University of Virginia President Jim Ryan and Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Jennifer “J.J.” Wagner Davis announced Friday that Colette Sheehy, UVA’s senior vice president for operations and state government relations, will retire effective July 1 after nearly 43 years of dedicated service to the University.
A graduate of Bucknell University and Rutgers University’s Graduate School of Management, Colette arrived at UVA in 1982 as a budget analyst. She assumed various roles in the University Budget Office over the next 11 years prior to being appointed vice president for management and budget in 1993. In 2015, Sheehy was promoted to senior vice president for operations and state government relations. As one of the first two women vice presidents at UVA, Sheehy shattered the proverbial glass ceiling and paved the way for other women leaders at UVA and across the commonwealth.
“When you have spent over 42 years at a place, it is difficult to walk away, but I feel the time is right,” Sheehy said. “UVA has given me opportunities to advance my professional career and to grow personally.
“Most of all, I will miss the people with whom I have worked, all of whom are dedicated to the University’s success. Higher education faces many challenges in the current environment, and I am confident that those who remain here and those who follow will commit to advancing the University and public higher education across the commonwealth.”
Sheehy oversees a large and diverse portfolio with approximately 2,500 total employees and composed of critical support service functions essential to the day-to-day operations of the University. In addition to her current portfolio, which includes Business Services, Facilities Management, Office of the Architect for the University, Office of the University Building Official, Real Estate and Leasing Services, and State Government Relations, at various points throughout her career, Sheehy also led Human Resources, Organizational Development and Training, Process Simplification, the University Budget Office, and Procurement and Supplier Diversity Services.
The winner of the 2021 Thomas Jefferson Service Award, the highest honor given to members of the University community, and the 2019 Samuel R. Crockett Award from UVA’s College at Wise, Sheehy is a UVA parent and has dedicated nearly her entire career to the University. She is known for being a responsible steward of institutional resources and is a trusted colleague and mentor to many across Grounds and beyond.
“I cannot think of anyone who can match Colette’s depth and breadth of knowledge of UVA or her level of integrity and dedication to the University,” Davis said. “For over four decades, Colette has demonstrated a high degree of professionalism, creativity and loyalty to UVA. She has helped navigate the University through challenging times, always mindful of the University’s mission and our obligations to our students, our faculty and staff, and the commonwealth.”
Sheehy’s legacy at the University will be felt for generations to come. She will be remembered for her collaboration on many initiatives in support of the University’s mission. Among other things, Colette has partnered with colleagues across Grounds to:
- Execute the University’s capital program, enhance historic preservation efforts in the Academical Village, and ensure the highest level of maintenance and care of the University’s buildings and Grounds.
- Develop ambitious plans to guide the University’s comprehensive approach to sustainability, including being carbon-neutral by 2030 and fossil fuel-free by 2050.
- Create a roadmap/framework to construct additional on-Grounds student housing to support the University’s living and learning community.
- Enhance relationships between the local community and the University.
- Enrich the lives of many across the UVA community through her mentorship, compassion and dedication to drive successful outcomes for the University’s faculty, staff and students.
In addition, Sheehy’s important and extensive work at the state level has been invaluable to the University. The respect and trust she has earned among state government officials and staff, as well as her expert diplomacy and understanding of the dynamics between state government and higher education in Virginia, have ensured UVA’s longstanding success and impeccable reputation in Richmond.
She was the chief architect and negotiator of the 2005 Restructuring Act and the University’s Management Agreement with the commonwealth, pivotal legislation redefining the University’s relationship with the commonwealth and granting Virginia’s public higher education institutions unprecedented levels of autonomy. Sheehy has also been instrumental in securing funding for many UVA capital priorities, including renovations of the Rotunda, New Cabell Hall, Gilmer Hall and the Chemistry Building, Shannon Library and the Physics Building.
