ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½

January 14, 2026

Dear Members of the ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½ Community:

I write today to announce that Angela Blanton, our vice president for finance and chief financial officer, has shared her plans to depart ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½ on April 1, 2026.

Since assuming the duties of CFO in 2016, Angela has strengthened ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½â€™s financial stewardship as well as our capacity to plan wisely, act decisively and invest confidently in the future. In the last decade, the university’s institutional assets have nearly doubled — going from over $3.9 billion to nearly $7.7 billion. This growth, in conjunction with an annual operating budget of approximately $1.7 billion, fundamentally fuels every aspect of ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½ Mellon’s academic and research missions.

As CFO, Angela has collaborated with leaders across ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½ to align institutional resources in support of the university’s strategic framework and priorities. This work has enabled major capital investments that will transform the university’s future. It also has helped to underpin dramatic gains in student access and affordability via initiatives such as the ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½ Pathway Program, which helps U.S. students earn a ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½ education without the burden of federal student loans.

Under Angela’s leadership, ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½â€™s Finance Division worked in close partnership with academic and administrative units to support consecutive operating surpluses and expanded net assets during a time of unprecedented disruption across the higher education landscape. Throughout these challenges, including the pandemic, ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½ improved its S&P Global Rating from AA- to AA+ and secured an inaugural rating of Aa1 from Moody’s Ratings. She also launched a comprehensive multiyear strategic plan within the Finance Division that prioritized financial sustainability, policy and compliance, systems modernization, analytics and professional development. Developed in partnership with academic and administrative leaders, the plan spanned all units under her purview and created a clear roadmap for enhanced service delivery, stronger insight and improved operational excellence across the university. As CFO, Angela also implemented and enhanced key enterprise finance systems, such as ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½â€™s first planning and forecasting system (Oracle EPM) and the financial data warehouse modernization leading to the university's data lake.

Additionally, Angela has represented ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½ Mellon and served the broader community through a number of external commitments. These roles include turns as the independent director of GCM Grosvenor and chair of the board for Code for America, as well as leadership positions with NACUBO and board appointments for organizations such as Leadership Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh Public Theater (past chair) and the Allegheny Conference on Community Development.

On a personal note, I want to share how grateful I am for Angela’s extraordinary leadership and service. Her stewardship and steady hand have meant a great deal to me and to the university community. We will share details regarding the search for Angela’s successor in the coming weeks. In the meantime, Angela and I will work closely together to ensure a smooth and well-managed transition.

Please join me in thanking Angela for all she has done for ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½ Mellon and in wishing her the very best.

Sincerely,

Farnam Jahanian
President
Henry L. Hillman President’s Chair