Dear faculty and staff,
I am pleased to share that Mark Harmon-Vaught will join Rice as associate vice president and chief of staff in the Office of the President. Mark is currently the chief of staff for the University of Pennsylvania’s acclaimed Graduate School of Education. He will join Rice Aug. 10.
As chief of staff, Mark will serve as a strategic adviser to me and work to advance our goals through coordinating the president’s cabinet, senior leadership teams and office, supporting presidential committees, and overseeing the operational and financial affairs of the office. Mark will also serve as a key liaison, along with our vice presidents, to our external partners.
Mark brings a strong understanding and appreciation for Rice’s distinctive residential college system and liberal arts and science foundation. He is experienced in navigating the complexity of a top-tier research university and building partnerships with key internal and external stakeholders. He in particular will play a critical role in advancing presidential initiatives for Rice’s strategic plan, Momentous: Personalized Scale for Global Impact.
Mark has held roles across K–12 and higher education, including serving as chief of staff and secretary to the board of trustees at Wagner College in New York. He serves as co-chair of the board of trustees for Bridge Preparatory Charter School, New York’s first public school designed to serve students with dyslexia. He holds a bachelor’s degree from Franklin & Marshall College and a master’s in education leadership from Harvard University.
Ryan Kirksey, our current chief of staff, will continue to serve in the role until Mark begins at Rice and will assist in the transition. Ryan will assume a new role in Operations, Finance and Support to provide support to campuswide initiatives that leverages his strong operational background while remaining connected to key strategic projects for the university.
We are grateful to Ryan for his continued leadership and service to the university.
Please join me in welcoming Mark and his wife, Dr. Emily Hawk, a U.S. historian and assistant professor at SUNY Cortland, to Rice.
Sincerely,
Reginald DesRoches
President, Rice University