JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – About one week after Jacksonville University President Tim Cost announced that he would be transitioning from his current role to become the school’s Chancellor in summer 2026, the school has announced its new temporary leader.
The Jacksonville University Board of Trustees on Tuesday appointed Dr. Lisa Sutherland to serve as the university’s interim president beginning on July 1, 2026.
Recommended Videos
RELATED: Jacksonville University renames Public Policy Institute after Preston Haskell following $12M gift | From a student’s dream to a team: Jacksonville University’s first hockey program takes the ice
Sutherland, the founder of global consulting firm Sutherland Group, LLC, has been with JU since 2023 and currently fills the role of Executive Director of the Cost Honors College and Interim Dean of the Davis College of Business and Technology.
She also earned her PhD at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
President Cost said he has full confidence in Dr. Sutherland’s ability to maintain the school’s momentum as it heads into a new chapter.
“Dr. Sutherland is an agile leader who brings immense talent and a proven track record of leadership at Jacksonville University,” Cost said. “Her strategic insight, combined with her deep commitment to student success and academic excellence, makes her ideally suited to lead the University during this important transition.”
JU said its Board of Trustees will conduct a national search in spring 2026 to select the university’s permanent president.
The school said it will offer details about the search committee and process once they are available.