The Gatton Academy's Staff

Kari Lynn Somers is originally from Newburgh, Indiana (just outside of Evansville). Growing up, she loved soccer, lacrosse, music, dancing, and reading. After graduating high school, she moved to Tuscaloosa, Alabama to attend The University of Alabama (RTR) to study chemistry and math. While there, she was very involved in the Honors College, worked in a research lab, and found her love of working in higher education. She received her Master's in Higher Education and Student Affairs from Indiana University in May 2018. 

After finishing school, Kari Lynn moved to Hattiesburg, Mississippi to work in the nonprofit sector for four years while her husband, Lucas, finished his Ph.D. at the University of Southern Mississippi. There, they adopted the best-looking rescue dog you've ever seen and named him Ray after the Tampa Bay Rays baseball team. 

Now living in Bowling Green, Kari Lynn, Lucas, and Ray walk together every day in the various parks around town. She spends her additional free time reading books from the public library, playing Dungeons and Dragons or Animal Crossing, completing puzzles, and watching copious amounts of Netflix and Hulu.