Kevin Cieply, Ed.D. is the former President and Dean of Ave Maria School of Law. He served in that position from 2014 to 2021.

Prior to Ave Maria School of Law, Kevin served as the Associate Dean of Academics and Associate Professor at Atlanta’s John Marshall Law School from 2008 to 2014.  

Before joining legal academia, Kevin served more than 22 years in the Army and Army National Guard as a helicopter pilot, platoon leader, company commander, and as an officer in the Judge Advocate General Corps (JAG). His practice as a JAG Officer included prosecuting courts-martial cases, prosecuting major criminal procurement fraud cases in federal courts as a full-time Special Assistant U.S. Attorney, and serving as the full-time Senior Legal Advisor on all military matters to the Wyoming Army National Guard.

Kevin graduated from the Army’s Airborne School, Air Assault School, and Flight School. In flight school, Kevin graduated as the Distinguished Honor Graduate. He was rated in the UH-1, OH-58, and AH-1 helicopters. He was also a school-trained Aero-Scout and Maintenance Test Pilot. 

Kevin’s last military assignment was as the Chief, Land Operations Law, North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD), and U.S. Northern Command (NORTHCOM), concentrating on counterterrorism and Defense Support of Civilian Authorities. He retired from the military with the rank of Colonel.

Kevin earned an LLM from The Judge Advocate General’s School (Honor Graduate) and a Juris Doctor from Notre Dame Law School. He received a bachelor’s degree from Northern Kentucky University (Magna Cum Laude). He is also a Tufts University Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy Senior Military College Fellow.

Kevin received his doctorate in Educational Leadership (Ed.D.) from Vanderbilt University. His doctoral research is focused on online higher education and workforce training. 

Kevin is admitted to practice law in Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, and Wyoming, as well as the Ninth and Tenth Circuit Courts of Appeal and the U.S. Supreme Court.

When Kevin was in college at NKU, he was a two-time Soccer All-American, an Academic All-American, received the University’s Award for it most Outstanding Male Athlete, and served as the ROTC Cadet Commander. Kevin also received the ROTC Marshall Award as the University’s top cadet. In 2001, NKU inducted Kevin into its Athletic Hall of Fame. Kevin has run three marathons (Steamboat Springs 2x’s and San Diego’s Rock-n-Roll marathon) and enjoys physical fitness. Kevin is a voracious reader, life-long learner, and avid follower of Notre Dame Football and Liverpool Football Club. He and his wife (married for over 40 years) live in Naples, Florida, and Scottsdale, Arizona. They have three children and six grandchildren. 

Linkedin Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevincieply