Esther Barazzone, Ph.D.
Dr. Barazzone retired from Chatham University in 2016 after 24 years as president. Prior to Chatham, she was vice-president of academic affairs at Philadelphia University, Associate Provost of Swarthmore College, Director of Corporate and Foundation Relations at the University of Pennsylvania and a faculty member at Hamilton and Kirkland Colleges. Dr. Barazzone is a graduate of New College of Florida and of Columbia University, from which she earned a doctorate in Modern European Intellectual History. Dr. Barazzone received a Fulbright Student Award for study in Spain, and attended the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania and the Harvard Institute for Higher Education.
Throughout her career, Dr. Barazzone has been engaged in issues related to higher education, women’s opportunities and leadership, and global education. In recent years she has been extensively involved in sustainability education and initiatives at the university level.
Dr. Barazzone’s work at Chatham has received many awards, among them recognition for success in moving Chatham from being a financially threatened institution to renewed health through new program development, mission expansion and an emphasis on academic excellence. Between 1992 and 2016, Chatham’s enrollment quadrupled, its campus increased from 32 to 450 acres, and it built the world’s first carbon-neutral campus, Eden Hall. Chatham, its Falk School for Sustainability, and its new campus have won awards and recognitions for leadership in environmental programs and design, befitting Rachel Carson’s alma mater. Chatham’s Board of Trustees and president received, in 2016, recognition for exemplary governance from the Association of Governing Boards (AGB).
A civic leader as well, Dr. Barazzone is a Distinguished Daughter of Pennsylvania, and served on the board of the Allegheny Conference, the region’s most significant regional economic development organization, as well as on the boards of other institutions such as Dollar Bank, the Benedum Foundation and the Carnegie Museums.
Her work in international education has been recognized by honorary degrees and citations from universities in Japan, Korea and Pakistan. Her career has been recognized by conferring of the the “History Maker Award” from the Heinz History Center, the Pittsburgh Susan B. Anthony award. The Pittsburgh Business Times Lifetime Achievement and CEO of the Year award in 2016.