Joan T. A. Gabel is an academic administrator, currently serving as the chancellor of the University of Pittsburgh. She previously served as president of the University of Minnesota.^[1][2]

Early life and education

Gabel was born in New York City and grew up in Atlanta.^[3] At age 16, Gabel entered Haverford College,^[4] where she earned a bachelor's degree in philosophy^[5] in 1988.^[6] She then worked in employee benefits for two years.^[7] She earned a J.D. degree from the University of Georgia School of Law in 1993.^[8]

Career

Early career

Gabel started her career as an attorney in Atlanta.^[9] From 1996 to 2007, she was a professor of legal studies at Georgia State University, then was a professor of business law and department chair at Florida State University from 2007 to 2010.

From 2010 to 2015, Gabel served as the dean of the college of business at the University of Missouri, during which time she was recognized as “a shining star” in business school administration by the Wall Street Journal.^{[10] [11]} She became the provost of the University of South Carolina in 2015 before joining UMN as president. ^[12] While at the University of South Carolina, she launched the Galen Fellows and Rhodos Fellows programs.^[13]

She has also served as editor-in-chief of the American Business Law Journal. ^[14]

Accolades

Gabel has received numerous awards for her research, service and scholarship, including being awarded the Fulbright Scholarship.^[15] She won the Junior Distinguished Faculty Award and the Proceedings Paper Awards in 1999, the Holmes-Cardozo Award in 2002, and the Kay Duffy Outstanding Service Award in 2005.^[16] She has also served on several nonprofit boards, including the American Council on Education, the Association of Public and Land Grant Universities, and the Fulbright Scholar Advisory Board.^{[17] [18]} In April 2021, she was named the new University Vice Chair for the Council on Competitiveness.^[19]

University of Minnesota president

In December 2018, the University of Minnesota regents unanimously approved Gabel as president of the state's university system; she was selected from among 67 applicants. Gabel was the first woman to hold the office.^[20][8]

During her first year as president, the University of Minnesota experienced the COVID-19 pandemic and the George Floyd protests.^[21] During the COVID-19 crisis, the University of Minnesota shifted to online courses and instruction^[21] Following the protests, Gabel announced that the university would reduce collaboration with the Minneapolis Police Department.^[22] Gabel joined a lawsuit against the federal government aimed at overturning a ruling that could have deported some international students.^[23] In 2021, Gabel created the University’s inaugural Senior Advisor to the President for Native American Affairs in order to deepen the relationship between UMN, a land-grant University, and Minnesota’s Tribal Nations.^[24]

As president of UMN, Gabel oversaw increases in the university's research, fundraising, and graduation rates. While she was president, UMN surpassed a record-breaking $1 billion in annual research expenditures ^[25] and became one of the top one percent of patent-producing universities.^[26] In 2020, the Department of Defense awarded the University $87.5 million to create a new Manufacturing Innovation Institute.^{[27] [28]} Using the lessons learned about the use of technology and online education during the COVID-19 pandemic, Gabel introduced an innovative, accelerated health care program administered at the University’s Rochester campus, called NXT GEN MED.^{[29] [30]}

While at UMN, Gabel received criticism regarding her compensation and approved outside activities, especially in the later part of her tenure.^[31] Gabel and the Chair of the Board of Regents defended her compensation as appropriate for the market, noting that it was lower than that of other Big Ten university presidents. ^[31] When the Board of Regents hired David McMillan, a retired utility executive, to serve as interim chancellor of UMN Duluth, the process promoted criticism because McMillian was chair of the Board of Regents who had decided (on a 9-2 vote) to grant Gabel a second contract for five additional years as president and was one of the regents who approved her salary increase in 2021.^[32] Both McMillan and Gabel denied any such suggestion of impropriety, as Gabel had recused herself in the process to hire McMillan. ^{[32] [31]}

In December 2022, Gabel joined the board of Securian Financial, a St. Paul–based financial services company; Even as a controversial move, the University of Minnesota regents gave permission for Gabel to join Securian's board, approving a "conflict management plan" by a 9–3 vote.^[33][34] Gabel's membership to the Securian board came under scrutiny because Securian had contracts with the university.^[34] Gabel resigned from the Securian board in January 2023.^[33][34]

University of Pittsburgh chancellor and CEO

In April 2023, it was announced that Gabel would leave the University of Minnesota to become the 19th chancellor and chief executive officer of the University of Pittsburgh.^[31] She began her tenure as the Chancellor of the University of Pittsburgh on July 17, 2023.^[35][36]

Since joining Pitt, Gabel has refocused the campus on a renewed strategic planning process, coined Reimagining Plan for Pitt.^[37] On her 100^th day as Chancellor, Pitt announced a new program, the Pitt Finish Line Grant, designed to provide financial aid to lower-income students to help them complete their degrees.^[38]

In Fall 2023, Gabel was named one of thirteen University presidents spearheading the College Presidents for Civic Preparedness, a new initiative convened by the Institute for Citizens & Scholars to create better informed and more empowered citizens.^[39] Gabel was also selected to serve as the Chair of the Council of Presidents for the Association of Public and Land Grant Universities.^[40] In January 2024, Gabel was named to Pittsburgh Business Times' fifth annual Power 100.^[41]