Meet Kelli A. Murray

Not long after her first official day at work, President Laura Rosenbury greeted Kelli A. Murray on the steps of Barnard Hall. The two chatted like longtime colleagues, which they indeed are. Murray was in town to get acclimated to the campus and meet colleagues in her new role as executive vice president for strategy and chief administrative officer. Murray, a highly skilled strategist, served on the senior leadership team at the University of Florida Levin College of Law when Rosenbury was dean of the school.

Murray, a Florida native, began her professional career as an attorney and eventually shifted from direct legal practice to higher education. She has worked in both private and public sectors, as well as with undergraduate, graduate, and professional programs. She got her foothold in career placement, then moved on to overseeing a variety of areas, including academic programs, admissions, development, diversity and inclusion, external and government relations, and Title IX — to name but a few areas of her higher-ed experience.

More recently, Murray was the inaugural chief operating officer of Camelback Ventures, a New Orleans-based nonprofit that addresses inequities in education and social innovation through its support of undervalued BIPOC, women, and nonbinary entrepreneurs.

At Barnard, she will be spearheading the formation, communication, and advancement of President Rosenbury’s priorities. She will also oversee the president’s office and manage strategic initiatives there, as well as collaborating with the Barnard community and external partners.

As the summer wound to a close, Murray had settled into her office at Milbank Hall, and staff from around the College dropped by to welcome her at a small meet-and-greet. She seemed quite at home. “I’ve only been here for a week, but it’s been wonderful,” she says. “There are so many kind, warm, and welcoming people working toward the same goal of creating pathways for bold women.”

Photo by Tom Stoelker