WKU Innovation Campus Staff

Penny Hughes is the Coordinator for the WKU Earth, Environmental and Atmospheric Sciences (EEAS) Department. She transitioned to EEAS after three years as Program and Events Manager for the WKU Innovation Campus and CREATE, where she developed and managed programs and events designed to strengthen connections among businesses, entrepreneurs, students, and the broader community. 

During her time at the Innovation Campus, Penny organized a variety of successful events and initiatives, including the Small Business Summit, Startup Garden, Hackathon, MIT SPOKES, Business Toolbox series, RTC meetups and other community-building activities. She also worked closely with WKU students and recent graduates to connect them with the Innovation Campus business community. Penny played a significant role in developing and managing communications for the Innovation Campus, creating resources and content shared with the Innovation Campus community, WKU’s main campus, and the public. She also served on WKU’s Communication Cabinet as a representative of the Innovation Campus.

Prior to joining the Innovation Campus, Penny spent 10 years with Fruit of the Loom, Inc., where she served as a Consumer Insights/Marketing Research Coordinator and Human Resources Administrative Assistant. In both roles, she supported budgeting, event planning, developed promotional materials, and managed social media communications for the national company. Penny also spent six years with the Warren County Extension Office as a Staff Assistant, where she discovered her passion for working with nonprofit organizations and supporting programs that serve the community.

Penny is a graduate of Western Kentucky University, where she earned a Bachelor of Interdisciplinary Studies with an emphasis in Organizational Communication of Ideas, incorporating studies in  Public Relations, Marketing, and Broadcasting. Across her career, Penny has built extensive experience in event planning, communications, marketing, community engagement, and program coordination. She brings that experience to her role with EEAS, where she is excited to support the department, faculty, staff, students, and the broader WKU community.