In an era of constant change, why should Duke administration be any different?
Last week, Duke named Daniel Ennis as its next executive vice president. He’ll replace current EVP Tallman Trask after Trask steps down from the role Nov. 30.
Ennis is no stranger to university administration, boasting ten years of experience as Johns Hopkins University’s senior vice president of finance and administration and eight years in multiple administrative capacities at Harvard Medical School and University.
Before that, Ennis received a bachelor of arts in political science from Boston College in 1992, joining Goldman Sachs as a financial analyst after graduating. He went on to complete a dual master’s program at Harvard, receiving a master’s of business administration from Harvard Business School and a master’s in public administration from Harvard’s John F. Kennedy School of Government in 1998.
Ennis served as engagement manager at McKinsey & Company until 2002, where his consulting work helped catalyze organizational changes in Harvard’s administration.
He then joined Harvard University as associate vice president for finance and financial planning, interim director of treasury management, and director of budgets, financial planning and institutional research.
In 2007, Ennis moved to a position as chief administrative officer of Harvard Medical School, where he was tasked with overseeing the medical school’s nearly $3 billion dollar endowment and $500 million dollar annual budget, as well as more than 17,000 faculty, fellows, residents and students.
Ennis’ financial planning helped Harvard overcome “choppy financial waters” and create a long-term financial plan, according to The Harvard Crimson. He also played a crucial role in the development of interdepartmental collaborations.
He created the Department of Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology—the first cross-school department at Harvard—designed to foster research on biologically inspired engineering.
Ennis was also credited with facilitating plans for renovating the Harvard Medical School Quadrangle and departmental reorganization.
Ennis began his role as senior vice president of finance and administration at Johns Hopkins in 2010.In addition to overseeing a $3 billion campus renewal and expansion plan, he helped change and implement benefit programs at the university, including parental leave policies and vouchers.
Ennis also facilitated the construction and operation of community outreach effort HopkinsLocal, which partnered with local minority-owned businesses to expand economic opportunities and advancement for those living in struggling areas of Baltimore, where the university is based. He played a large role in expanding the university’s accessibility through increased financial aid.
In a Duke news release announcing Ennis’ appointment as EVP, Johns Hopkins President Ronald Daniels said Ennis “has always ensured that financial and operational decisions were made in service of the core academic mission of the university.”
Ennis looks forward to assuming his role at Duke on Dec. 1, he said in the release.
“This is an incredible opportunity to help shape the future of one of the world’s great research universities and academic medical centers that is such an integral partner to a thriving and diverse city like Durham,” he said.
Get The Chronicle straight to your inbox
Signup for our weekly newsletter. Cancel at any time.
Leah Boyd is a Pratt senior and a social chair of The Chronicle's 118th volume. She was previously editor-in-chief for Volume 117.