The Office of Human Resources is pleased to announce the appointment of James W. Gallaher, Jr. as the new vice chancellor. Dr. Gallaher arrives in Pittsburgh from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC) where he served as the executive director for strategic initiatives in the human resources department.

At UIUC, Dr. Gallaher led HR strategy, succession planning, professional development and other campus level initiatives including the Return to Onsite Operations (Future of Work) committee, which focused on rethinking work at UIUC post-pandemic. He also led the development and integration of a newly formed functional unit, which includes HR strategy; dual career program; employee development and learning; marketing and communications; and campus well-being services.

Additionally, he served as a Clinical Assistant Professor in the Human Resource Development program. In this role, he advised doctoral students and served on early research and dissertation committees in addition to teaching select courses.

His career spans numerous higher education institutions, as well as the corporate sector, including roles as Vice President of Human Resources, Diversity, and Wellness at Butler University and Chief Human Resources Officer at Eastern Michigan University. Gallaher started his career in Human Resources at General Motors in Detroit, MI where he served in various roles including human resource management and consulting, labor relations, global organizational capability, leadership development, training and evaluation, and organizational development.

Gallaher received his Ph.D. in Human Resource Development from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, where he also earned his MBA and Master of Education degrees. Additionally, he holds undergraduate and master’s degrees in Workforce Education and Development from Southern Illinois University. He is also a proud veteran and holds an Associate of Applied Sciences degree from the Community College of the Air Force.

Please join us in welcoming Dr. Gallaher to the University of Pittsburgh beginning December 1, 2021.