As the State's flagship, the University of Maryland (UMD) strives to bring students deeply into the process of discovery, innovation and entrepreneurship. 

Higher Education

University of Maryland

Sandra Ferris

Jen Gartner began her appointment as interim vice president for legal affairs and general counsel in October 2022. Gartner serves as adviser and counselor to university leadership on strategic, legal, policy and risk management issues that impact the university. She provides guidance on a wide range of legal issues that involve the university's divisions and works closely with university clients to advance their objectives by providing timely advice, vigorous and ethical advocacy, and creative problem-solving.

Gartner joined the University of Maryland in April 2013 as associate general counsel and has served as the transactional practice group leader since 2020. Her career has focused on government contracts law and federal regulatory compliance, especially as related to the conduct of sponsored research and the provision of health care services at public institutions of higher education. Gartner has worked directly with clients in all of the university's divisions, acts as the lead attorney in responding to federal investigations related to the university's research enterprise, serves as an ex officio member of numerous standing committees, and has served on several campuswide working groups, including the COVID-19 Health and Safety Task Force, to provide guidance, create and revise policies, and otherwise address specific campus concerns.

In addition to being a practicing attorney, Gartner taught graduate courses in administrative law, environmental law, and negotiations for the University of Colorado Denver for 10 years. She serves as the chief ethics commissioner for the town of Brentwood, Md. Gartner earned a B.A. from the University of Delaware, a J.D. from the George Washington University Law School and an M.P.A. from Norwich University.

Jen Gartner

Harshit Garg

Jongwan Won

Junfei Hao

Karah Johnson

Matthew Hodge joined the University of Maryland as vice president for university relations and president of the University of Maryland College Park Foundation in July 2022. With more than 25 years of higher education fundraising experience, Hodge leads a team of 200+ advancement professionals responsible for generating private philanthropic and volunteer support among the university’s alumni and friends, and for best-in-class engagement of donors. University Relations staff, centrally based within the division and within 14 schools, colleges and divisions across campus, focus on annual, major, principal and planned gifts; alumni and donor relations; and the financial management and operations of the division and UMCP Foundation.

Hodge previously served as associate vice president of development and chief development officer at the University of Florida. There, he spearheaded the development and execution of the $3 billion Go Greater campaign, the largest for a university in the state. Under his leadership, the university also launched a transformational public-private partnership focused on its national position in artificial intelligence.

In addition to several other leadership positions at UF, Hodge served in advancement roles at Seminole State College of Florida and the University of Central Florida. He holds a B.S. in advertising from the University of Florida and a Master of Public Administration and Ph.D. in public affairs from the University of Central Florida.

Matthew M. Hodge

Gregory F. Ball is the vice president for research for the University of Maryland, College Park (UMCP) and the University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB), overseeing a joint research enterprise that ranks among the top 10 public institutions in research expenditures, and which garners $1.3 billion in research awards annually.

A noted researcher, Ball maintains a lab in the UMCP Department of Psychology and served as dean of the university’s College of Behavioral and Social Sciences from 2014 to 2022. Previously, he was vice dean for science and research infrastructure in the Krieger School of Arts and Sciences at Johns Hopkins University and a professor in its Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences for 23 years. Ball has amassed more than 280 research publications and works in the area of behavioral neuroscience, and was elected a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science in 2014. Ball earned a B.A. in psychology from Columbia University and a Ph.D. in psychobiology from the Institute of Animal Behavior at Rutgers University. He completed postdoctoral studies at the Rockefeller University in New York.

Gregory Ball

Greg Oler began his appointment as vice president for finance and chief financial officer in August 2021. 

As the principal hands-on financial, business and accounting executive for the university, he plays a critical role in maintaining Maryland’s overall financial strength by providing strategic and tactical leadership on financial strategies and initiatives that support the institution’s priorities. He provides leadership and oversight for more than 10 departments and administrative units in the Division of Finance. 

Oler brings over 25 years of financial experience in both higher education and the private sector. Prior to joining Maryland, he served as vice president for finance and deputy treasurer at the University of Delaware, where he provided planning and coordination for the university’s financial operations and had direct oversight of treasury services, financial analysis and reporting, general accounting, tax planning and reporting, federal cost accounting, procurement and risk management. 

Prior to Delaware, he was at Johns Hopkins University, where he served as director of general accounting for six years and university controller for five years. Before his move into higher education, he spent six years in private industry and had 11 years in public accounting at KPMG. He holds a bachelor’s degree in accounting from Loyola University.

Greg Oler

Jennifer King Rice

A [University of Maryland](/org/university-of-maryland) alumnus, Brian Ullmann has spent the majority of his nearly 30-year career serving his alma mater. Appointed vice president for marketing and communications in March 2021, he leads the vision and implementation of a marketing, communications and branding strategy for UMD that highlights the institution’s commitment to student success, an inclusive environment, and the pursuit of excellence.

Ullman is also executive associate athletic director and chief strategy officer for Maryland Athletics, where he serves as a key adviser to the director of athletics and is responsible for administrative oversight of external operations, development and communications.

Prior to returning to athletics in 2019 and serving in his current role on an interim basis since March 2020, he was associate vice president, marketing and communications for UMD from 2010-17 and senior associate athletic director for external operations for Maryland Athletics from 2004-10. Ullmann was also previously vice president, marketing and communications for Rare, a global conservation organization.

Ullmann graduated from UMD in 1992 with a bachelor's degree in journalism and resides in Arlington, Va.

University of Maryland

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