President's Office Staff

Carly Leatherwood

Carly Leatherwood joined the Office of the President in August 2022. As the Chief of Staff, Carly is charged with managing the Office of the President, serving as a liaison to students, faculty, staff, and other members of our community, and working with the University community to move strategic initiatives forward.

Prior to her role in the Office of the President, Carly served as the Associate Vice President of Communications in University Communications and Marketing (UCM), where she led media relations and internal communications for the University since 2016.

Before returning to her alma mater, Carly served as a communications consultant for the Educational Service Center of Central Ohio and as marketing director at The Ohio State University’s Wexner Medical Center. She has a long history of public service, including holding key roles at the Ohio Department of Insurance and the Ohio Department of Education. She began her career as a producer and anchor at WSYX-TV and WBNS 10-TV in Columbus. 

Carly holds a Bachelor of Science in Journalism from Ohio University’s E.W. Scripps School of Journalism and a Master of Business Administration from OHIO’s College of Business.

Joanna Stoltzfus

Joanna Stoltzfus joined the Office of the President in July of 2019. In her role as the Presidential Assistant, she is responsible for managing the President's calendar, travel and correspondence. She first began working for Ohio University in 2006 as a procurement specialist for Culinary Services She went on to serve as an accounting specialist for the Division of Finance before joining the Division of Student Affairs, where she held multiple positions.

Joanna, who is from the Athens area, enjoys spending time with family and being outdoors.

Matt Thomson

Matt Thomson joined the Office of the President in November 2023 as the Director of Presidential Events. In this role, he is tasked with overseeing all events planned on behalf of the President and serving as the advisor to the OHIO Presidential Leaders student organization.

Prior to assuming his role in the Office of the President, Matt held the position of Associate Director of Membership Services for the Ohio Bobcat Club. In this capacity, he was responsible for orchestrating all events and fostering engagement for OHIO Athletics with an emphasis on alumni and donor audiences. Preceding this, he served as the Program Manager for the Ohio University CoLab and the Center for Entrepreneurship. In this role, Matt successfully managed a 10,000 square foot student innovation center, concentrating on elevating student engagement levels to further the missions of OHIO.

Matt is a proud alumnus of Ohio University, having earned his Masters of Education in College Student Personnel in 2013. Since graduating, he has held various positions across the campus, showcasing his dedication to the University's goals and objectives.

Amy Trout

Amy Trout joined the Office of the President in January 2019. As Strategic Initiatives and Projects Manager, she provides oversight for key initiatives to ensure alignment with institutional priorities and shared governance. Collaborating with senior leaders and cross-functional teams, Amy advances presidential goals, manages executive searches, and oversees ongoing programs and projects. Her work emphasizes strategic alignment and measurable outcomes in support of the university's mission.

Before joining the Office of the President, Amy spent over two decades in Division I athletics departments, including North Carolina State University and Georgia Tech, with her longest tenure at Ohio University. Her diverse responsibilities ranged from ticketing systems administration and event planning to managing vendor contracts, game agreements, branding, and other special projects.

Amy earned a Bachelor of Science in Sport Science and a Master of Science in Education and Sport Pedagogy, both from Ohio University. Originally from Watertown, NY, she prefers vacation destinations with minimal snowfall.

Taylor Burris

Taylor Burris joined the Office of the President in September 2024.  In her role, she provides executive communications support in collaboration with the Chief of Staff and University Communications and Marketing. Her work includes overseeing and maintaining the Office of the President website, assisting the creation of strategic documents, and drafting key talking points for the President. Additionally, Taylor serves as the primary liaison for communicating and gathering materials for Board of Trustees meetings.

Prior to this role, Taylor served as an Assistant Director for Conference and Event Services at Ohio University. In this role, she communicated regularly with students, staff, faculty, and external clients to support event planning and implementation. Taylor also served as a public school teacher for six years with five of those working in Athens City Schools. 

Taylor is a two-time Ohio University alumna, graduating with a Bachelor of Science in Education (2017) and a Master of Education (2018). She currently lives in Athens with her husband and two cats. In her free time, Taylor enjoys hiking, listening to live music, enjoying local restaurants, and spending time with friends and family.