Donald J. Leo named Ohio University's Executive Vice President and Provost

Today, Ohio University President Lori Stewart Gonzalez announced that Donald J. Leo, Ph.D., has been named the University’s Executive Vice President and Provost effective July 1, 2024.

“We are so excited and fortunate to welcome Don to the OHIO community. As a proven academic leader, scholar and educator, he has demonstrated effectiveness in working collaboratively to support students and faculty, which will positively impact the entire University community, ” President Lori Stewart Gonzalez said. “ Don will be a strong partner in advancing our academic mission to meet the needs of current and future students. I look forward to working alongside him to advance our dynamic strategies .”

Leo, who most recently served as the first dean of the College of Engineering at the University of Georgia, is a professor of mechanical engineering whose higher education career spans over 25 years. During his tenure as dean, engineering enrollment at UGA grew fourfold to over 2,700 students, research activity increased significantly, and the college developed numerous partnerships and outreach activities to enhance community engagement.  

Previously, he served as associate dean for research and graduate studies at the Virginia Tech College of Engineering and professor of mechanical engineering and vice president and executive director of the National Capital Region operations, also at Virginia Tech. In conjunction with his position at Virginia Tech, Leo served as a program manager for the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, a unit of the Department of Defense, where he created programs in the field of biologically inspired materials and systems and managed a portfolio of approximately $50 million in interdisciplinary research.

Leo’s research focuses on smart materials and he has served as principal investigator on 50 research grants and contracts with approximately $12 million in extramural funding.

He holds a Ph.D. and an M.S. in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering from the University at Buffalo, and a B.S. in Aeronautics and Astronautics Engineering from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

“It’s an honor and a privilege to have been selected as Ohio University’s next Executive Vice President and Provost,” Leo said. “I am passionate about helping students and faculty reach their full potential and look forward to working across campus and with our partners to support student success, advance scholarship and enhance the excellence of OHIO’s educational experience.”

President Gonzalez extended her gratitude to Elizabeth Sayrs, who has served Executive Vice President and Provost since 2020.

“I would like to thank Elizabeth for her service as Executive Vice President and Provost over the past four years,” Gonzalez said. “During her tenure, she oversaw the successful transition of our general education program from tiers to  BRICKS , reimagined our student success services model through the development of  the ACE , and created efficiencies through the implementation of a system-wide approach to regional higher education. I wish her the very best in her next chapter .”