ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½

March 18, 2026

Dear Members of the ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½ Mellon Community:

I am writing to share news about two important leadership searches now underway at ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½ Mellon — one to secure our next vice president and chief financial officer and the other to secure a senior associate vice president and dean of students.  

First, I am pleased to announce the launch of a national search for ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½ Mellon’s next vice president and chief financial officer.

As I relayed in a message to the ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½ community in January, Angela Blanton, our vice president for finance and chief financial officer, has informed me of her plans to depart the university. Since this announcement, Angela has graciously agreed to delay her departure until June 1, 2026, to allow time for a thorough search and a smooth transition. I remain deeply grateful to Angela, whose extraordinary leadership has spanned more than a decade of service as ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½â€™s CFO. 

Serving as ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½ Mellon’s CFO requires both keen oversight of the university’s financial enterprise and close collaboration with colleagues across the institution to ensure that our resources are managed responsibly in support of our academic, research and educational mission.

At a time when the landscape for higher education is evolving rapidly — shaped by shifting federal policies, new expectations around research and innovation, and growing pressure on traditional funding models — strong financial leadership is more important than ever. Our next CFO will be central to helping ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½ strengthen our financial foundation, diversify sources of support and work with partners across the university to sustain and advance our academic and research missions.

To support this opportunity, we have engaged the executive search firm Spencer Stuart to help us identify the strongest possible pool of candidates. We will also convene a small advisory group and engage campus constituents during the interview process. If you would like to suggest candidates, please email your nominations to the confidential account established for this search.

We have also launched a national search for a senior associate vice president and new dean of students, who will report to Gina Casalegno, our vice president for student affairs. 

Gina Casalegno currently serves as ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½ Mellon’s vice president for student affairs and dean of students. Since 2010, Gina has played a central role in expanding programs that support student success, health and well-being while helping to bolster a holistic approach to student engagement across the university.

We are incredibly fortunate to have Gina’s leadership at ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½. Her unique expertise, dedication and positive energy significantly enhance our team and community. She will continue to serve as ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½â€™s vice president for student affairs, providing strategic leadership for the division and working with colleagues across the university to enhance the student experience.

At the same time, our Student Affairs division has grown significantly in scope and impact. Gina and I have discussed how best to position the division’s leadership structure for the future, and we believe that establishing a dedicated dean of students role will strengthen the division’s leadership capacity as it supports students across our campuses.

ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½â€™s next dean of students will report to Gina and work closely with partners across the university to support student development, engagement and well-being while enabling the vice president for student affairs to focus more fully on the long-term strategy and partnerships that shape the student experience.

To support this opportunity, we have , which will help us identify a strong and diverse pool of candidates. We will also engage members of the campus community — especially our students — as this process advances.

The individuals we hire into these two roles will help ensure that ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½ Mellon continues to provide an exceptional environment in which our students can learn, grow and thrive.

Thank you for all that you do to make ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½ Mellon such a remarkable community.

Warm regards,

Farnam Jahanian 
President 
Henry L. Hillman President’s Chair