June 3, 2009
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Georgetown University President John J. DeGioia has named Daniel R. Porterfield, Ph.D (C'83) Interim Athletics Director at the university, filling the post vacated by Bernard Muir. Dr. Porterfield currently serves as Senior Vice President for Strategic Development.
Porterfield will take the helm after Muir, who has served as the university's athletics director since July 2005, leaves in June to lead the University of Delaware's athletics department. A search process is under way to find a new director for Georgetown's Athletics Department, a position which oversees 29 varsity teams.
"Upon Bernard's departure, Dan will be responsible for overall leadership of the department," DeGioia said. "He will work closely with me and other senior leaders, coaches, faculty and alumni in the recruitment of the new Athletics Director."
Porterfield has played an oversight role with Athletics for the past five years. He chaired the senior coordinating group that assisted the last interim Athletics Director in 2004-05. He participated in the search that brought Muir to the Francis X. Rienzo Chair of Athletics at Georgetown and provided week-to-week supervision for the Athletics Director on behalf of the President during the past year.
In addition, he was a member of the Board of Directors ad hoc committee on Athletics in 2006-07 and has participated heavily in the development of budget parameters for the Department and a conceptual model for a new training facility. Porterfield has worked closely with head coaches John Thompson III and Terri Williams-Flournoy to maximize opportunities for the men's and women's basketball programs, as well as with Vice President of Student Affairs Todd Olson to enhance academic services and leadership development for student-athletes.
"I'm looking forward to providing interim leadership while President DeGioia recruits a new leader for the department," Porterfield said. "My priorities will be to provide effective management, ensure a smooth transition for our permanent Athletics Director, meet and listen to coaches and alumni, and engage deeply with students so I can understand still better the nature and future potential of the student-athlete experience at Georgetown. This interim role combines nicely with my pre-existing work at Georgetown, which is to help foster academic excellence, on-campus continuity, service to the city and new initiatives."
Porterfield, who is also an assistant professor of English, has served as a senior leader at Georgetown for more than 12 years. As senior vice president for strategic development, he leads university initiatives in government relations, strategic planning, communications and new project development. He is the 2003 recipient of the Dorothy M. Brown Award for outstanding service to students and the 2008 Edward B. Bunn, S.J. Award for Teaching Excellence in Georgetown College.
Porterfield is a 1983 graduate of Georgetown College who went on to become a Rhodes Scholar and to serve as a senior leader in the United States Department of Health and Human Services in the mid-1990s.
"I know that Dan will provide invaluable leadership during this time of transition," the president said, "and I am deeply grateful to him for taking on this important role."
