FAIRFAX, Va.—Jackie Ferree has been selected as George Mason University’s first Senior Vice President of Operations and Business Services following a national search. Reporting to Deb Dickenson, Executive Vice President of Finance and Administration, this new position will oversee Facilities and Campus Operations, IT Services, Auxiliary Services and Operations, and Capital Strategy and Planning. Ferree starts on July 31, 2023.
“We are thrilled to welcome Jackie Ferree to the helm of this new position during a critical time of growth and transformation for our university,” Dickenson said. “Her experience will prove invaluable in strengthening infrastructure, fostering efficiencies, and building revenues to support Mason’s strategic goals in service of the commonwealth.”
Ferree joins Mason from William & Mary, where she currently serves as interim Chief Operating Officer. Since joining William & Mary in 2015, Ferree served as Associate Dean of Finance and Administration at the School of Business, followed by Associate Vice President for Business Services and Organizational Excellence, before stepping into the interim COO position last October. Her contributions at William & Mary include an integral role in creating a comprehensive university housing and dining plan, as well as the associated public–private financing partnership. Ferree also oversaw the adoption of a new dining contract and implementation of university-wide business intelligence reporting.
“I look forward to joining the Mason leadership team at a time of growth in workforce development and of opportunity for Virginia’s families,” Ferree said. “The alignment of operations and services presents tremendous opportunities to expand access to academic excellence and further develop Mason’s regional partnerships.”
Before coming to William & Mary, Ferree worked in finance and administration at George Washington University (GWU), as well as at the private business Sterling Commerce and nonprofit Battelle. She has taught as an online graduate adjunct professor at GWU since 2014 and will continue to do so.
ABOUT GEORGE MASON UNIVERSITY
George Mason University is Virginia’s largest public research university. Located near Washington, D.C., Mason enrolls nearly 40,000 students from 130 countries and all 50 states. Mason has grown rapidly over the past half-century and is recognized for its innovation and entrepreneurship, remarkable diversity and commitment to accessibility. In 2023, the university launched Mason Now: Power the Possible, a one-billion-dollar comprehensive campaign to support student success, research, innovation, community, and sustainability. Learn more at gmu.edu.