President-elect Gay names Katie O’Dair chief of staff
Katie O’Dair, a deeply experienced higher education leader, will be chief of staff to Harvard’s incoming president, Claudine Gay. O’Dair — who has served in roles at Harvard, Boston College, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and Tufts over a 30-year career in higher education — will begin in her new position when Gay becomes the University’s 30th president on July 1. The president-elect announced the appointment earlier today. Lauding O’Dair’s “characteristic combination of deep compassion, thoughtful intensity, and inclusive leadership,” Gay said that the new chief of staff will be “a key partner and adviser in advancing the president’s strategic priorities and a primary liaison to leaders across the institution.” “Katie’s track record of successful leadership in complex environments, and the respect that she has earned from colleagues across Harvard’s Schools, make her an ideal partner,” said Gay. O’Dair currently serves as Harvard’s University Marshal, and will retain that title, continuing to provide strategic...