Office of the Provost

Kathy E. Johnson, Ph.D., is the executive vice president and provost of Saint Louis University. In this role, she serves as the University’s second-ranking officer, working closely with the president to help shape SLU’s long-term direction. The newly created role brings academic and administrative leaders together around institutional priorities, guiding efforts to keep the University competitive in a rapidly changing higher education landscape.

Johnson earned a doctorate in psychology from Emory University and bachelor’s and master’s degrees in psychology from the University of Massachusetts Amherst. Throughout her career, she has received numerous state and national honors recognizing her leadership in higher education, civic engagement and student success.

Previously, she served as president of the University of New Orleans, where she led the university through a period of financial stabilization, strategic planning and institutional transition after taking office in November 2023. She also expanded student-focused initiatives, creating a Division of Enrollment Management, launching a University College to centralize advising and improve the first-year experience, and strengthening retention and graduation efforts. Johnson also played a leading role in preparations for the university’s planned return to the Louisiana State University System on July 1, 2026, including accreditation planning and governance transition work.

Although it has been an honor and privilege to serve as president, I recognize that my greatest passion lies in the work of the provost: partnering with faculty and academic leaders to strengthen teaching, research and innovation across the university.

Kathy E. Johnson, Ph.D.

Before the University of New Orleans, Johnson served eight years as executive vice chancellor and chief academic officer at IU Indianapolis, one of Indiana’s largest urban research universities. She oversaw a complex research enterprise that encompassed the work of faculty at both IUPUI and the Indianapolis-based IU School of Medicine, helping to strengthen a research ecosystem that today generates over $550 million in annual expenditures. Johnson co-led the university’s 2030 strategic planning process, helping position the campus for the realignment of IUPUI into separate Indiana University and Purdue University institutions and the launch of IU Indianapolis. She also led efforts to improve graduation rates, expand access for students with significant financial need, transfer students and strengthen hands-on learning opportunities through internships, research and service learning.

Earlier in her career, Johnson served as associate vice chancellor for undergraduate education and dean of University College at IUPUI, and as chair of the Department of Psychology. She was a member of the faculty there from 1993 to 2023.

Initiatives and Reporting Units