The Northern Kentucky Area Development District announced Thursday that it appointed Tara Johnson-Noem as its new executive director.
Johnson-Noem begins Aug. 1, replacing Lisa Cooper, who announced her plans to retire in January.
“It’s exciting to welcome Tara Johnson-Noem to lead NKADD,” said board chair and Kenton County Judge/Executive Kris Knochelmann. “Tara is uniquely qualified to take on this role and has big shoes to fill. Tara’s breadth of experience in workforce, economic development and community service will be invaluable as she begins her leadership of our ADD encompassing urban, rural, agricultural and suburban communities.”
Johnson-Noem is not new to the organization: She has served as the associate director for workforce development since 2019, managing a team that implements workforce programs across an eight-county region.
Before working at NKADD, Johnson-Noem was the director of government relations at the United Way of Greater Cincinnati. She has also served in community and economic development roles for the Catalytic Fund, Vision 2015, Northern Kentucky Tri-ED and the NKADD’s public administration division.
Cooper, who retires Aug. 1 and will work to train Johnson-Noem as she transitions out of the role, began her career with NKADD as a public administration specialist and served as the associate director for community development before becoming the executive director in 2011.
“I congratulate Lisa on her well-deserved retirement and thank her for decades of selfless service to Northern Kentucky,” Knochelmann said. “Lisa has led with a steady hand and the region is forever stronger because of it.”
