Rockefeller Alum Named President of Emory University

ATLANTA, GEORGIA (June 1, 2026) — Christopher L. Augostini, a Rockefeller College of Public Affairs and Policy alum, has been elected the 22nd president of Emory University.  

“I’m extraordinarily honored and thrilled to be named Emory’s next president,” Augostini said in a statement. “I look forward to beginning this new chapter in partnership with faculty, the board, students, staff and the entire Emory community.”    

Augostini, who currently serves as the executive vice president and chief operating officer at the university, will begin the new role on Sept. 1. 

At Rockefeller, Augostini studied public policy analysis, earning his bachelor’s degree in 1987 and master’s in public policy two years later. He went on to hold senior government positions with the city and state of New York before moving into higher education, serving for 17 years as the senior vice president and chief operating officer at Georgetown University. 

Through the years he has continued to support Rockefeller students and established The Louis P. and Dolores M. Augostini Fellowship, named in honor of his parents. It’s awarded each year to two Rockefeller PhD students who demonstrate outstanding merit. Augostini and his wife, Maria Augostini, established the fund in 2017 because he benefited from a scholarship while completing his graduate degree and wanted to give back. 

“Coming from a middle-class family of seven kids in Upstate New York, it enabled me to focus on my studies and not divide my time between school and work,” Augostini said. “I can’t express how important those years were in forming me as an adult. I am who I am because of SUNY.”  

Augostini has been at Emory for nearly a decade and, as executive vice president and system-wide chief operating officer, oversees all enterprise functions for the university. 

“We’re proud to count an engaged alum among the leaders who are shaping the future of higher education and giving back to the institution that helped launch that journey,” said Julie Novkov, dean of Rockefeller College. “It speaks volumes about the lasting impact of a Rockefeller education.” 

To read more about Augostini’s career at Emory visit news.emory.edu.