President

IYRS School of Technology & Trades has selected Kern Maass as its next President, effective July 15, 2023.

Kern brings two decades of extensive experience in higher education, with a focus on craft and design thinking. Kern comes to IYRS from a successful tenure at Loyola University New Orleans, where he has served as the Dean of the College of Music and Media since 2017. Prior to his time at Loyola, Kern was the Associate Dean of the College of Fine and Applied Arts at Appalachian State University. At both institutions, Kern was an entrepreneurial and creative leader who led program creation and enrollment growth and fostered student success. A furniture maker and designer by trade, Kern is excited to bring his expertise to a school with a defined focus on hands-on learning and is eager to return to his Rhode Island roots.  

For more information about Kern, please visit the press release here. 

Rebecca Swartz led this search with Tatiana Oberkoetter and Harley Bartles.