Following an extensive and highly competitive national search, University of Puget Sound has named Joanna Carey Cleveland as vice president and university counsel effective Jan. 30, 2019. Cleveland will establish the inaugural Office of the Vice President and University Counsel, and serve as secretary to the board of trustees. In these roles she will help the university and its senior leadership advance Puget Sound’s distinctive educational mission and strategic goals, anticipate legal issues, manage risk, and facilitate the university’s compliance with all relevant laws and regulations.
“As the higher education landscape becomes increasingly complex and regulated, this is an essential leadership position,” said President Isiaah Crawford. “Joanna’s extensive experience in higher education as an attorney, policy advisor, and faculty member will allow her to have an immediate positive impact on our institution.”
Cleveland has nearly 25 years of experience in higher education and currently serves as the vice president for legal affairs and deputy general counsel at the University of North Carolina, a public, multicampus university system that encompasses 17 institutions. In this role, she has provided legal advice to the UNC Board of Governors, university divisions, and senior officers and attorneys across the UNC system, including its educational, research, and public service organizations. Throughout her career, she has published and presented regularly to legal and academic audiences.
Cleveland earned her B.A., J.D., and M.P.A. at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She is an active member of the National Association of College and University Attorneys, the North Carolina Bar Association, and other civic and nonprofit organizations.
“I’m honored and excited to be joining the Puget Sound community,” said Cleveland. “This is an exceptional opportunity to serve a forward-looking, national liberal arts university and to build an in-house office as an expert resource and trusted colleague for the campus community.”