Presidential Search

Presidential Search

NJIT has launched the search for its next president and is partnering with executive placement firm WittKieffer to conduct a national search, with the goal of having the university's next president in place by summer 2027. The search process will be thorough and rigorous, and will include an array of opportunities for community members to participate and provide feedback in order to ensure we select a candidate who lives NJIT's values, understands the changing higher education landscape and leads with integrity.

NJIT Seal

Presidential Profile

The presidential profile is currently in development and will be posted here once completed.

Search Messages

September 10, 2026 - Presidential Search Update from Board of Trustees Chair Cohen '83, '84, '87
September 25, 2026 - Presidential Search Faculty & Staff Listening Sessions

Search Process and Timeline

In order to keep the NJIT community informed of our presidential search's progress, highlight critical milestones and ensure awareness of opportunities for engagement and participation, this timeline will be updated periodically throughout the search.

Completed - Review potential executive search firms and select a partner (WittKieffer)
Completed - Name search committee chairs
Completed - Launch presidential search website
October 9 - Faculty & Lecturers listening session
October 13 - Staff listening session
Mid-October of 2026 - Announce the complete search committee
In progress - Develop position profile for NJIT’s next president
Mid-November of 2026 - Finalize position profile and begin recruitment/vetting of potential candidates
To be determined - Opportunities for feedback from NJIT community
To be determined - Finalists to visit campus
To be determined - Selection of NJIT’s next president
Summer of 2027 - Next president begins NJIT tenure

Search Committee

Search Committee Co-Chairs
Alan Kelly	Senior Vice President, University Advancement
Nicholas DeNichilo	Co-Vice Chair of the Board of Trustees
Search Committee Members
Andrzej Zarzycki	Associate Professor, School of Architecture
Annie Chatterjee	Open Access and Scholarly Communications Librarian
Brooke Flammang	Professor, Biological Sciences
David Horntrop	Associate Professor, Mathematical Sciences
Diane Montalto	Board of Trustees Member
Elisa Charters	Co-Vice Chair of the Board of Trustees
Fernando Vera Buschmann	Graduate Student Association President
Guiling Wang	Distinguished Professor, Data Science
Janice Akladyous	Student Senate President
Jim Stamatis	Co-Vice Chair of the Board of Trustees
Johanna Deane	Senior University Lecturer, Humanities and Social Sciences
Kevin Belfield	Dean, Jordan Hu College of Science and Liberal Arts
Paul Attallah	President of the Alumni Association and Adjunct, Martin Tuchman School of Management
Richard Schatzberg	Chair, ADHC Board of Visitors
Robert Cohen	Chair of the Board of Trustees
Saikat Pal	Associate Professor, Bio Medical Engineering
Shanthi Gopalakrishnan	Professor, Martin Tuchman School of Management
Stephanie Tonic	Foundation Board of Directors Member
Steve Saperstein	Foundation Board of Directors Member

Search Partner

WittKieffer is a premier executive search and leadership advisory firm with deep and broad expertise in the higher education sector.

Search Contacts

(WittKieffer) Jessica Herrington, Senior Partner
(WittKieffer) Melody Rose, Senior Partner
NJIT) Lauren Rubitz-Nabbie, Assistant Vice President for Talent Management