Dr. Penny Elkins
President
Penny L. Elkins, Ph.D. took office as Mercer’s 19th president in January 2026, continuing a 25-year career at the university in a number of leadership roles. She is the first woman in Mercer’s 200-year history to serve as president and the first Mercer graduate to lead the institution since 1979.
When appointed president, Elkins had been serving as the university’s interim provost and executive vice president. Previously, she served as senior VP for enrollment management, leading the university to record-breaking enrollment growth – including the most academically qualified entering classes in the University’s history.
Elkins has served and led teams and organizations across many aspects of both P-12 and higher education. A highly regarded keynote speaker, she is a recognized expert on the topic of equipping leaders and developing effective teams to achieve success. At Mercer, Elkins led cross-functional and interdisciplinary initiatives, including the University’s Center for Leadership, Ethics, and Service and the McDonald Center for the Advancement of Global Education.
While at Mercer, Elkins also served as senior vice provost for strategic initiatives, vice president for the Atlanta Campus and associate dean and department chair for both teacher education and educational leadership in the Tift College of Education. She led the creation of Mercer’s Department of Educational Leadership and the first doctoral program in the College of Education. A lifelong educator, Elkins began her career as a third–grade teacher and elementary school administrator.
Elkins is a “Double Bear,” holding two degrees from Mercer, a bachelor’s degree summa cum laude and a master’s degree in education. She also holds an education specialist degree in education, administration and supervision from Georgia College and State University and a Ph.D. in educational leadership from Georgia State University.
In 2025, Elkins was the first female appointed to the board of trustees for the Lettie Pate Whitehead Foundation, serving as a strategic advisor on higher education issues. A past President of Georgia Women of Achievement, she has also served as a consultant with schools, chambers of commerce, businesses and financial institutions in the areas of leadership development and curriculum planning.
Elkins’ areas of academic research interest include cognition theory in leadership, transformational leadership, birth-to-five education and early learning development, women in leadership and community partnership development.
