野狼社区 University has named Karen Gaines as its next provost and vice president for Academic Affairs, university leaders announced today.
Gaines most recently served as provost and dean of faculty at Norwich University in Northfield, Vermont, a position she held from May 2022 through this past summer. Her time at Norwich included serving as acting president during the spring 2024 semester.
Prior to her time in Vermont, Gaines served nearly six years as dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Daytona Beach, Florida, and nearly 11 years as faculty member and later department chair of Biological Sciences, as well as other administrative roles, at Eastern Illinois University in Charleston, Illinois.
OCU President Kenneth Evans said Gaines鈥� significant administrative experience makes her an ideal selection for the university鈥檚 provost role.
鈥淜aren鈥檚 expertise in academic planning, fiscal management, fundraising and leadership will be a great benefit to the university,鈥� Evans said. 鈥淲e are pleased to welcome her to the OCU family and look forward to her stewardship of the Office of Academic Affairs.鈥�
Gaines holds a doctoral degree in public health with a focus in environmental toxicology from the University of South Carolina; a master of science degree in wildlife science from Purdue University; and a bachelor鈥檚 degree in environmental biology from the State University of New York鈥檚 College of Environmental Science and Forestry.
She earned a certificate in global health delivery from the Harvard School of Public Health and is internationally recognized for her research on toxicants in extreme environments.
During her academic career, Gaines has been published extensively in peer-reviewed journals and has helped secure more than $100 million in funding. She鈥檚 worked to launch new and innovative academic programming in both online and in-person modalities, including introducing the nation鈥檚 first aerospace physiology degree while at Embry-Riddle.
Gaines said her leadership philosophy centers on working collaboratively with all stakeholders to develop strategies through consensus and shared ownership. She emphasized her commitment to data-driven decision making, empowering faculty voices in institutional direction, and sustainable academic innovation that will advance student success, support faculty development, and strengthen institutional impact.
鈥淚鈥檓 eager to partner with OCU鈥檚 exceptional faculty and work alongside my administrative colleagues to advance our shared mission,鈥� Gaines said. 鈥淓verything we do must drive toward our ultimate goal: ensuring every student succeeds and thrives.鈥�
Gaines is a native of New York. She is active in numerous public health organizations and is an invited member of the Health Physics Society and the International Union of Radioecology. She鈥檚 supported community causes including YMCA youth sports, the American Heart Association and environmental clean-up organizations.
Her first day at OCU will be January 1.
Gaines takes over from interim Provost Adam Ryburn, who will remain with the university and return to his previous position of assistant provost. Evans expressed his appreciation for Ryburn鈥檚 contributions to OCU and his leadership during the interim period.
