Judy Genshaft

President and CEO
University of South Florida System

Judy Genshaft was appointed president of the University of South Florida System in July 2000.

During Dr. Genshaft's presidency, the USF System has been nationally recognized as a top-tier national research university. With campuses in Tampa, St. Petersburg, SarasotaManatee and Lakeland, the USF System serves more than 47,000 students in more than 232 degree programs on the undergraduate, master’s, specialist and doctoral levels, including the doctor of medicine. Today the university has an annual budget of more than $1.6 billion.

Under President Genshaft’s leadership, USF has grown to be the 9th largest public research university in the nation; one of 63 public research universities named to the top tier (very high research activity) of the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching; provides more than $3.7 billion annual economic impact on the Tampa Bay regional economy; and is one of the top employers in the Tampa Bay region.

President Genshaft has established herself as a leader for economic development, especially related to high-technology and bioscience. She has focused on partnering university research—which under her leadership is more than $390 million—with corporate and entrepreneurial partners.

Dr. Genshaft has been a powerful force in the community and has been a catalyst for economic development through USF’s collaboration with local and state governments as well as regional business leaders. Dr. Genshaft has created a synergy of academia, business and community which strengthens the Tampa Bay region.

Nationally, chairs the NCAA Board of Directors and is a past chair of the American Council on Education. She serves on the executive committee and board for the Big East Athletic Conference and Association of Public Land-grant Universities.

Dr. Genshaft has been recognized for her efforts as she was inducted into the Tampa Bay Business Hall of Fame, named 2008 Tampa Bay Business Journal Business Woman of the Year and the Tampa Bay Regional Planning Council Herman Goldner Award for Regional Leadership. Globally, she has been honored with the Global Leadership Award by Her Royal Highness Princess Sirindhorn in Bangkok, Thailand, The Captain of Education Award from Hadassah College in Jerusalem, Israel and as the first woman to receive an honorary doctorate in Literature from Yeungnam University, South Korea.

Prior to joining USF, President Genshaft served as provost and vice president for academic affairs at the University at Albany, State University of New York. She also held various positions during a 16-year tenure at The Ohio State University. She holds a bachelor's degree in social work and psychology from the University of Wisconsin at Madison, a master's degree in school counseling from Kent State University, and a doctorate in counseling psychology from Kent State. She has authored and co-authored 69 journal articles and three books.

(09/13/2011)