Open Search — Dean, School of Architecture

The University of Virginia's Executive Search Group and the School of Architecture announces its current search for Dean. Application details and the position description can be found below.

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Dean, School of Architecture

The Opportunity

The University of Virginia is seeking a principled, visionary, and strategically minded leader to serve as the next Dean of the School of Architecture. This is a pivotal moment for design education, and the incoming Dean will extend the School’s strong foundation while navigating rapid change, seizing new possibilities, and shaping the future of design practice and pedagogy. The School of Architecture is committed to preparing the next generation of bold thinkers, creative professionals, and civic leaders who will confront the most pressing challenges of our time.

In this context, and reporting to the Executive Vice President and Provost, the Dean will join the School at a pivotal time and will continue to strategically move the School into the future by building upon four strategic areas - Legacy, Impact, Engagement, and Innovation - that embody its values and help to shape the academic mission. Inherently multi-disciplinary, these focus areas aim to capitalize on the strengths of the School as a global leader in scholarly practice, sustained design excellence and reputation. The shared commitment to rigorous investigation and critical interpretation shapes the work of students and faculty across all disciplines, as well as the School’s robust public programming.

The deanship represents a rare opportunity to lead a School with exceptional faculty, ambitious students, and a global reputation for excellence in design and scholarship. The next Dean will have the platform to elevate interdisciplinary research, expand the School’s influence, and chart a bold and inspiring vision for the next era of the A-School.

The Role and Responsibilities

The Dean of the School of Architecture serves as the School’s chief academic and administrative officer. The Dean provides strategic vision, and operational leadership for all aspects of the School’s activities—academic programs, faculty and staff affairs, fiscal management, institutional advancement, and external engagement. Importantly, the Dean is expected to be a visible and accessible leader whose presence is evident across the School, engaging regularly with students, staff, faculty, alumni, and advisory boards. The Dean will recruit and support a world-class faculty; oversee academic and operational planning; ensure sound fiscal and facilities management; and promote a vibrant, collaborative environment that supports excellence in teaching, research, and practice. The Dean will work closely with faculty and staff governance, University administration, and the School’s advisory boards to ensure that the School continues to thrive as a creative and intellectual cornerstone of the University of Virginia. Additional responsibilities include:

Visionary Leadership

• Build on UVA’s distinction as a pre-eminent public university and the School’s century-long leadership in design education.
• Lead a diverse academic community spanning Architecture, Architectural History, Landscape Architecture, and Urban and Environmental Planning, strengthening interdisciplinary teaching, research, and experiential learning, and fostering a collegial environment in which faculty, staff, and students can thrive creatively and intellectually and can do their best work.
• Inspire a culture of curiosity, collaboration, and innovation that prepares students to address the defining challenges of the 21st century—from climate resilience and housing equity to preservation, design justice, and urban transformation.

Academic Distinction and Scholarly Impact

• Advance the School’s academic profile and visibility nationally and internationally through excellence in teaching, research, and creative practice.
• Promote innovation in pedagogy, design research, and interdisciplinary collaboration that aligns with UVA’s academic and public mission.
• Strengthen connections between design education and the University’s broader strengths in democracy, sustainability, civil and environmental engineering, data science, public policy, and the arts.
• Strengthen the School’s research enterprise by expanding access to public-sector funding, foundation grants, and private-sector partnerships that support applied, creative, and scholarly work.

Collaboration and External Partnerships

• Serve as the principal advocate and ambassador for the School, representing it across UVA and to national and international audiences.
• Serve as a bridge-builder across Grounds, developing collaborative initiatives with other UVA schools that enhance academic programs, research impact, and institutional support.
• Cultivate external collaborations with alumni, practitioners, civic leaders, and global partners that translate research and design ideas into real-world impact.
• Strengthen engagement with the School of Architecture Foundation, alumni network, and professional associations to extend the reach and reputation of the School, and advance the School’s influence, visibility, and impact.

Resource Development and Stewardship

• Provide visible and sustained leadership for the School’s fundraising and advancement efforts, working closely with the School of Architecture Foundation and the University’s advancement team to secure philanthropic support for strategic priorities. Articulate a compelling case for investment in the School’s priorities, including student scholarships, professorships, research initiatives, and capital improvements to support the School’s academic mission.
• Oversee fiscal planning and management, ensuring efficient and responsible stewardship of financial and physical resources.
• Develop innovative partnerships and revenue-generating opportunities that sustain the School’s long-term growth and impact.

Position Details

Ideal Experience and Characteristics

The University of Virginia seeks an accomplished and imaginative leader who embodies the School of Architecture’s commitment to design excellence, academic rigor, and public service. The ideal candidate will bring proven academic or professional distinction, the capacity to lead collaboratively, and the ability to inspire a community of scholars, practitioners, and students to advance the School’s mission and its national and global impact. Additional qualifications include the following:

• Record of scholarly, creative, or professional excellence in architecture, architectural history, landscape architecture, or urban and environmental planning.
• Advanced professional or doctoral degree with credentials suitable for appointment as a full professor.
• Demonstrated record of academic leadership and administrative effectiveness in a complex setting.
• Experience guiding faculty development and academic programs that promote innovation, collaboration, and intellectual rigor.
• Demonstrated ability to lead with an understanding of institutional capacity, balancing ambition with sustainability.
• Proven success in strategic planning, fiscal management, and fundraising, with the ability to build strong relationships with alumni and external partners.
• Demonstrated ability to lead within a shared governance framework, with a commitment to meaningful consultation and transparent decision-making.
• Integrity, sound judgment, and humility in leadership and decision-making.
• Collegial and visible presence who fosters trust, shared purpose, and connection across disciplines.
• Strategic and creative thinker able to inspire and mobilize a diverse academic community.
• Demonstrated ability to work diplomatically across complex academic settings, building productive relationships with University leadership and cultivating trust among faculty, staff, and students.
• Exceptional communication skills and the ability to represent the School compellingly across the University and beyond.

For the full position description and details on how to apply or nominate individuals can be found at the Executive Search Group website. 

UVA Executive Search Group (ESG), the University's executive search firm, is assisting in the recruitment of the next Dean of the School of Architecture. The search is being led by Managing Directors Susan Gaines and Nalini Turner.

Search Committee

Brie Gertler
Search Committee Co-Chair, Interim Executive Vice President and Provost

Leena Cho
Search Committee Co-Chair, Chair and Associate Professor, Landscape Architecture

Somayeh Asadi
Professor, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering

CL Bohannon
Associate Professor, Landscape Architecture; Senior Associate Dean of Faculty Affairs and Community Engagement

David Haresign
President, UVA School of Architecture Foundation Board Chair; Partner, Bonstra | Haresign Architects

Meredith Hayden
Chief Medical Officer, Department of Student Health and Wellness

Andrew Johnston
Associate Professor, Architecture & Architectural History; Historic Preservation Certificate Program Director

Nana Last
Professor, Architecture

Seth McDowell
Associate Professor, Architecture; Graduate Architecture Program Director

Genesis Rodgers
UVA Alumna (BSArch 2021); Current Grad Student (MUEP 2026)

Andrea Roberts
Associate Professor, Urban & Environmental Planning, Architecture

Schaeffer Somers
Assistant Professor, Architecture; NCARB Licensing Advisor

Tashana Starks
Director of Advising, Academic Support, Architecture

Abbey Stockstill
Chair, Thomas Jefferson Foundation Associate Professor, Architectural History

Woody Wingfield
Director of Development and Executive Director, School of Architecture Foundation