Sharon L. Gaber

Sharon L. Gaber, Ph.D., serves as the fifth Chancellor of the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, the Charlotte region’s public research university. Since her arrival as Chancellor in 2020, the University has embarked on a bold 10-year strategic plan that articulates a new vision to drive discovery and innovation for the region as a globally recognized public research university. Charlotte officially earned the nation’s top research designation, Carnegie R1, in February 2025.

Driven by rising student and research success metrics, Charlotte has reached new heights in national rankings. Since 2020, Charlotte is one of the top 10 fastest-rising universities in the nation, according to U.S. News & World Report, rising 85 spots overall. For 2025, Charlotte ranks No. 74 among U.S. public universities and as the most innovative public university in North Carolina, at No. 38 nationally. 

Gaber has been widely recognized for her leadership and innovation. She was named one of the Charlotte Business Journal’s Most Admired CEOs in 2021 and was featured on the publication’s prestigious Power 100 list in both 2022 and 2024, highlighting the region’s top innovators. She has earned a spot on Business North Carolina’s Power List for four consecutive years, and in 2025 the American Enterprise Institute named her one of the best college presidents of the century (#25 out of more than 400).

Deeply engaged in community and regional activities, she serves on the board of Charlotte Center City Partners and is a member of the Charlotte Executive Leadership Council, Charlotte’s Leading on Opportunity Council, Women Executives, and the International Women’s Forum – Carolinas. At the national level, she serves on the board of the Coalition of Urban-Serving Universities and on the Executive Committee of the American Athletic Conference.

A native of Southern California, Gaber earned an A.B. in Economics and Urban Studies from Occidental College, an M.P.L. in Urban Planning from the University of Southern California, and a Ph.D. in City & Regional Planning from Cornell University. 

Prior to her arrival at UNC Charlotte, Gaber served for five years as president of the University of Toledo. Earlier in her career, she served as provost and vice chancellor for academic affairs at the University of Arkansas. She has also served as an administrator and interim provost at Auburn University and a faculty member and administrator at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. 

Officially the first woman to serve as chancellor of UNC Charlotte, Gaber follows the trail blazed by founding educator Bonnie Cone, who led the institution from 1946-66 through several stages of growth.

Gaber is the proud mother of three children: Allison, Peter and Jen (dec).