Leatrice Oram has served as SUNY Cortland’s chief of staff since November 2025. In her role, she helps guide day-to-day affairs in the President’s Office, working closely with senior leadership and campus committees to advance the president’s agenda, foster collaboration and oversee high-level operations, projects and special initiatives.
Her impressive career of more than 35 years in higher education spans experiences in academic affairs, accreditation, student services, admissions and academic compliance. She also is well-versed in leadership, change management and communications.
Prior to arriving at SUNY Cortland, Oram served as chief of staff at Keene State College in Keene, New Hampshire, a role she began in 2021. Her major duties included advising campus leadership on policy and institutional strategy, researching and responding to critical issues and overseeing correspondence with internal and external constituents on behalf of the president. She also managed strategic initiatives within the college’s strategic plan, represented the campus in local matters and served as the institution’s primary liaison to state, regional and federal delegations.
Oram previously worked from 2016 to 2021 in leadership roles related to academic affairs, accreditation and compliance at Antioch University in Ohio. Prior to that, she enjoyed a 14-year tenure at Antioch University New England in Keene, New Hampshire, where she started as director of admissions and ultimately rose to associate provost for academic affairs and chief student services officer. Oram also was the dean of admissions for Landmark College in Putney, Vermont, where she worked from 1992 to 2002. Her higher education career began in 1988 as associate director of student affairs at the Julliard School in New York City.
Oram earned her B.A. in romance languages and literature from University of Chicago, her M.A. in higher and adult education from Teachers College Columbia University and her M.A. and Ph.D. in leadership and change from Antioch University. She also completed executive leadership intensives in technology, managing change and strategic planning from Higher Education Resources Services (HERS)/Wellesley Institute for Women in Higher Education Administration in Massachusetts.