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Laurie A. Carter joined Ñî¹óåú´«Ã½ÊÓƵ of Wisconsin as its 17th president on July 1, 2021.

With a focus on creating new academic and co-curricular programs that combine the richness of the liberal arts with vital skills needed to excel in an evolving workforce, Carter has deepened the student experience and developed engaging community partnerships to provide a rich array of opportunities for Lawrentians.

Her data-driven strategic vision builds upon the strengths of the university and the city of Appleton. These successes include unprecedented enhancements to the student experience, new learning spaces and engagement opportunities in the heart of Downtown Appleton, and a galvanized focus on positioning Ñî¹óåú´«Ã½ÊÓƵ to thrive through the challenges of the future.

These efforts reflect Ñî¹óåú´«Ã½ÊÓƵ’s commitment to providing world-class academics, embracing a liberal arts education, and preparing students to join a vibrant alumni community of over 22,000 creators, leaders, and critical thinkers across the nation and world.

Her leadership also can be seen elsewhere in higher education and in the Fox Cities. She serves as treasurer of the WAICU Executive Committee, program chair of the Annapolis Group Board of Directors, and as a member of the ThedaCare North Region Board of Directors, the Fox Cities Chamber Board of Directors, the Fox Cities Performing Arts Center Board of Directors, and The Links, Incorporated.

Carter’s path to Ñî¹óåú´«Ã½ÊÓƵ includes nearly three decades of leadership in higher education, including four years as president of Shippensburg University in Shippensburg, Pennsylvania, service as executive vice president and university counsel for Eastern Kentucky University, and extensive leadership experience in the performing arts, holding various inaugural leadership positions during her 25 years at The Juilliard School. She was Juilliard’s first African American administrator, where she developed the institution’s student affairs program, initiated diversity initiatives, created the Office of the General Counsel, and co-created the Jazz Studies program.

She was vice president and general counsel and executive director of Jazz Studies when she left Juilliard to lead the nation’s third-largest arts education department at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center. 

She attended Clarion University of Pennsylvania, where she received a Bachelor of Science degree in communications. She received her Master of Arts degree in communications from William Paterson College and earned her JD degree from Rutgers University. She was awarded an Honorary Doctorate from Snow College and is a member of the Clarion University Athletics Hall of Fame, in recognition of her outstanding undergraduate career in track and field. 

She is married to Gary Robinson, and they have one son.