Office of the President

Dr. Louise Fincher was elected by the Board of Trustees as the 23rd President of Emory & Henry University at the Spring Board Meeting. Fincher began her tenure as Interim President on August 1, 2024.

Fincher began working for Emory & Henry in 2014 as the founding dean of the School of Health Sciences whose vision helped launch the E&H School of Health Sciences in Marion, a 15-acre campus that now houses graduate and undergraduate programs in nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, mental health counseling and physician assistant. In 2017 she was named a vice president with administrative oversight of graduate education and research compliance. She also led initiatives to develop infrastructure for online education.

In 2020 she was named senior vice president, working with the President and Provost to implement and assess the University’s strategic plan. In this role, she worked with the E&H Advancement Office to establish relationships with philanthropic supporters and raise funds for key initiatives throughout the institution. In addition, she led the development of the Southwest Virginia Healthcare Excellence Academy Laboratory School (SWVA-HEALS), a pipeline program preparing future healthcare professionals to meet the workforce shortages in Southwest Virginia.

Fincher holds a doctor of education degree with a focus on human performance studies from The University of Alabama, a master of science in education degree with a focus on athletic training from Indiana State University, and a bachelor of science in education degree from Stephen F. Austin State University. Before coming to Emory & Henry, she served as Professor and Chair of the Department of Kinesiology in the College of Education and Health Professions at The University of Texas at Arlington. From 1995 to 2000 she served as President and CEO of the Joe W. King Orthopedic Institute at the Texas Orthopedic Hospital. Previously she served as the Institute’s Director of Education and Coordinator of Research and Education.