Suzanne K. Mellon, PhD, has served as president of Carlow University since 2013. Prior to her arrival at Carlow, she served as the executive vice president of St. Anselm College in Manchester, New Hampshire. 

Dr. Mellon’s presidency at Carlow has been marked by a strong emphasis on academic excellence and alignment of programs to the rapidly evolving needs of the workforce.  She has led the University through several capital campaigns and developed a strategic plan for growth that included the creation of three colleges, each charged with preparing career-ready ethical leaders for the 21st century.  A fourth college was launched in 2018, the College of Professional Studies, to focus on partnerships and adult learners.  At the center of her efforts is the long term sustainability of the University and building on Carlow’s strengths.

A native of Michigan, Dr. Mellon graduated summa cum laude from the University of Michigan with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing; she earned a master’s degree from the Ohio State University, and a PhD in philosophy from Wayne State University in Michigan. She is a graduate of the Institute for Management and Leadership in Education at the Harvard Graduate School of Education, and as president of Carlow, she holds the academic rank of Professor.

Dr. Mellon is a member of the boards of directors of the Association of Independent Colleges and Universities of Pennsylvania, the Council of Independent Colleges nationally, the Pittsburgh Branch of the Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland, the Pennsylvania Economy League, the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, and the International Women’s Forum, Western Pennsylvania Chapter. In 2019 she received the Woman of Influence award from the Pittsburgh Business Times.