Caltech Appoints Julie Messersmith as Vice President for Institute Initiatives

Julie Messersmith joined Caltech as vice president for institute initiatives on July 1, 2026, bringing more than a decade in senior administrative leadership at Johns Hopkins University to advance cross-institutional initiatives, deepen collaboration, and pursue new opportunities for innovation in support of Caltech's mission.

"An exceptionally collaborative and creative leader, Julie excels at building trust across complex organizations, connecting people around shared goals, and translating ambitious ideas into action," said President Ray Jayawardhana, the Sonja and William Davidow Presidential Chair and professor of astronomy, in his announcement of Messersmith's new role to the community. "Her boundless energy, intellectual curiosity, and unwavering commitment to institutional excellence will be tremendous assets in our shared endeavor to advance Caltech's highest priorities."

In this reenvisioned leadership role, Messersmith will be pivotal to ensuring that the Institute's strategic direction progresses with clarity and coordination, with strong alignment across the Institute, JPL, and the Board of Trustees. Working closely with faculty and administrative leaders, she will guide major Institute initiatives from concept through execution, strengthen partnerships, and advise on organizational priorities. Messersmith will serve as a senior advisor to the President, provide executive leadership for the President's Office, and oversee the strategy implementation portfolio––which currently includes the Institute's communications, external relations, institutional research, and campus and community engagement operations––as it continues to evolve.

"Over the last couple of months, Julie has had many conversations with me and other members of the faculty leadership," says Gil Refael, Taylor W. Lawrence Professor of Theoretical Physics and outgoing chair of the faculty. "We discussed Caltech in considerable depth, and Julie showed an appreciation for the Institute's unique character right from the start. It quickly became clear to me that she brings a strong commitment to advancing Caltech's mission, along with deep experience in academic leadership and institutional strategy. I am confident that she will be instrumental in helping Caltech turn many of its most ambitious aspirations into reality."

Before joining Caltech, Messersmith held senior roles at Johns Hopkins spanning research, advancement, and university-wide strategy and administration, most recently as chief of staff and associate vice provost for strategic initiatives. There she earned a strong reputation for fostering productive relationships with faculty, deans, and administrative leaders, bringing deep fluency in how leading research institutions work, and partnering across decentralized environments to develop and launch major university-wide initiatives and forge new external partnerships, including with the Vatican Observatory. Previously, as assistant vice provost for research, she directed the Bloomberg Distinguished Professorships program — a marquee faculty recruitment and research initiative spanning 130 endowed positions across all ten academic divisions and the Applied Physics Laboratory — oversaw research development, research communications, and the university's flagship faculty grant programs, and co-developed Hopkins on the Hill, a showcase of federally funded research at the U.S. Capitol.

"Caltech has fundamentally shaped the frontiers of science and engineering, and I am deeply inspired by the talent, curiosity, and intellectual courage that define this community and its legacy," Messersmith says. "I am humbled by the opportunity to serve the Institute's critical mission, and I look forward to collaborating with faculty and colleagues across the Institute and at JPL to advance the most important priorities into lasting impact."

Messersmith grew up in Southern California. She received her bachelor's degree in international studies from Pepperdine University, a master's degree in international studies from the University of Denver, and a Master of Liberal Arts degree from Johns Hopkins University.