Appointment of Dr. Naomi Boyd as the Dean of the Daniels College

Dear DU Community, 

I write with great delight to share with you news of the appointment of our next Dean of the Daniels College of Business, Naomi Boyd, Ph.D. Dr. Boyd comes to the University of Denver from Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, Virginia, where she served as the seventh dean of the VCU School of Business.

While at VCU, Dr. Boyd co-led the One VCU Academic Transformation Committee, which created a new strategic pathway for the university’s future through a creative exploration of innovative thought leadership on the future of higher education. At the School level, she worked with stakeholders, including students, faculty, staff, alumni, and corporate partners to reimagine the landscape of the School of Business, setting forth an ambitious strategic vision grounded in the power of disruption as a catalyst for innovation and entrepreneurship. Five new centers and multiple corporate partnerships were established, research expenditures grew by a factor of eight, enrollment at both the undergraduate and graduate levels were substantially increased, and programs such as the Markel Investor Relations and Robinhood ETF Fellows programs were developed that offered students opportunities to engage in real-world, year-round projects. 

Prior to her service as Dean, Dr. Boyd was Associate Dean of West Virginia University’s Chambers College of Business and long-serving chair of its finance department. During her time at WVU, she developed innovative programs focused on providing students with transformational experiences, including the West Virginia Student Managed Investment Fund. She took an entrepreneurial approach to growth by building multiple global partnerships, specialized master’s programs, and doctoral programs.  

A proud graduate of George Washington University, from which she obtained her Ph.D. in finance; Texas Tech University, at which she earned her M.B.A.; and the University of Texas at Austin, where she earned her undergraduate degree, Dr. Boyd brings with her leadership experience that crosses industry, government, and academia with over 20 years of experience in strategy, regulatory reform, fiscal management, programmatic development, and leadership. Her research focuses on structural changes in markets and/or processes and the impact of such changes on the underlying microstructure. Her recent work evaluates the stability of networks of traders and the implications of these networks on survival in financial markets, risk shifting among market participants, and other microstructure issues such as price discovery. 

Dr. Boyd was thrilled to learn of her appointment, stating, “It is a tremendous honor and privilege to have the opportunity to lead the Daniels College of Business during such a pivotal time in higher education.  From the time I stepped foot on campus, I was inspired by the passion and innovative spirit of the students, staff, faculty, and alumni.”  Dr. Boyd observed further, “I look forward to getting to know the DU community in the coming months. Together, we will harness our collective strengths to elevate the Daniels College of Business to even higher levels, while creating a future trajectory that will change the lives of our students and impact the world in meaningful and powerful ways."  

In reflecting on Dr. Boyd’s appointment, Dean Michelle Sabick, co-chair of the DCB Dean Search committee, declared, “I think I speak not only for myself but for the rest of the deans when I say I look forward to partnering with Dr. Boyd to develop innovative and effective academic programs in areas of shared opportunity across the university.” 

Professor Dan Baack joined Dean Sabick as co-chair of the DCB Dean Search committee and observed, “We are excited to welcome Dean Boyd to the Daniels community. Her passion for faculty, staff, and, most importantly, students rang clear throughout her campus visit. Her successes as a dean, associate dean, department chair, and faculty member, coupled with her understanding of the complexities of business education, impressed us.” Professor Baack concluded, “Speaking for Daniels and DU, I know we all look forward to collaborating with Dean Boyd.” 

Great credit goes to the work of the DCB dean search committee in recruiting Dr. Boyd. Exceptionally led by Dean Sabick and Professor Baack, the search committee was composed of:  

Trustee Brandon Johnson also served on the search committee and, along with a number of other trustees, helped recruit Dr. Boyd to DU. 

In closing, please join me in celebrating the leadership of Dean Vivek Choudhury, who has tirelessly worked on behalf of Daniels for the last five years. Dean Choudhury expanded scholarship, academic programming, and other philanthropic support for the College during this time, and I look forward to saluting him more fully as the transition approaches. 

In the meantime, please join me in welcoming Dr. Naomi Boyd to the DCB and broader DU communities – exciting times are ahead! 

With very best regards,

Mary L. Clark

Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor