National Search for Emory President Launched

Dear Emory Community,

On behalf of the Board of Trustees, I write to announce that we have formally launched a national search for Emory’s next president. This is a significant moment for our university; our next president will lead as we advance Emory’s mission—which centers on discovery, creativity, and critical thinking—and guide us in our collaborative work to move the world forward.

As we take this step, I extend our profound appreciation to Justice Leah Ward Sears, who has served as interim president since September 2025. Her steady leadership and thoughtful stewardship of the university throughout this transition have ensured we are exceptionally well positioned for the work ahead.

The Emory University Board of Trustees considers the selection and appointment of the university’s president to be one of its most important responsibilities. To that end, we are committed to designing a search process that is thoughtful, intentional, and reflective of our community’s values.

Speaking of community, we plan to meet with Emory’s stakeholders—students, faculty, alumni, staff, and others—to gather opinions and feedback through listening and dialogue sessions. We encourage you to submit your feedback any time on the Emory University President Search website, which we just launched today to provide more information on the search. If you have immediate input, please email PresidentSearch@emory.edu . Insights from our community will directly inform the presidential prospectus and guide the selection process. Community input is essential, and we hope you share your thoughts with us.

The Board of Trustees voted unanimously to confirm a presidential selection committee made up of experienced leaders whose dedication to Emory and its mission to serve humanity has been proven time and again. I’m honored to lead this work as committee chair.

The members of the Presidential Selection Committee are:

  • Badia Ahad (ex officio), provost and executive vice president for academic affairs
  • Thomas I. Barkin, trustee; chair, Emory Board of Trustees Finance Committee
  • Sarah B. Brown 89B, trustee; chair, Emory Board of Trustees Development Committee
  • Hashem Dezhbakhsh, Goodrich C. White Professor of Economics; chair, Department of Economics, Emory College of Arts and Sciences; faculty counselor to the Emory Board of Trustees
  • Crystal Edmonson 95C, trustee; secretary, Emory Board of Trustees; former president, Emory Alumni Board
  • Robert C. Goddard III, chair, Emory Board of Trustees; chair, Presidential Selection Committee
  • Christian Larsen 80C 84M 90MR, Carlos and Marguerite Mason Professor of Transplantation and director, Emory Transplant Center, Department of Surgery, School of Medicine
  • Usha Rackliffe, associate professor in the practice of accounting; associate dean and academic director, Master in Management program, Goizueta Business School; faculty counselor to the Emory Board of Trustees
  • John G. Rice, trustee; chair, Emory Healthcare Board
  • Teresa M. Rivero 85Ox 87B 93MPH, trustee; chair, Emory Board of Trustees Campus Life Committee; former president, Emory Alumni Board
  • Adam H. Rogers 92C 96M, trustee; chair, Emory Board of Trustees Academic Affairs Committee
  • Cynthia M. Sanborn 87C, trustee; chair, Emory Board of Trustees Executive Compensation and Trustees’ Conflict of Interest Committee
  • E. Jenner Wood III, trustee emeritus; former chair, Emory Board of Trustees Finance Committee

We have also appointed a Presidential Selection Student Advisory Committee to provide input and perspective to the Presidential Selection Committee throughout the process. The members are:

  • Tyler Martinez 26C, president, Student Government Association
  • Jack Steffen 26Ox, president, Oxford Student Government Association
  • Ariel Paz Yitzchaki 26L, president, Graduate Student Government Association 

The Presidential Selection Committee begins its work immediately; in the coming weeks we will select an executive search firm to help identify and evaluate potential candidates as well as design an effective community engagement plan. Our priority is selecting the leader who will best serve Emory, both for the present moment and the years ahead.

We look forward to sharing regular updates as the search progresses and to hearing from our entire community throughout this important process. Thank you for your continued commitment to Emory University.

Sincerely,

Robert C. Goddard III
Chair, Emory University Board of Trustees