Wilkes has new VP of Finance/COO, General Counsel/Title IX Coordinator | News

Ellen Gallagher is the vice president of finance and chief operating officer at Wilkes University and started at Wilkes in February. Elizabeth Leo joined Wilkes University as general counsel and Title IX coordinator in the fall.

Gallagher comes to Wilkes from the American Museum of Natural History in New York City, where she was senior vice president and chief financial officer. During her career, she held positions at The Public Theater and New York Shakespeare Festival, the Lincoln Center Redevelopment Corp., the Tucker Music Foundation and the Pennsylvania Ballet.

In her new role, she is the university’s most senior financial officer and oversees a range of university operations, including finance, information technology services, facilities and dining services, campus security and capital projects.

Gallagher is a native of Northeast Pennsylvania and lives in Shavertown. A graduate of Wyoming Seminary, she earned a bachelor’s degree in international business from King’s College, a master’s degree in data analytics from Villanova University and a master of business degree from the University of Notre Dame.

Leo has more than 25 years of legal experience and lives in Dallas. She is responsible for leading the legal affairs of the university, ensuring a safe and equitable learning and working environments for students and employees and overseeing educational and awareness initiatives in identifying, reporting and prevent sexual misconduct.

She earned a bachelor’s degree from Hobart and William Smith Colleges in Geneva, N.Y., and a law degree from St. John’s University School of Law.