Mary Grace Almandrez
Mary Grace A. Almandrez serves as the Vice President for Diversity and Inclusion. She integrates her commitment to social justice, strategic leadership and interdisciplinary approach into her work to advance diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility across campus. Her professional career reflects a breadth and depth of higher education experiences, including organizational development, student affairs, policies and procedures, recruitment and retention, campus climate, crisis management, education and training, curriculum and pedagogy, and program assessment and evaluation.
Tracy Barlok
Tracy Barlok is Senior Vice President and Chief Advancement Officer. She joined the University in Sept. 2022 as Special Assistant to the Chancellor for Advancement and External Affairs and appointed Chief Advancement Officer in July 2023. She previously served as the Vice President for Advancement at the College of the Holy Cross. Barlok has more than three decades of experience working in the field of higher education, serving in a number of leadership roles at the College of the Holy Cross, Skidmore College and Colgate University.
Andrew Gordon
Andrew Gordon is Senior Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer, providing strategic leadership on human resource matters and acting as the steward of the University’s human capital in service to the University’s academic mission. Gordon came to Syracuse from New York University, where he served as Vice President for University Human Resources and Global Support.
Allen Groves
Allen Groves is the Senior Vice President and Chief Student Experience Officer for the University. He leads a team of experienced professionals who are responsible for student-facing services and support spanning the outside-of-the-classroom experience. This includes the areas of student living, involvement, cultural centers, health and wellness, and success, all working toward the goal of creating an unsurpassed experience for every student.
Mike Haynie
Mike Haynie is Vice Chancellor for Strategic Initiatives and Innovation, University Professor, Executive Director of the University’s Institute for Veterans & Military Families, and the Barnes Professor of Entrepreneurship at the Whitman School of Management. Shortly after joining the faculty in 2006, Haynie founded the Entrepreneurship Bootcamp for Veterans with Disabilities program.
Candace Campbell Jackson
Candace Campbell Jackson serves as Senior Vice President and Chief of Staff to Chancellor Syverud. An accomplished higher education executive, Jackson is recognized for being an exemplary strategic and operations leader with a strong record of achieving successful outcomes in all critical higher education management functions, including academic affairs, athletics, auxiliary enterprises, board relations, communications and marketing, enrollment management, executive recruitment and team building, fundraising, governmental affairs, grants administration, international programs, planning, safety and strategic planning.
Brian Konkol
As the Dean of Hendricks Chapel, Brian Konkol guides, nurtures, and enhances religious, spiritual, moral and ethical life at the University and across its extended community. In addition to his years of experience in South America and Africa, he most recently served as Chaplain of the College and as a faculty member in Peace, Justice, and Conflict Studies at Gustavus Adolphus College.
Gabe Nugent
Gabe Nugent was appointed Senior Vice President and General Counsel in July 2023. In this role, he provides trusted advice and legal services to the Chancellor, Board of Trustees and leadership across the University. Nugent joined the University community in 2014 as deputy general counsel and previously practiced at Barclay Damon LLP in Syracuse.
Mary Opperman
Mary G. Opperman serves as Senior Vice President and University Secretary. She supports the work of the Board of Trustees, manages the Office of the Board of Trustees and works closely with the Board Chair, the Chancellor, senior administration and committee chairs of the Board, to provide counsel and guidance on strategy, policy and process.
Brett Padgett
Brett Padgett serves as Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer. He oversees the financial well-being of Syracuse University, working closely with Chancellor Syverud to proactively position the University to navigate a dynamic financial landscape, optimize resources and investments, and align the budget model in support of the University’s core mission of academic excellence. Padgett is responsible for leadership of the finance and administration functions, including campus facilities, comptroller’s office, institutional risk and audit, budget and planning, treasury, and real estate.
John Papazoglou
John Papazoglou serves as Senior Vice President and Chief Operations Officer. He oversees the non-academic units that interact most frequently with students and guests on campus, including housing, retail operations, catering, and the commissary. He also provides oversight for the Minnowbrook Conference Center, the Sheraton Syracuse University Hotel & Conference Center, and Drumlins Country Club. He works closely with other senior-level officers and directors in the development of objectives, new programs, goals, forecasts, and plans and budgets, as well as long-term and short-term planning of the University’s strategic, capital, and operational plans.
Gretchen Ritter
Gretchen Ritter is the Vice Chancellor, Provost and Chief Academic Officer. She joined Syracuse University in October, 2021 from the Ohio State University College of Arts and Sciences, where she was executive dean and vice provost. In that position, she led Ohio State’s largest college, which is home to 38 academic departments and schools and more than 20 centers and institutes.
Dara Royer
Dara Royer is the Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer. In this role she’s responsible for oversight of marketing efforts, including strategic marketing campaigns, digital and content marketing, and brand stewardship as has been recognized with an ICON Award in 2021 and 2022 as a Top 50 Marketer in the country.
Jeffrey Rubin
Jeffrey Rubin is Syracuse University’s inaugural Senior Vice President for Digital Transformation and Chief Digital Officer. In this role, Rubin oversees the Information Technology Services Team and leads the University’s digital transformation efforts. He focuses on digital innovation and data strategy and explores the intersection of artificial intelligence and higher education.
Peter Sala
As Vice President and Chief Facilities Officer, Peter Sala oversees all operations of Syracuse University’s athletic facilities, including the Dome, as well as other campus departments including Campus Planning, Design and Construction, Business and Facilities Maintenance Services, Physical Plant, Housing and Food Services Maintenance, and Energy Systems & Sustainability Management.
Jeff Stoecker
A Peabody and Emmy award-winning journalist, Jeff Stoecker is Senior Vice President and Chief Communications Officer. Stoecker oversees all day-to-day operations of University communications, including executive and internal communications and media relations, and provides strategic guidance, media relations expertise, crisis counsel and communications support. He also serves as the University’s primary spokesperson.
John Wildhack
Director of Athletics John Wildhack is responsible for leading the daily operations of a 20-sport athletics department with more than 550 student-athletes in an environment that coaches, administration and staff foster for student-athletes to maximize their performance in the classroom and on the playing field to prepare them for future success.