The Spelman College Board of Trustees announced Friday that Dr. Ayanna Howard has been appointed the 12th president in the HBCU’s history.
The higher education leader joins Spelman from Ohio State University, where she served as the dean of the College of Engineering and held the Monte Ahuja Endowed Dean’s Chair.
In addition to leadership roles held at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory and the Georgia Institute of Technology, she is also a highly respected roboticist and entrepreneur.
The Brown University alum is the co-founder of Zyrobotics, a company that creates educational and therapeutic technologies for children with special needs, and Black in Robotics, an organization dedicated to expanding representation and opportunity within the robotics profession.
She has also been named to Forbes’ America’s Top 50 Women in Tech and has been elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, the American Association for the Advancement of Science, and the National Academy of Inventors.
During the interview process, Spelman representatives believed that Howard showcased the experiences and abilities vital for “helping prepare future generations of Black women to lead in a rapidly changing world.”
“Throughout this search process, we sought a leader who would honor Spelman’s legacy while boldly advancing our future, and Dr. Howard embodies that vision,” said Lovette Russell, chair of Spelman College Board of Trustees, in a Friday press release.
“She understands the opportunities and challenges shaping higher education today and shares Spelman’s unwavering commitment to preparing Black women to lead and drive change. The Board is excited about Spelman’s future under her leadership and confident she will build upon the College’s remarkable momentum for generations to come.”
The board’s appointment puts an end to a national search conducted by the Presidential Search and Nomination Committee, during which the committee says that it engaged trustees, faculty, staff, students, alumnae and other key stakeholders to determine their decision.
She takes on the position that has been vacant since 2024, after Dr. Helene Gayle stepped down after two years, following a month-long personal leave of absence.
“I am deeply honored and excited to join Spelman College, and the amazing faculty, staff, and trustees that have shaped generations of Black women,” said Howard. “Students choose Spelman because they want to make a difference in the world, and as the world changes, we must equip them to thrive. At a time when technology, the workforce, and society are evolving rapidly, Spelman’s mission has never been more important. I look forward to building on the College’s legacy while honoring its tradition, values, and sisterhood.”
Howard’s appointment is not the first announcement of personnel changes in Atlanta’s higher education sector before the start of the fall 2026 semester.
Last month, Emory University announced Christopher L. Augostini, its current executive vice president and chief operating officer, as the institution’s 22nd president.
Howard is scheduled to begin her tenure as president on Aug. 1.
