The Hilltopper Athletic Foundation will operate under a new and modernized organizational structure, Western Kentucky Director of Athletics Todd Stewart announced Wednesday.

“As the fundraising arm of WKU athletics, the Hilltopper Athletic Foundation has consistently provided tremendous financial support to our student-athletes while also enhancing our sport programs through private support and visibility,” Stewart said in a news release. “Kat Smith and Jim Clark have played impactful roles in HAF’s growth, and this new structure will ensure that successful current practices remain while also adapting the department to successfully navigate the new collegiate athletics landscape.”

Smith will become the senior associate athletic director of development and ticket sales/executive director of the HAF and oversee operations of the Hilltopper Athletic Foundation and WKU ticket office.

“I’m appreciative and excited for the opportunity to continue being a part of the growth of WKU athletics,” Smith said. “It is a great honor to have the chance to further engage with our alumni, donors and WKU community while representing my alma mater. I look forward to embracing this role and impacting the lives of student-athletes through development and fundraising.”

In addition to continuing her role as executive director of the HAF, Smith will work closely with the athletic director and chief financial officer on the implementation of revenue strategies, as well as coordinate strategic plans for revenue through tickets and premium seat licenses. She will continue her fundraising role for capital projects while managing a portfolio of donors.

Smith will manage the team of fundraisers within athletics, overseeing a new assistant athletic director for major gifts; Griffin Lamb who was recently hired as the assistant director of development and will begin on June 2; and Taylor Manning, membership coordinator.

Smith was a softball letterwinner at WKU during the 2014-17 seasons and was named to the CUSA All-Tournament Team as a sophomore, finishing with a .409 batting average on the season. The former Kat Downing is the granddaughter of Dero Downing, who played basketball at WKU for legendary head coach E.A. Diddle and later became president of WKU from 1969-79. A 2017 graduate of WKU, Smith earned a bachelor of fine arts in broadcasting.

Lamb recently graduated from West Virginia with his master’s in executive sport management. He was a graduate assistant for the Mountaineer Athletic Club for two years while in Morgantown, working on renewal campaigns, premium seating for basketball and football, and several other stewardship and donor projects. He received his bachelor’s degree in business administration from Oklahoma State in May 2023.

Clark will continue in his role with the Hilltopper Athletic Foundation, while simultaneously taking a larger role in name, image and likeness efforts and future revenue sharing. Clark will assume the title of executive senior associate athletic director for development & NIL.

Clark will continue in his role of working closely with HAF board members, donors, prospective donors and volunteers and is responsible for oversight of the athletic department’s courtesy car dealer program. He will also continue to serve as WKU’s sport administrator in football, men’s golf and women’s golf.

Clark has worked for 26 years in the WKU athletics department, the last 25 following a seven-year stint as the development associate at Mississippi from 1993-2000. A native of McComb, Mississippi, Clark is an active member of the National Association of Athletic Development Directors. He earned his bachelor’s degree in business administration from Southeastern Louisiana in 1989, while obtaining a master’s degree in sports administration from Southern Mississippi in 1991.