Dr. Justin B. Thompson joins the McIntire School as Senior Associate Dean for Administration and Chief Financial Officer, effective Feb. 2, 2026, bringing more than two decades of experience in finance, operations, strategic planning, and institutional advancement.

Thompson comes to McIntire from the UVA School of Education and Human Development (EHD), where he served for the past 13 years as Senior Associate Dean and Chief Operating Officer. In that role, he oversaw all academic, administrative, and clinical operations for a complex enterprise with projected annual revenue exceeding $120 million. His portfolio spanned budget and finance, human resources, information technology, facilities and capital projects, community safety, clinical services, marketing and communications, fundraising, and policy and planning.

Thompson’s operational leadership and executive partnership were critical to helping the school build substantial financial reserves, increase graduate and undergraduate enrollment by 37%, double sponsored research activity to nearly $64 million in annual awards, and meet a $100 million fundraising goal three years ahead of schedule. These efforts contributed to EHD’s rise from 32nd to sixth in national rankings, strengthening its reputation as a highly effective and well-resourced academic enterprise.

Thompson previously served on University-wide strategic planning initiatives, including the Commission on the Future of the University, and has played a key role in the development and refinement of UVA’s financial model. He currently serves on the University Financial Model 3.0 Working Group, advising senior leadership on future enhancements to the institution’s budgeting framework. He has led the development of analytics and reporting systems adopted across multiple UVA schools and conducted longstanding fair compensation analyses to support the success of faculty and staff.

Thompson will continue his academic appointment as an Associate Professor at EHD, in the Department of Education Leadership, Foundations, and Policy. His academic work in higher education administration keeps him closely connected to emerging research, leadership trends, and practical challenges shaping contemporary colleges and universities. He has taught graduate courses in management, planning, budgeting, finance, governance, and the history of higher education.