Contact Us
President's Office Building, Room 1 on a map
Office of the President 4400 Massachusetts Avenue NW Washington, DC 20016-8060 United StatesAdministrative Leadership
The president's council is composed of members of the:
- President's Cabinet (Provost and Vice Presidents)
- Academic Deans and Librarian (Academic Leadership)
- Other Senior Administrators
The president's council meets once a month to discuss issues of importance to the university community. A copy of the AU organizational chart is available online.
President's Cabinet
Sylvia Burwell President
Sylvia Burwell became American University's fifteenth and first female president on June 1, 2017. She leads an institution of 14,000 students, 1,300 teaching and administrative faculty, and 2,500 staff.
Peter Starr Provost and Chief Academic Officer
As provost, Peter Starr is American University’s chief academic officer. He is responsible for the guiding vision and leadership of the university's academic affairs.
Fanta Aw Vice President, Undergraduate Enrollment, Campus Life, & Inclusive Excellence
Fanta Aw and the Campus Life staff work to integrate students into a diverse university community; promote their intellectual, social, and spiritual development; and in collaboration with the faculty, prepare students for lifelong learning and global citizenship.
Sarah G. BaldassaroChief of Staff & Counselor to the President
Sarah G. Baldassaro works closely with President Burwell and the leadership team on university priorities, including engagement with the AU community, advancing the Change Can’t Wait comprehensive campaign, and other cross-cutting initiatives.
Matthew Bennett Vice President & Chief Communications Officer
Matthew Bennett oversees the university's official communications areas: University Communication, including the Media Relations and Web Communications offices; University Marketing; and University Publications.
Brontè Burleigh-JonesVice President, CFO and Treasurer
Brontè Burleigh-Jones oversees the overall financial and investment management of the university. Her executive responsibilities also include controllership and treasury operations, student accounts, procurement and contracts, budget and payroll, capital and facilities planning, facilities management, sustainability, external relations, auxiliary services, public safety, risk management, transportation services, and internal audit.
Traevena Byrd Vice President, General Counsel & Board Secretary
Traevena Byrd oversees the Office of the General Counsel and serves as Secretary to the Board of Trustees. The attorneys within the Office of the General Counsel provide, manage, and coordinate all legal services for the university.
Seth Grossman Vice President, People and External Affairs, & Counselor to the President
Seth Grossman is responsible for community & government relations and strategic plan implementation. He also oversees the Office of Equity and Title IX, the Office of Human Resources, and WAMU.
Steve MunsonVice President and Chief Information Officer
Steve Munson is American University’s Vice President and Chief Information Officer.
Courtney SurlsVice President, Development and Alumni Relations
Courtney Surls works with the university leadership, alumni, and donors to support AU's strategic priorities, attract new funding, and build lifelong relationships between AU and more than 115,000 alumni.
William Walker Director, Athletics and Recreation
Billy Walker oversees AU's athletics teams, intramural and club sports, and recreation programs. The Eagles compete in the Patriot League, which emphasizes athletics and academic competitiveness.
Monica JacksonDeputy Provost and Dean of Faculty
As interim deputy provost and dean of faculty, Monica Jackson oversees all faculty appointments, tenure and promotion processes, faculty misconduct cases, new faculty onboarding and retirements, as well as the Career Center, CTRL, AU Abroad, and the International Accelerator programs.
Wendy Boland Dean of Graduate Studies
Wendy Boland works with the deans to develop AU’s strategy related to ensuring robust enrollment in graduate programs, planning for the future of graduate learning, and solidifying the university’s strong reputation for graduate study.
Diana BurleyVice Provost for Research
Diana Burley supports the faculty in building the influence and impact of AU’s scholarship and oversees the functions of research innovation and administration, including the offices of sponsored programs, research compliance, and university-wide centers.
Christine Chin Dean, School of International Service
Christine Chin, an expert on the political economy of transnational migration, Southeast Asian studies and intercultural relations, is interim dean of the School of International Service. The School of International Service is the largest school of international relations in the United States and is training future leaders to "wage peace" around the world.
Jeehyun Davis University Librarian
The university library, headed by Jeehyun Davis, serves as a gateway to AU's print resources and electronic information and supports student and faculty research.
John T. Delaney Dean, Kogod School of Business
John T. Delaney became dean of the Kogod School of Business on July 18, 2016. He is a noted scholar in the fields of negotiation, dispute resolution, and labor-management relations. He comes to AU from the University of Pittsburgh where, as dean, he increased enrollment, improved student quality, grew annual fundraising, and surpassed the school's $50 million capital campaign goal a year ahead of schedule.
Roger A. Fairfax, Jr.Dean, Washington College of Law
Roger A. Fairfax, Jr. is dean of the Washington College of Law.
Max FriedmanInterim Dean, College of Arts and Sciences
Max Friedman is the interim dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, which offers more than 150 majors, minors, master's, PhDs, and certificate programs in the arts, humanities, sciences, social sciences, and education.
Sam Fulwood IIIDean, School of Communication
Sam Fulwood III directs and develops the School of Communication’s scholar and professional programs in Journalism, Film and Media Arts and Public Communications, as well as its six academic and research centers.
Cheryl Holcomb-Mccoy Dean, School of Education
Dr. Cheryl Holcomb-McCoy joined AU in 2016 as the Dean of the School of Education. In concert with her colleagues in the College of Arts and Sciences, she concentrates her efforts on recruiting and supporting a more research-active and diverse faculty, developing outstanding new curricula in education, and building bridges to school districts and education industries around the globe.
Jessica Waters Vice Provost, Undergraduate Studies
Jessica Waters leads Undergraduate Studies. Her office oversees the undergraduate living learning communities and the university's general education program. She also provides academic leadership on undergraduate curricular development and reform, and oversees implementation of the university's academic regulations and policies.
Vicky Wilkins Dean, School of Public Affairs
Vicky M. Wilkins leads the School of Public Affairs, a nationally top-ranked school offering education in the fields of political science, public administration, public policy, and justice at the graduate, executive and undergraduate levels.
Raina Lenney Assistant Vice President, Alumni Relations & Annual Giving
Raina Lenney is responsible for advancing the mission of the university through programs, benefits, and services designed to engage AU's alumni constituency.
Beth Muha Assistant Vice President of Human Resources
Beth Muha is responsible for overseeing American University's Office of Human Resources.