Since becoming executive vice president and provost, I have been thoroughly impressed by the professionalism and deep commitment to academic excellence across the Office of Academic Affairs. Each day, our team demonstrates an unwavering commitment to supporting faculty, students and one another.
This coming academic year, we will be embarking on a new university strategic plan under President Carter’s leadership. Many initiatives in this plan will focus on the relentless pursuit of academic excellence, and OAA will be expected to lead and coordinate this work in partnership with our colleges and campuses.
We have talented, capable teams and leaders across OAA that will enable us to do this bold work while continuing to manage their significant ongoing responsibilities in academic administration, faculty support, student success, community engagement and more. Mindful of this significant work, we have an opportunity to better organize ourselves to be leaner, more responsive and more effective.
After evaluating our strategic direction, operational needs, and recent retirements and departures, I am pleased to share some leadership and organizational updates with you.
Trevor Brown, dean of the John Glenn College of Public Affairs, will take on an additional role in OAA as senior vice provost for academic affairs. In this role, Trevor will serve as deputy to the provost and as a partner and resource for deans, vice provosts and other academic leaders. Trevor will also spearhead strategy for student academic success to ensure we provide a signature student experience that results in strong student outcomes.
Several OAA teams will report to Trevor, including Undergraduate Education, the Graduate School, Ohio State Online, Academic Programs, Institutional Research and Planning, and the Vice Provost for the Arts office. Trevor also will work closely with Strategic Enrollment Management to ensure we are aligned on student academic success strategies. A highly respected scholar, administrator and leader, Trevor has been dean of the Glenn College since its inception in 2015 and has served on the faculty since 2001.
Patrick Louchouarn will continue to serve OAA as senior vice provost for leadership and external engagement. He will continue to oversee our Faculty Affairs team in close partnership with Helen Malone, vice provost for faculty affairs. The Office of Outreach and Engagement and the Office of International Affairs will also report to Patrick, further aligning our strategies and activities that create bonds between Ohio State and communities both near and far. Patrick also will oversee our processes for dean appointments and reappointment reviews, as well as academic programs reviews.
A professor in the School of Earth Sciences, Patrick joined Ohio State in 2022 as senior vice provost for faculty. He previously held academic leadership roles at Texas A&M University and Columbia University.
Kevin Leonardi, senior director of communications and marketing, will step into an expanded role as associate vice president for operations. In his new position, Kevin will lead the overall operations for OAA and the provost’s office while continuing to provide oversight to OAA marketing and communications. He will serve as a key consultant to academic leaders on administration, communications, strategy and operational effectiveness. He will coordinate our work with university leaders and their offices, including the Office of the President and the Board of Trustees office. Kevin joined Ohio State in 2015, and he led marketing and communications for the College of Arts and Sciences before joining OAA in 2022.
To support this work in operations and administration, Jody Poth will serve as director of strategic engagement and operations. As part of this role, Jody will assume additional responsibilities that include supporting my engagements with internal and external stakeholders, managing special projects, and continuing to lead program and event management for OAA.
Kerry Schmidt, executive director of OAA business services and finance, has transitioned to the role of associate vice president for budget and resource management. In her role, Kerry will provide leadership, vision and strategic direction to align the allocation of resources with academic priorities. Kerry will be our primary liaison to the Office of Business and Finance to allocate university resources strategically and efficiently while ensuring appropriate financial stewardship. She also will work closely with deans and fiscal officers on budgets and investments in the academic missions. Kerry has led the unified OAA Business Services and Finance team since 2022, and she previously led business operations and administration for the Office of International Affairs.
Ann Talbot, project director for Scarlet & Gray Advantage, has taken on a new position as associate vice president for strategic initiatives. In her new role, Ann will be our primary lead for academic excellence strategy by setting priorities, providing direction and advancing success metrics. She will collaborate with OAA leaders and their teams to ensure their priorities are aligned with academic and university strategy. Ann will also work with colleges, regional campuses and partners across the university to ensure we are organized and prepared to execute our academic initiatives. Ann has led Scarlet & Gray Advantage since 2021, and before arriving at Ohio State, she spent most of her career in strategic enrollment leadership roles at Loyola University Chicago.
This is an exciting time for Ohio State, and I am deeply appreciative of the dedication of these colleagues and their teams. These leadership and organizational transitions will ensure continuity across OAA operations while positioning our team for greater impact. I look forward to continued collaboration in support of academic excellence.
Ravi V. Bellamkonda
Executive Vice President and Provost