Joan Gabel serves as chancellor of the University of Pittsburgh, overseeing a community of more than 34,000 students and 16,000 faculty and staff members across five distinct campuses with a $3.2 billion annual operating budget. During her leadership, the University has achieved record new student applications, graduation rates, postgraduation placement and research expenditures. Gabel also led the creation of the University's first metrics-driven strategic plan, the Plan for Pitt 2028, ensuring a Pitt education remains accessible and affordable and Pitt research ranks amongst the most innovative worldwide.
Prior to serving at the University of Pittsburgh, Gabel was president of the University of Minnesota (U of M) System and Twin Cities campus, where she developed the U of M’s first comprehensive systemwide strategic plan. This plan resulted in record-setting philanthropic support, next-generation health sciences education, and a new blueprint for the Upper Midwest’s epicenter agro-food ecosystem. She also served as executive vice president for academic affairs at the University of South Carolina and dean of the College of Business at the University of Missouri, where she launched angel investing and entrepreneurship programs, as well as the nationally recognized execMBA program. Gabel began her faculty career at Georgia State University, then joined Florida State University, where she was the DeSantis Professor of Legal Studies; chair of the Department of Risk Management and Insurance, Real Estate and Legal Studies; and director of international relations within the College of Business.
She is the academic vice-chair of the U.S. Council on Competitiveness (an organization of CEOs, university presidents and labor leaders); chair-elect of the board of the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities; and chair of the Fulbright Scholar Advisory Board (CIES). She is on the boards of UPMC, the Association of American Universities and the Pittsburgh Symphony.
Recognized by The Wall Street Journal as a “shining star,” Gabel is a sought-after national and international speaker and adviser on leadership, risk management and governance for industry and government. She was named to the Pittsburgh Business Times’ Power 100 and has been featured in several media outlets, including The Washington Post, the Associated Press and Bloomberg. She has been recognized as a Fulbright scholar, with election to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and with the Academy of Legal Studies in Business’ Senior Faculty Award of Excellence.
She is a graduate of the University of Georgia School of Law and Haverford College.