December 12, 2023

Dear members of the HKS community,

I am delighted to announce that Joshua McIntosh will serve as Executive Dean of Harvard Kennedy School, starting February 5.

Josh’s appointment was the result of a national search and drew on input from a range of stakeholders at HKS. His deep experience in higher education, his enthusiasm for the mission of HKS, and his calm and collegial approach were among his many strengths cited by those involved in the selection.

Josh has a proven track record of achievement as an organizational leader and trusted senior advisor in multiple institutions of higher education. Josh is currently Vice President for Campus Life at Bates College in Maine. In this role he leads twelve campus and student services departments, including those responsible for accessible education, athletics and recreation, career development, counseling and psychological services, health education and wellness programs, health services, international student programs, off-campus study and study abroad, residential life and housing, campus safety, student conduct, and student activities. He was a school leader in developing the response to COVID.

Prior to his time at Bates, Josh served as the Dean of Academic Services at Johns Hopkins University, where he supervised seven departments and led key strategic initiatives. Earlier in his career, Josh was Associate Dean of Harvard College, where he led the financial management, human resources management, information technology, policy, and assessment functions for all student services departments. Josh holds a PhD in higher education administration from Syracuse University.

As Executive Dean at HKS, Josh will be the School’s chief administrative officer and will report to me (and my successor). Our Executive Dean oversees our activities in financial operations, facilities, human resources, information technology, communications, the library, research administration, security, and executive education. In addition, the Executive Dean coordinates closely with the Directors and Executive Directors of our research centers to ensure effective support for their activities.

With his broad experience as a strategic leader and proven dedication to the mission of higher education, Josh will be a tremendous asset to the Kennedy School. I look forward to your joining me in welcoming Josh to the School in February.

Sincerely,
Doug