Carly Leatherwood

Carly Leatherwood serves as Chief of Staff to the President of Ohio University, a role she has held since 2022. As a senior executive leader, she oversees the operations of the Office of the President and drives alignment across the institution’s strategic priorities. Leatherwood partners closely with the President, executive leadership, and the Board of Trustees to advance enterprise-wide initiatives, steward key stakeholder relationships, and ensure operational excellence across a complex, multi-campus University.

A trusted advisor and strategist, Leatherwood brings deep expertise in communications, governance, and public affairs. Prior to her current role, she served as Associate Vice President of Communications within University Communications and Marketing, where she led enterprise media strategy and internal communications during a period of institutional transformation. Her leadership strengthened the University’s reputation, enhanced stakeholder engagement, and positioned Ohio University as a leading public institution in the region and beyond.

Leatherwood’s executive experience spans higher education, healthcare, and state government. She previously served as Marketing Director for The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center and as a communications consultant for the Educational Service Center of Central Ohio. Her public service includes senior leadership roles at the Ohio Department of Insurance and the Ohio Department of Education, where she guided communications strategy and public policy engagement at the state level.

She began her career in broadcast journalism as a producer and anchor for WSYX-TV and WBNS 10TV in Columbus, Ohio, grounding her leadership approach in clarity, credibility, and strategic storytelling.

Leatherwood 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 University’s College of Business. In 2025, she was recognized as one of the nation’s Top 50 Women Chiefs of Staff by Women We Admire, honoring executives who translate strategy into measurable impact and lead with influence across their organizations. In 2026, she was selected as a Leadership Ohio Fellow, one of 35 individuals chosen from nearly 200 nominations statewide to participate in the prestigious civic leadership program.