APLU Announces 2026 Board of Directors, University of Pittsburgh Chancellor Joan Gabel to Serve as Chair

Washington, DC – The Association of Public and Land-grant Universities (APLU) today announced its 2026 Board of Directors. University of Pittsburgh Chancellor Joan Gabel will serve as Chair of the Board, succeeding University of Maine President Joan Ferrini-Mundy.

The Board of Directors provides oversight and direction for APLU’s work and is charged with setting membership and governing policies for the association. Board members work to make public institutions of higher education more effective in delivering quality and affordable higher education while advancing cutting-edge research and robust community and economic engagement.

Below is the roster for the 2026 APLU Board of Directors: 

• Joan Gabel, Chancellor, University of Pittsburgh, is Chair of the Board.
  
• Brian Sandoval, President, University of Nevado, Reno, is Chair-Elect of the Board.
  
• Joan Ferrini-Mundy, President, University of Maine, is Past-Chair of the Board.
  
• Donde Plowman, Chancellor, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, is Chair of the Council of Presidents.
  
• Mun Choi, President, University of Missouri System, is Secretary of the Council of Presidents.
  
• Betsy Cantwell, President, Washington State University, is a Board Member-at-Large.
  
• Walter “Ted” Carter, President, The Ohio State University, is a Board Member-at-Large.
  
• Jeffrey Gold, President, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, is a Board Member-at-Large.
  
• Adele de la Torre, President, San Diego State University, is a Board Member-at-Large.
  
• Marlene Tromp, President, University of Vermont,  is a Board Member-at-Large.
  
• Havidán Rodriguez, President, University at Albany, is a Board Member-at-Large.   
       
• Barbara Wilson, President, University of Iowa, is a Board Member-at-Large.
  
•  Ericke Cage, President, West Virginia State University, is the Council of 1890s Universities Representative.
  
• Sue Agrawal, Chancellor’s Spouse, University of Missouri-Kansas City, is the Council of Presidents’ and Chancellors’ Spouses/Partners Representative.
  
• Carol Kim, Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs, University at Albany, is the Council of Academic Affairs Representative.
  
• Kelly Dockham, Director of Federal Affairs, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, is the Council on Governmental Affairs Representative.
  
• William Thro, General Counsel, University of Kentucky, is the Council on Legal Affairs Representative.
  
• Johnny Cruz, Chief Communications and Marketing Officer, University of Arizona, is the Council on Strategic Communications Representative.
  
• Thomas Lane, Vice President for Academic Success and Student Affairs, Kansas State University, is the Council on Student Affairs Representative.
  
• Rob Rutenbar, Senior Vice Chancellor for Research, University of Pittsburgh, is the Council on Research Representative.
  
• Marlene Tromp, President, University of Vermont, is the Commission on Economic and Community Engagement Representative.
  
• Taylor Eighmy, President, University of Texas at San Antonio, is the Commission on International Initiatives Representative.
  
• Jennifer Cowley, President, University of Texas at Arlington, is the Coalition of Urban Serving Universities Representative.
  
• Alexander Cartwright, President, University of Central Florida, is the Commission on Information, Measurement, and Analysis Representative.
  
• Jonathan Pruitt, Executive Vice Chancellor for Business Affairs, University of Texas System, is the Audit Committee Chair.
  
• Sreekala Bajwa, Vice President, Dean and Director, Montana State University, is the Board on Agriculture Policy Board Representative.