Office of Academic Affairs
The Office of Academic Affairs at Emory University advances the university’s academic mission by supporting excellence in teaching, research, mentoring and student learning across Emory’s nine schools and colleges. It strengthens Emory’s intellectual community through programs and policies that promote collaboration, innovation and academic integrity, in alignment with Emory’s mission to create, preserve, teach and apply knowledge in the service of humanity.
Our Team
Pearl K. Dowe
As Senior Vice Provost for Academic Affairs, Pearl Dowe provides leadership, mentoring and transition support for the Office of the Provost, working closely with other senior leaders within the division and across the university to continue advancing important efforts in academic leadership recruitment and development, continually improving the faculty experience and furthering signature initiatives.
Dowe is the Asa Griggs Candler Professor of Political Science and African American Studies with a joint appointment between the university’s Oxford College and Emory College of Arts and Sciences. She is a distinguished scholar and leader whose work intersects the fields of political science, African American studies, and gender studies. Her most recent book, The Radical Imagination of Black Women: Ambition, Politics and Power (2023), has been widely recognized and awarded the Best Book Award from the American Political Science Association’s Race, Ethnicity and Politics section. Dowe is also the author of numerous articles and book chapters, and has been sought out to offer her expertise by media outlets such as the Washington Post, New York Times, Time Magazine and TheGrio.
Dowe is a graduate of Savannah State University and holds an MA in political science from Georgia Southern University and a PhD in political science from Howard University.
Senior Vice Provost for Academic Affairs | Asa Griggs Candler Professor of Political Science and African American Studies
Melissa J. Daly
Melissa J. Daly is the Associate Vice Provost for Academic Operations and Strategy at Emory University, where she provides strategic leadership in support of the Office of Academic Affairs. With more than 20 years of experience in higher education administration, her work has focused on academic operations, governance and leadership support, budget and resource coordination, and institutional strategy, with an emphasis on aligning academic priorities with effective organizational practices.
Prior to joining Emory, Daly served as Chief of Staff in the Office of the President at Ithaca College, where she supported presidential initiatives and played a key role in the development and launch of the institution’s strategic plan, Ithaca Forever. Earlier in her career, she held senior administrative roles at Rutgers University–Newark.
Daly holds an MBA from Southern New Hampshire University with a concentration in Music Business from Berklee College of Music and a BA in Sociology from Montclair State University..
Associate Vice Provost for Academic Operations and Strategy
Rebecca Nurse
Rebecca Nurse is Senior Director of Academic Affairs and Special Events in the Office of the Provost, where she provides strategic and operational leadership for university-wide academic programming, special initiatives, and signature events. In this role, she supports the advancement of Emory’s academic mission by fostering interdisciplinary collaboration, strengthening faculty and student engagement, and enhancing the university’s academic profile through carefully designed programs and convenings.
Rebecca also serves as the administrative coordinator for the Academic Affairs Committee of the Board of Trustees, supporting governance processes related to academic policy and strategy.
She brings more than 20 years of experience in human resources and academic administration to her work. Prior to joining Emory College in 2012, Rebecca served as Faculty Human Resources Director at the University of South Carolina. After working in the Emory College Dean’s Office, she was promoted to the Office of the Provost in 2014.
Senior Director of Academic Affairs and Special Events
Marybeth Smith
Marybeth Smith is the Director of Student Success Experiences where she provides strategic leadership in student success, intellectual community, and academic operations within the Office of the Provost. In this role, she serves as the program owner and administrator for EAB Navigate360, guiding the system-wide implementation and governance of Emory’s undergraduate student success platform. Marybeth brings more than a decade of experience in higher education administration, with expertise spanning academic advising infrastructure, student services, governance, and cross-institutional collaboration. She is an active Emory citizen, serving as an Open Expression Observer and a member of the University Senate’s Fringe Benefits Committee. She completed her undergraduate studies at Flagler College and holds Master’s degrees in English and Higher Education from the University of Alabama. Her scholarship has been published in College & University Journal and Paedagogica Historica. Marybeth is a graduate of Emory’s Aspiring Leaders program and a 2026 recipient of the Award of Distinction, Emory’s highest honor for staff.
Director of Student Success Experiences
Janet Hoyte
Janet Hoyte is the Executive Administrative Assistant in the Office for Academic Affairs at Emory University. In this role, she supports the Senior Vice Provost for Academic Affairs and oversees the daily administrative operations of the department. Janet brings more than a decade of experience in higher education administration. She joined Emory University in 2022 as the Senior Administrative Assistant within the Advancement and Alumni Engagement team and transitioned to the Office of the Provost in 2023 following her promotion.
Executive Administrative Assistant