Leadership
Joseph E. Aoun
President of Northeastern University
Joseph E. Aoun, a well-known higher education thought leader and renowned scholar in linguistics, is the seventh President of Northeastern University.
An internationally respected voice on the value of global and experiential education, President Aoun has led the expansion of experiential learning—centered on Northeastern’s signature co-op program—to offer opportunities for work, research, service, and global study in 136 countries.
He has strategically aligned the university’s use-inspired research enterprise with three global imperatives—health, security, and sustainability—a focus supported by seven new interdisciplinary research institutes.
Northeastern has also established a network of fourteen campuses in the U.S., Canada, and the United Kingdom, as part of the president’s vision for a global university system that will expand opportunities for lifelong learning and collaborative research.
As a result of these and other initiatives created during the president’s tenure, Northeastern has attracted record numbers of high-talent students, while external awards for research have more than tripled.
President Aoun is the author of numerous articles and books, including Robot-Proof: Higher Education in the Age of Artificial Intelligence (MIT Press, 2017). In it, he confronts the need for colleges and universities to reimagine education in the face of increasingly smart machines.
Among his awards and honors, President Aoun was recently appointed as Chevalier of the Legion of Honor by the President of the French Republic. He is a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, and a past chair of the American Council on Education.
He came to Northeastern from the University of Southern California’s College of Letters, Arts & Sciences, where he was the inaugural holder of the Anna H. Bing Dean’s Chair. He received his PhD in linguistics and philosophy from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and advanced degrees from the University of Paris VIII and Saint Joseph University in Beirut, Lebanon.
Diane Nishigaya MacGillivray
Senior Vice President for University Advancement
Diane Nishigaya MacGillivray is Senior Vice President for University Advancement at Northeastern University, where she oversaw the successful completion of the university’s largest ever campaign in 2017, which raised $1.4 billion, setting a new a university record. Under Diane’s leadership, annual fundraising has increased from an average of $20 million to an average of $110 million, including securing a gift for the first named college at the university and a $50 million donation for a second named college. Most recently, MacGillivray was instrumental in attaining two $100 million gifts to launch an advanced technology campus in Portland, Maine—one from David and Barbara Roux to create the Roux Institute and a second from the Harold Alfond Foundation to provide scholarships and other resources for its students.
MacGillivray steers a University Advancement team that works closely with university leadership to develop and execute fundraising strategies that fuel the university’s momentum. After coming to Northeastern, she implemented a strategic restructuring of the fundraising operation from a centralized model to a more effective hybrid structure and oversaw the creation of new initiatives such as the parent giving program, innovative alumni engagement programs, and Women Who Empower—a university-wide initiative grounded in the belief that diverse and inclusive communities empower a better world. Women Who Empower advances this mission through its entrepreneurship initiative, scholarships, mentorship, events and more.
Prior to joining Northeastern in 2007, MacGillivray was senior associate dean for Advancement in the College of Letters, Arts and Sciences at the University of Southern California (USC). MacGillivray holds a bachelor’s degree from Boston University and a master’s in 19th century British history from USC.
Subodh Chanrai, Trustee, PNT’20’23
Group Executive Chairman, Chanrai Summit Group
Subodh Chanrai is Group Executive Chairman of the Chanrai Summit Group, a Singapore based corporation. Mr. Chanrai also serves as the Executive Chairman of Fareast Mercantile Co. International Limited, which engages in sales, supply chain, and distribution of branded products in the food, fast-moving consumer goods, and appliances in the West Africa region. He previously served as the Director of Tulsi Eye Hospital in Nashik, India, a family-sponsored charity, which provides free eye care to those in need. Mr. Chanrai is an active member of the Young Presidents Organization. He is the parent of a 2020 graduate of the College of Arts, Media and Design, and a D’Amore-McKim School of Business current student. He joined the Board in 2021.
Richard D’Amore, DMSB’76, Chair, Board of Trustees
General Partner at North Bridge Venture Partners
Richard “Rich” D’Amore is General Partner at North Bridge Venture Partners and has been with the company since 1994. From 1982 until 1994, Mr. D’Amore served in various roles at Hambro International Equity Partners. Previously, Mr. D’Amore worked as a consultant at Bain and Company and as a certified public accountant with Arthur Young and Company. He has served as a Member of the Board of Directors of Arsenal Medical, Inc., Flextronics Corporation, Veeco Instruments, Inc., and Everbridge, Inc., and previously served as a Director of Phase Forward Incorporated. In 2012, he joined Alan McKim to donate $60 million to the College of Business Administration, which was renamed in their honor. Since joining the board in 2008, Mr. D’Amore has also served as Chair of the Advancement Committee, Vice Chair of the Board, and Chair of the Empower Campaign at Northeastern. He graduated from the D’Amore-McKim School of Business with a degree in business administration and holds an MBA from Harvard Business School.
Spencer Fung, PA’96, Trustee
Group Executive Chairman of Li & Fung Limited
Spencer Fung is the Group Executive Chairman of Li & Fung Limited, a Hong Kong based global supply chain management company. He previously served as Group Chief Executive Officer until 2020. He joined Li & Fung in 2001 as a merchandiser and has served in roles of increasing responsibility during his tenure. Mr. Fung also serves as a Director of the Victor and William Fung Foundation. He previously worked at PwC in Boston and co-founded HelloAsia.com in 1999. He has been an Independent Non-Executive Director of Swire Properties and is a member of the Young Presidents’ Organization – Hong Kong Chapter. He is a member of the General Committee of The Hong Kong Exporters’ Association. Mr. Fung earned an AB in Economics from Harvard College and holds an MS/MBA from Northeastern University Professional School of Accounting. He joined the Board in 2013.
Jean-Pascal Tricoire, Trustee, PNT’22,’23,’26
Chairman of Schneider Electric
Jean-Pascal Tricoire is Chairman of Schneider Electric, where he served as Chief Executive Officer until May 2023. He serves as Co-Chairman of the France-China Business Council, is a director of the worldwide board of the United Nations Global Compact and is a United Nations #HeForShe Corporate IMPACT champion working with other heads of state, universities, and companies to advance gender equality. He is also an Independent Director of Qualcomm.
Since 2019, Mr. Tricoire has been a member of the International Business Council of the World Economic Forum. He earned his MEng in Electronic Engineering from ESEO in 1985, as well as an MBA from Emlyon Business School in 1986. He is the parent of 2022 and 2023 College of Science graduates, and an undergraduate student. He joined the Board in 2019.
Satyajit Dattagupta
Chief Enrollment Officer, Special Advisor to the President, and Senior Vice Chancellor
Satya Dattagupta joined Northeastern as Chief Enrollment Officer and Senior Vice Chancellor in 2022. He also serves as Special Advisor the President and Senior Vice Chancellor. With a background in computer science and more than two decades in progressive enrollment management, he brings a focused data-driven enrollment and recruitment approach to lead the university’s growth.
Prior to joining Northeastern, Dattagupta was the Senior Vice President and Dean of Admissions for Enrollment Management and Graduate and Pre-College Strategy at Tulane University. He holds a Bachelor of Science and an MBA from Southwest Minnesota State University, where he was an international student, giving him a unique perspective on diverse global recruitment and enrollment efforts.
Dattagupta works closely with university colleagues, identifying strategies and opportunities to support the university’s long-term enrollment growth, innovation agenda, and sustainability. He oversees departments responsible for student recruitment, pricing and financial aid, admissions, and enrollment marketing and communications.