Dr. Lisa Sutherland has officially taken over as interim president of Jacksonville University, stepping into the role on Wednesday as the school continues a major leadership shuffle. Her appointment kicks in as longtime president Tim Cost moves into a chancellor position centered on partnerships and fundraising. Sutherland, who arrived at JU in 2023, has led the Cost Honors College and has been serving as interim dean of the Davis College of Business and Technology.
Board Announced Her Selection Last October
The Jacksonville University Board of Trustees tapped Sutherland on Oct. 28, 2025, and set July 1 as her official start date, according to Jacksonville University. The university also rolled out a Facebook welcome on Wednesday to mark the handoff. In that announcement, President Tim Cost praised her as “an agile leader,” and the board confirmed it will conduct a national search to find a permanent president.
Her Resume Spans Science And Corporate Strategy
Sutherland earned her PhD at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and completed a postdoctoral fellowship at UNC’s Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, Jacksonville Today reports. She brings more than two decades of experience across higher education and the private sector, having founded the Sutherland Group and held senior nutrition posts at Walmart and Kellogg, according to the Jax Daily Record.
Transition Plan And What To Expect On Campus
Jacksonville University’s Office of the President has billed the leadership transition as seamless, saying “classes, student services, faculty research, and daily campus operations will continue as normal” while the board manages the presidential search, per Jacksonville University's Office of the President. Sutherland will hold the interim post while the university completes its search for a permanent leader.
Sutherland thanked the board for its confidence and said she is “deeply grateful for the trust the Board has placed in me” as she steps into the job, local reporting notes. Jacksonville Today adds that she co‑chaired JU’s 2030 Strategic Plan and will focus on advancing the university’s academic and fundraising priorities during the interim period.
