Marisa Kelly

President, Suffolk University

Biography

Marisa Kelly is the President of Suffolk University.

She has been senior vice president for academic affairs and provost since August 2014, responsible for working collaboratively to ensure the quality of the educational experience available to our students at all levels and both in and outside of the classroom, She has served as a distinguished member of the senior leadership team and is especially committed to experiential learning and the development of interdisciplinary educational opportunities.

Kelly, whose academic discipline is political science, joined the University from Ithaca College, where she served as provost and vice president for educational affairs.

As provost, Kelly works closely with the University’s three academic deans, the vice president for enrollment, the dean of students, the vice provost for student success, the vice provost for curriculum and faculty development, the associate provost for institutional research and assessment, and the chief marketing officer.

Before joining Ithaca College, Kelly served as dean and McQuinn Distinguished Chair of the College of Arts and Sciences at the University of St. Thomas, Minnesota; senior associate dean, associate dean, and associate professor of Political Science at College of the Pacific, University of the Pacific, Stockton, California.

Kelly holds a PhD in Political Science from the University of Kansas, an MA in Political Theory from San Francisco State University, and a BA in Government from California State University at Sacramento.