Erin O'Brien

Chief Student Retention Officer, The State University of New York at Buffalo

Erin K. O’Brien, PhD is currently Chief Student Retention Officer at the University at Buffalo, the flagship institution of the State University of New York, charged with developing and executing a comprehensive, university-wide Student Experience (SX) strategy, creating an effective student First Year Experience (FYE), and improving student retention rates.

Prior to her current role, Ms. O’Brien was the Interim Associate Vice Provost and Director of International Admission for the University at Buffalo, and prior to that, the Chief Enrollment and Marketing Officer for the University at Buffalo School of Management, the senior leader in the school responsible for defining and leading a comprehensive, coordinated strategy including marketing, enrollment-focused program and partner development, student outreach, recruiting, admissions, and all operations and technology to support and advance the goals of the School relative to undergraduate, transfer, graduate, international, executive, and hybrid/online students.

She has appeared in or been quoted in news outlets such as Bloomberg Businessweek, the Boston Globe, PR News, the Buffalo News, Business First, WGRZ, WIVB, and Spectrum News, and has had publications in GME Today & Tomorrow, Diverse Issues in Higher Education, and AACSB Biz Ed. Her outstanding contributions to the University at Buffalo have been recognized with a SUNY Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Professional Service.

Ms. O’Brien has a PhD in Management with a focus in management science and systems. She is the recipient of an executive certificate from the University of Pennsylvania Wharton School of Business, a Class of 2000 MBA graduate from the University at Buffalo School of Management, a 1997 cum laude graduate of the University at Buffalo with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology, and a 1986 graduate of The Buffalo Seminary.