Kathleen Jagger

Kathleen S. Jagger, Ph.D., M.P.H., has been president of Newman University since 2020. She has been in higher education since 1979 serving at various institutions with Division I, II, III and NAIA athletics.

A Professor of Biology for more than 25 years she also has served in a various administrative and leadership roles including Dean, VP for Academic Affairs and acting President.

She has a PhD in Microbiology from the Univ. of Cincinnati and an MPH from Harvard Univ. She has developed programs for students to serve with communities of need in Asia, Latin America and the USA.

She has conducted research in microbiology & immunology and served as a research program director for ProMedica Health System in Toledo, OH. She also served as a Scholar in Residence and Foundation Lecturer for the American Society of Microbiology and was an Eli Lilly Faculty Fellow.

Kathleen enjoys most sports as a participant or spectator and has a 2nd degree black belt in Tae Kwon Do.

She is a current board member of the Tumaini Foundation for Global Health & Humanitarianism. She has also served on boards for Habitat for Humanity in Kentucky and Indiana; & United Nations Assn-USA, Bluegrass Chapter.

Kathleen was born and raised in the greater Chicago area. She is married to Dr. Jim Jagger, a primary care sports medicine physician, who formerly served as chief of athletic medicine and head team physician for the University of Kentucky athletics. Both of her children were intercollegiate athletes.