Pearl Dowe appointed Emory’s senior vice provost for academic affairs

Dear Colleagues,

I am excited to announce that Pearl Dowe, vice provost for faculty affairs, will serve as Emory’s senior vice provost for academic affairs, effective January 1, 2026. In this role, Pearl will lead the Office of Academic Affairs and provide strategic oversight of the university's academic programs and initiatives, policy development, governance processes and faculty matters.

As many of you know from your work with her, Pearl has been instrumental in supporting our faculty during her tenure as vice provost for faculty affairs. She has elevated the faculty experience through initiatives including the COACHE Faculty Satisfaction Survey and resulting efforts to clarify the tenure and promotion process, enhance recognition of faculty honors and achievements, and strengthen mentorship programs. She has worked extensively across the university to align faculty hiring plans with school resources and to review and revise faculty policies, ensuring compliance with federal guidance and best practices in recruitment and employment. In her new role, Pearl will serve as a key thought partner as we strengthen Emory's academic enterprise, foster innovation and synergy across our schools and ensure alignment between institutional priorities and academic excellence. I am confident that her vision and commitment to faculty, student and institutional success will serve Emory well.

Under Pearl’s leadership, the Office of Academic Affairs will be responsible for coordinating academic strategy, stewarding university-level academic policies, supporting faculty affairs and governance, overseeing academic program quality and accreditation and managing signature initiatives. The office will work closely with deans, faculty leaders and administrative partners to promote collaboration, evidence-based decision-making and operational excellence across the university. In this work, she will be supported by Melissa Daly, associate vice provost for executive operations and strategy, bringing her expertise in academic planning, process improvement and project execution.

In the coming weeks, Pearl will conduct an internal search for a new leader for the Office of Faculty Affairs. We will keep you informed as this process moves forward.

Please join me in congratulating Pearl and thanking Lanny Liebeskind, senior vice provost for academic affairs, for his decades-long service to Emory and his support during my transition into the provost role. As previously announced, Lanny will step down December 31 and take a year-long sabbatical in 2026. Additionally, I want to thank Jeffrey Staton, senior associate dean of Laney Graduate School, for stepping up to serve as senior adviser to the provost in support of academic affairs management during the interim provost period. Jeff will return to his full-time role in Laney at the end of the year.

I look forward to this next chapter for Academic Affairs, and I am grateful for your continued partnership as we work together to build upon Emory’s strong academic foundation and create new opportunities for our faculty and students.

All the best,

Badia Ahad
Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs