Margaret Leary is the Director of Institutional Research and Planning where she develops, enhances, and maintains information resources to support institutional decision-making, planning, and reporting.

Between 2009 and 2021, Margaret served as the Assistant Vice President for Strategic Initiatives and Programs in the Division of Student Affairs at the University of San Diego where she led assessment and strategic planning efforts for the student affairs division, co-chaired the university’s Student Success Committee, oversaw Residential Education, Living-Learning Communities, New Student Orientation, Center for Student Success and Student Affairs Assessment and Research, coordinated student affairs’ partnership with the masters of higher education leadership program and instructed in the program, and supported institutional assessment, planning, and accreditation efforts.

Margaret has served on WSCUC accreditation review teams, and is an alumna of the WSCUC Assessment Leadership Academy. She has presented on a variety of topics related to assessment and student learning at a range of national conferences including the American Educational Research Association, Assessment Institute, ACPA, NASPA, and the WSCUC Academic Resource Conference.

Margaret earned a Bachelor of Science in Accounting and a Master of Science in Counseling and Human Relations from Villanova University and a Doctor of Philosophy in Leadership Studies at the University of San Diego. In addition to the University of San Diego, she has experience working in student affairs at Villanova University, University of the Pacific, and Dartmouth College.