year. He produced two American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) All-Americans, two Academic All-Americans as voted by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA), the USA South Player of the Year and VaSID Player of the Year, two AVCA All-Region picks, two VaSID All-State selections and three all-conference selections.
Averett’s 2016 team had another phenomenal season, going 26-10 with a perfect record against conference foes in the regular season to earn the East Division crown. Miller earned USA South Coach of the Year honors, and individually he produced an AVCA All-America Second Team selection, the USA South Player of the Year, the Virginia Sports Information Directors (VaSID) State Player of the Year and four all-conference selections. The regular season championship was the program’s third over the past four seasons.
Averett went 27-9 (17-2 USA South) in 2013 while playing several of the nation’s top teams, winning the USA South North Division and advancing to the conference’s championship match. Despite losing five seniors from that team, Miller’s young 2014 squad finished 22-15 (15-4 USA South) despite starting 4-5 freshmen in the lineup. He had two players earn AVCA All-America Honors, with one of those players earning AVCA Region Freshman of the Year, USA South Rookie of the Year and Virginia Sports Information Directors (VaSID) State Rookie of the Year. In 2015, his team again won the USA South North Division for the second time in three years after finishing 27-11 (17-2 USA South). He produced another USA South Player of the Year, as well as another USA South Rookie of the Year and VaSID Rookie of the Year while adding the program’s sixth AVCA All-America selection.
Miller managed to put great teams on the court year in and year out. He won with young squads and with veterans. Miller is Averett’s winningest coach and was been named the USA South Conference Coach of the Year a record nine times, as well as the Virginia State Coach of the Year on six occasions. He coached and recruited Averett’s nine All-American selections in volleyball and developed eight players who combined for 16 conference player of the year awards. He led the Cougars to at least 20 overall wins in 23 of his 27 seasons.
Miller’s teams also succeeded in the classroom. From 2002-03 to 2021, 106 Averett volleyball players have earned USA South Academic All-Conference Team honors. Numerous players have been named to the Academic All-District teams as selected by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA), and since 2011, Miller had five players who earned Academic All-America honors.
On April 20, 2010, Miller became the ninth person inducted into the Cougar Club Sports Hall of Fame. In June 2017, Miller was inducted into the USA South Conference Hall of Fame.
Before his record-setting head coaching career began in 1995, Miller served as an assistant on the Averett staff from 1990-94 and was the school’s first sports information director until 2000.
Miller previously served as the interim director of athletics from September 2012 to July 2013. He holds both a bachelor’s (‘91) and master’s (‘95) degree from Averett.
Miller resides in Danville with his daughters, McKenzie and Kayden.
Dr. Venita Mitchell
Vice President of Student Engagement
If you watch Dr. Venita Mitchell walk — into an Averett athletic event, perhaps, or leaving her office … anywhere, really — you’ll immediately see her as a leader, a professional, and a bright and kind person.
That’s a lot to notice from just a bit of walking, but she has such confidence, awareness and dedication that it only takes you a moment to feel all that.
This is a Vice President who arrived at Averett needing to set up offices, and she chose her current location because, as she puts it, “It’s in an area heavily traveled by students. And that’s why we’re here, to understand and serve all of our students.”
There is no question that she and her team work nonstop to develop Averett students into involved, engaged, active learners who are invested as fully as possible into activities outside the classroom … all to support what they do in the classroom.
“Students spend a great deal of time and money here, and it’s a very important investment in their future selves. We work to maximize their return on that investment.”
She goes to as many student activities as possible, and she often eats lunch with students. Not the same ones, either: “I try to move around so I can meet and learn about all kinds of students. And it’s great,” she says, “in that they’re always welcoming, eager to let me join them and then to let me learn about their experiences here, their individual Averett stories.”
The students are impressive, she says. “One of the main reasons I chose to join Averett is the diversity it offers in its student body, with demographics that cover the whole range of students. And because we have representation from so many ages and ethnicities and countries — and because so many are first-generation students — they tend to be very welcoming, eager to help each other.”
That kind of camaraderie and openness are important, she adds: “Averett students are very community-oriented, showing that they genuinely care about other students’ experiences. They’re very goal-oriented, they’re not here frivolously. They truly want to create the best possible experiences for each other, and that’s where my team and I are eager to help.”
Her message to those who are considering enrolling at Averett is a simple one: “We are committed to your unique experiences — we are here to help you develop in the ways that are the very best for you.”
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Dr. Venita Mitchell has more than three decades of experience in higher education administration, most recently serving as vice president and dean of student life for 18 years at William Woods University (Fulton, MO). She earned a Ph.D. in Educational Leadership and Policy Analysis from the University of Missouri and both a Master of Science in Recreation, Parks and Tourism and a Bachelor of Science in Psychology from Virginia Commonwealth University. She joined Averett in July 2021 and served as Acting President in 2025 before returning to her Vice President role.
