EMORY MAGAZINE | FALL 2026
LEADING EMORY FORWARD
Meet six new deans, along with a key reappointment, who look to build on Emory’s strengths while shaping new opportunities for students, faculty and the communities they serve.
A new chapter is taking shape across Emory in classrooms, clinics, student spaces and centers of scholarship. This summer and fall, the university welcomed six deans — and reappointed a seventh — to spearhead work that will influence how Emory teaches, discovers and serves in the years ahead. Some bring deep knowledge of Emory from years spent as part of the campus community; others arrive with fresh perspectives forged at leading institutions elsewhere. Together, they will lead schools and divisions distinguished by accomplished faculty, talented students, dedicated staff and far-reaching impact. Their charge is not to start over, but to build on what already works so well at one of the world’s leading research universities, opening new avenues for collaboration and preparing Emory for the opportunities ahead.
Keiko Price Carter
Dean of Campus Life and Vice President for Student Engagement
Student advocacy, mentorship and community-building have defined Keiko Price Carter’s career at Emory, including a tenure as athletics director that sent the Eagles soaring to new heights, winning the university’s first Learfield Directors’ Cup as DIII’s best sports program. In her new, expanded leadership role, she will oversee services and support for 15,000 students while working to connect academic life, personal development and co-curricular experiences into a more seamless and supportive student journey.
Sean Clarke
Dean of the Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing
An internationally respected scholar and educator, Sean Clarke joins Emory after holding senior leadership roles at New York University’s Rory Meyers College of Nursing. As dean of Emory’s School of Nursing, he will draw on his expertise in the nursing workforce, patient safety and health policy to guide a school known for uniting research, education and clinical practice — and extend its impact on the quality of nursing care nationally and globally.
Terrence L. Johnson
Mary Lee Hardin Willard Dean of Candler School of Theology
Terrence L. Johnson comes to Emory from Harvard Divinity School, where he led its Religion and Public Life program. As the Mary Lee Hardin Willard Dean at Candler, the acclaimed theological scholar and ordained African Methodist Episcopal church minister sees Atlanta and Emory as a powerful setting for deeper dialogue on religion, race, ethics and public life across faiths, disciplines and communities.
Molly McGehee
Dean of Oxford College of Emory University
Few know Oxford College’s distinctive culture as well as Molly McGehee, an Emory alumna, acclaimed teacher and longtime campus leader who served as interim dean this past year. She will advance a students-first vision centered on well-being, transformative learning and continued investment in the faculty and staff who make Oxford’s close-knit liberal arts experience possible.
Saby Mitra
Dean of Goizueta Business School
While leading the University of Florida’s Warrington College of Business, Saby Mitra grew programs, expanded alumni and philanthropic engagement, and positioned the school at the forefront of AI and analytics education. At Goizueta, the information systems and technology management expert will focus on deepening collaboration, preparing students for a rapidly changing business landscape and extending the school’s reach and global impact.
James Nagy
Dean of Emory College of Arts and Science
More than 25 years at Emory have given James Nagy a deep understanding of the college’s people, priorities and academic mission. As dean for the 2026-27 academic year, the longtime mathematics professor and department chair will provide steady leadership while strengthening community, advancing operational excellence and sustaining momentum as the search for a long-term dean continues.
Kimberly Jacob Arriola
Dean of the James T. Laney School of Graduate Studies and Vice Provost for Graduate Affairs
At a time of significant change and uncertainty for graduate education nationally, Kimberly Jacob Arriola has provided steady, student-centered leadership for Emory’s Laney Graduate School. Newly reappointed this fall as dean and vice provost for graduate affairs, she will continue advancing student flourishing, strengthening graduate and professional education across Emory and ensuring that graduate students and faculty remain central to the university’s research and teaching missions.
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