Vice President, Strategy & Senior Advisor
Laura Jacobs, Ph.D., serves as vice president, strategy and senior advisor at The University of Tulsa, where she advances institutional priorities, drives campus capacity for innovation and expands strategic partnerships in service of President Stacy Leeds’ vision for the university. In this role, she provides executive-level counsel as a thought partner to the president and oversees strategic marketing and communications, ensuring alignment between the university’s narrative and its ambitious goals. Jacobs also holds a faculty appointment in the Kendall College of Arts & Sciences.
A higher education leader with more than 25 years of experience, Jacobs previously served as associate vice chancellor and chief of staff to the chancellor at the University of Arkansas, focusing on executive strategy, strategic planning and institutional initiatives. She spearheaded the development of two strategic plans, which established institutional pillars around student success, research excellence and employer of choice positioning. She later transitioned to university advancement as senior director of philanthropic initiatives, helping organize, launch and lead a $200-million campaign and scholarship to expand access for Arkansas students.
Earlier in her career, Jacobs served as director of communications at Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art and held progressive leadership roles in university relations at the University of Arkansas, where she oversaw communications, marketing and public engagement.
Jacobs holds a Bachelor of Arts in English and communication, a Master of Arts in higher education administration, and a Ph.D. in higher education administration with emphasis on relationship management, all from the University of Arkansas.