Studying the athletic director position

Briefing: Georgia Tech

Updated June 15, 2025

The purpose of the HEA Briefing is to give administrators an understanding of the political landscape of the institution and its location to help them improve their political IQ and awareness. These are facts without opinion. All of this information was collected manually and no AI was used in this HEA briefing.

The HEA Briefing includes:

Situational Summary

Georgia Tech is looking for its next athletic director after previous AD, J Batt, hired in 2022, left for the same position at Michigan State. The athletic department at Georgia Tech is governed by the Georgia Tech Athletic Association, a non-profit whose trustees are mostly student, faculty and administrative leaders at Georgia Tech, suggesting the importance of the next AD being an active member of the president’s cabinet with a university-wide focus.

Georgia Tech used Parker Executive Search in the previous AD search and the Georgia Tech Athletic Association Board of Trustees approved the president’s selection of J Batt. Given the success Georgia Tech athletics had under Batt, it is likely they are using Parker Executive Search again. President Angel Cabrera used Parker Executive Search at his previous presidency, George Mason University, when he hired an AD after the previous AD retired.

The institution appears to be in a stable situation with President Cabrera leading the R1 and AAU-member university as president for over 5 years now. Georgia Tech is halfway through its 2020-2030 strategic plan. The University System of Georgia provided Cabrera with a raise in 2025, which suggests strong support for the steady leader and alumnus of Georgia Tech.

The current VP for development at Georgia Tech, Jim Hall, has significant fundraising experience and has been heavily involved in Georgia Tech athletics. This could be advantageous for the next athletic director to have someone like him as a fundraising partner. The interim athletic director, Jon Palumbo, came to Georgia Tech under the previous AD as the executive deputy AD and COO, and had served as a D1 athletic director prior to this role.

Atlanta and Fulton County residents lean heavily democrat in a swing state that voted in a republican governor and president but maintain both democratic senators. The Atlanta mayor is a democratic and also a Georgia Tech alumnus. Only one of the 16 members on the Atlantic City Council is an alumnus of Georgia Tech and the majority attended colleges outside of Georgia.

Location

2024 General Election Voting

Institutional Profile

Georgia Tech Leadership

Below are relevant names and, when possible, linked biographies of institutional and area leaders, including Board of Regents, President, and the President’s Executive Leadership Team and Cabinet.

University System of Georgia Board of Regents

President

President’s Cabinet

The President’s leadership team consists of an Executive Leadership Team and the President’s Cabinet. Since these are interchangeable at different institutions, both are included below in the sections they appear from the Office of the President website. Organization Chart

*denotes being a trustee on the Georgia Tech Athletic Association that governs the athletic department

Executive Leadership Team

President’s Cabinet

Georgia Tech Athletic Association Board of Trustees

The GTAA Board of Trustees oversees the athletic department and approves the hiring proposal of the AD from the university president. Voting members include the president, the university’s VP for administration and finance, 11 faculty, 7 alums, and 3 students. The students include an athlete appointed by the AD (currently the president of the student-athlete advisory board), the undergraduate student body president, and the graduate student body president. The majority of the members are university leaders, including several cabinet members and academic deans.

Non-voting members include the AD, a board director from the Georgia Tech Foundation, the editor of the Technique (student newspaper), and honorary members of the Board of Trustees. Faculty, alums, and honorary members are appointed to 3 year terms by the president.

Politicians

Below are relevant names and linked biographies of federal, state and local politicians representing the area that includes Georgia Tech.

Federal

State

City

Resource Publications

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