Bradley Ballou Named to UNC System Office VP Role

UNCW Chief of Staff Bradley Ballou ’06 has accepted a new role as Vice President for Executive Leadership and Management with the University of North Carolina System Office. He will transition into the new role full time as of August 1.

Ballou joined UNCW as Chief of Staff in October 2015 under former Chancellor Jose V. Sartarelli and was an instrumental part of the search process that brought Dr. Aswani K. Volety to UNCW in July 2022 to serve as the university’s seventh Chancellor. As Chief of Staff, Ballou manages daily operations in the Chancellor’s Office, the divisional budget and employment-related matters. He serves on the Chancellor’s Cabinet, providing support to advance the university’s priorities and institutional initiatives. Under Chancellor Volety, he has informed and supported the formation of the university’s 10-year strategic plan and a new master plan, which is nearing completion.

“I deeply appreciate Bradley Ballou’s dedication and service to UNCW,” Chancellor Volety said. “He has had a significant impact on the university’s current success and future opportunities. Bradley excels at bridge building, creating connections across campus and within the community, all with the goal of helping UNCW become an even better university than it already is.”

Ballou previously served as the Director of Federal Relations for the University of North Carolina, acting as the primary liaison to the U.S. Congress for the 17-campus UNC System. His prior roles include working for former North Carolina Senator Elizabeth Dole and the American Council of Life Insurers (ACLI) as part of their federal relations team.

“I have dedicated most of my career to serving my home state of North Carolina, and I look forward to helping the outstanding institutions in the UNC System advance their missions," said Ballou, a Cary, NC, native. “I will miss the day-to-day excitement of being on campus at UNCW. It truly is a university like no other, and I am honored to have had a small part in helping my alma mater soar higher over the past nine years.”

While earning his bachelor’s in political science from UNCW, with minors in English and international affairs, Ballou served as Student Body President and was a voting member of the university’s Board of Trustees. He was honored with a Chancellor’s Award for service to the university and a Senior Medallion Award. Ballou holds a master’s degree in political management from George Washington University. In 2013, Ballou was named UNCW Young Alumnus of the Year for his successful alumni outreach initiatives in the Washington, D.C. area.

Additionally, Ballou is a graduate of Leadership North Carolina, Class XXVI and the UNC System’s Executive Leadership Institute. In 2020, he was named one of the “40 under 40” by the Wilmington Chamber of Commerce and the Star News.

UNCW will announce the next steps in the process to fill the Chief of Staff’s role in the coming weeks.