Nancy Zimpher

Chair Emeritus

Chancellor Emeritus, The State University of New York (SUNY)

In 2009 Nancy L. Zimpher became the 12th Chancellor of The State University of New York. With nearly 463,000 students and 64 campuses, SUNY is the nation’s largest comprehensive system of higher education.  After serving eight years as Chancellor, Dr. Zimpher resigned and was named Chancellor Emeritus becoming the sixth Chancellor to receive this honor is the history of the State University of New York.

Chancellor Zimpher lead a diverse set of initiatives at SUNY in several areas, including research and innovation, energy, health care, global affairs, and the education pipeline. She has been a vocal advocate for groundbreaking legislative reforms to ensure SUNY provides broad access to higher education while maximizing its impact as an engine of economic revitalization across the state.

Dr. Zimpher is active in numerous state and national education organizations, and is a leader in the areas of teacher preparation, urban education, and university-community engagement. In addition to serving as chair of the Board of Governors of the New York Academy of Sciences for five years, Dr. Zimpher is the current chair of the National Association of System Heads. From 2005-2011 she led the Coalition of Urban Serving Universities, and from 2012-2013 she was chair of CEOs for Cities. As co-founder of StriveTogether, Zimpher has been instrumental in creating a national network of innovative systemic partnerships that address challenges across the education pipeline.

Prior to joining SUNY, Dr. Zimpher served as president of the University of Cincinnati, chancellor of the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, and executive dean of the Professional Colleges and dean of the College of Education at The Ohio State University. She has authored or co-authored numerous books, monographs, and academic journal articles on teacher education, urban education, academic leadership, and university partnerships.