John O’Brien Announces Retirement as President and CEO of EDUCAUSE

WASHINGTON, Aug. 27, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The EDUCAUSE Board of Directors today announced that Dr. John O’Brien, President and CEO of EDUCAUSE, has informed the board of his intention to retire in August 2027, following a lifelong career dedicated to higher education.

Since becoming president and CEO of EDUCAUSE in 2015, O’Brien has guided the association through a decade of extraordinary change and strengthened EDUCAUSE’s leadership role within the higher education community. During his tenure, EDUCAUSE expanded its work as a convener, research organization, source of professional learning, and advocate for colleges, universities, and other organizations around the world.

The past decade has brought significant upheaval, from the pandemic and the Great Resignation to enrollment pressures, rapid advances in artificial intelligence, and an increasingly complex policy environment. Through it all, O’Brien has emphasized collaboration, shared leadership, and a clear focus on the people and communities higher education exists to serve.

As EDUCAUSE prepares for its next president and CEO, it does so as a strong and trusted organization, well positioned to continue leading and supporting the higher education community.

“John has led with clarity and unwavering focus for eleven years, never losing sight of the greater good, even in the hardest stretches,” said EDUCAUSE Board Chair Tara Hughes. “He has made EDUCAUSE a bigger, more welcoming tent, and the whole sector is better for it.”

Prior to joining EDUCAUSE, O’Brien held a wide range of leadership positions across higher education, including faculty member in English, instructional technology leader, chief academic officer, and community college president. Immediately before his EDUCAUSE appointment, he served as senior vice chancellor for academic and student affairs for the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system, the third-largest higher education system in the United States.

Throughout his service to EDUCAUSE, O’Brien has become one of the most trusted voices at the intersection of higher education and technology, writing and speaking widely on digital transformation, student success, cybersecurity, workforce development, institutional resilience, public policy, and, more recently, the opportunities and challenges of artificial intelligence. Throughout his service, he never let the technology outrun the people it was meant to serve. O’Brien helped shape how EDUCAUSE shows up for its members, not just as a key resource for institutions navigating dynamic change, but as a place where technology decisions stay grounded in what they mean for students, faculty, staff, and the communities they serve.

“Leading EDUCAUSE has been the privilege and joy of a lifetime,” O’Brien said. “Throughout my career, I’ve embraced opportunities to make a difference, and I’ve never stopped believing that this work, done well, is in service to something greater than any of us. Our extraordinary worldwide community of more than 2,100 member colleges, universities, and other organizations has made that belief real every single day.”

O’Brien also serves as chair of the board of regents of Augsburg University and as a board member of the American Council on Education (ACE) and Achieving the Dream. In retirement, he looks forward to continuing to speak and write on technology and higher education.

In the months ahead, the EDUCAUSE Board of Directors will engage with a national search firm to identify O’Brien’s successor with plans for a leadership transition in August 2027.

About EDUCAUSE

EDUCAUSE is a nonprofit association whose mission is to lead the way, advancing the strategic use of technology and data to further the promise of higher education. We connect and empower our member community through insights, advocacy, resources, and learning opportunities to anticipate trends and strengthen professional practice. We believe in inspiring the transformation of higher education in service to a greater good.

For more information, email Marc Stith mstith@educause.edu or visit educause.edu.