UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Kristen Roe, director of ADA Compliance and Title IX coordinator at Montgomery College in Maryland, has been named Penn State’s new Title IX coordinator following a national search.
As part of National Corporate Compliance Week, Nov. 3-7, the Penn State Office of Ethics and Compliance (OEC) is highlighting the work of its various units. Title IX supports Penn State’s commitment to promoting a safe environment for all individuals participating in activities offered through the University.
Roe, who has extensive experience in higher education in the areas of Title IX, ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act), youth protection, ethics, investigations, student nondiscrimination policies, student conduct, sexual harassment and misconduct prevention, and regulatory compliance, will begin her new role on Jan. 5, 2026, in the Office of Ethics and Compliance, reporting to Chief Ethics and Compliance Officer Amber Grove. Roe succeeds Grove, who has served in the role of Title IX coordinator on an interim basis since April 2025.
“I am pleased to welcome Kristen to this critical leadership role,” said Grove. “Her demonstrated ability to collaborate across diverse teams, combined with her comprehensive understanding of the evolving Title IX landscape, will serve as a significant asset to Penn State. Her leadership will further strengthen our commitment to fostering a safe and respectful environment for all members of our community.”
In her new role, Roe will lead efforts across the University to ensure compliance with federal Title IX policies related to sexual harassment and misconduct, dating violence, domestic violence, stalking and sex-based discrimination. Roe will work in partnership with Penn State’s campuses and offices, including the Office of Sexual Misconduct Reporting and Response, the Office of Student Accountability and Conflict Response, Human Resources, RVOICE and the Office of Equal Opportunity and Access, among others. Her responsibilities will include enhancing the University’s services, education and outreach for students, faculty and staff on the important topics of sexual misconduct and harassment, as well as overseeing the University’s response to Title IX reports, including investigations.
“I am honored to have been selected as Penn State’s Title IX coordinator,” Roe said. “I’ve been so impressed with the University’s commitment to Title IX compliance, as evidenced by the strong policies and procedures in place as well as the dedicated and professional staff in key roles. Penn State’s commitment to full compliance with Title IX is evident. I look forward to maintaining and enhancing the high standards that form the foundation of Penn State’s Title IX program.”
Before her current role at Montgomery College, Roe served as Montgomery’s first youth protection coordinator. She developed the college’s strategic framework for managing the risks, and rewards, of institutional engagement with minors. As a member of Montgomery College’s Office of Compliance, Risk & Ethics, she also served as the collegewide contact for student complaints, investigated cases submitted to the anonymous reporting line, and coauthored numerous policies and procedures in response to new regulatory requirements, such as the recent Stop Campus Hazing Act. She also investigated student complaints of discrimination, oversaw religious and pregnancy accommodations, and served as a designated reporting source for athletic and hazing concerns.
Roe holds an ADA coordinator certification. She also co-led the Universal Design Center, an initiative to coordinate compliance with and provide technical training on digital accessibility regulations. Roe served on the Emergency Contraception Working Group, Clery Compliance Coordinating Committee, Student Parent Advisory Group, and was the project lead for the NASPA Culture of Respect Initiative. In her role as Title IX coordinator, she has successfully launched several collegewide campus climate surveys and managed reporting to the Maryland Higher Education Commission. She holds numerous certifications from ATIXA.
Roe began her professional career with the U.S. Department of Justice’s Office on Violence Against Women, where she served as both grants program manager and administrator. She was part of the team that successfully launched the Grants to Reduce Violent Crimes Against Women on Campus Program. She served as the public policy consultant and project coordinator for the California Campus Blueprint to Address Sexual Assault (2004). She has volunteered as a certified rape crisis counselor in both California and Maryland.
“I believe regulatory functions like Title IX are critical to ensuring full and equal access to all that Penn State offers,” Roe said. “Sex-based discrimination, harassment and sexual misconduct can seriously disrupt access. As the Title IX coordinator, I’ll leverage my role to support a campus community that is free from sex-based discrimination and sexual misconduct so that all members of our community can achieve their goals, whether in the classroom or the workplace. I’m committed to ensuring a fair and transparent process that treats all parties fairly.”
Additionally, Roe said she is especially proud of the impact she’s made as a mentor with Generation Hope. For the past decade she has mentored numerous pregnant and parenting college students who are now successful graduates.
Roe received a bachelor of arts degree in psychology from the University of California at Davis, and a master’s degree in counseling from Johns Hopkins University.
For more information about Title IX, including how to file a report, please visit Title IX: Sexual Harassment and Sexual Misconduct for more information.
Trivia Contest
Think you know your stuff? Test your knowledge during Ethics & Compliance Week with our Trivia Contest! Each day, we’ll be sharing a new trivia question related to ethics and compliance. Submit your answer, and if it's correct, you'll be entered into that day's prize drawing.
How to participate:
- Look out for the daily trivia question.
- Submit your correct response by 4 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 7.
- Test your knowledge every day — all correct entries will be entered into a grand prize drawing to be given at the end of the week.
Trivia question #6
Which of the following best describes what Title IX does?
- It guarantees equal funding for all university sports teams.
- It prohibits discrimination based on sex in educational programs or activities.
- It sets national standards for student grades and academic performance.
- It applies only to student athletes and coaches.