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Julie Messersmith officially joined Caltech on July 1, 2026, as Vice President for Institute Initiatives, bringing over a decade of senior administrative experience from Johns Hopkins University. Her role focuses on advancing cross-institutional projects, deepening collaboration, and identifying new opportunities to support Caltech’s mission. President Ray Jayawardhana highlighted her leadership in building trust, connecting teams around shared goals, and turning ambitious ideas into actionable plans.

In her new position, Messersmith will ensure strategic alignment across Caltech, NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), and the Board of Trustees. She will work closely with faculty and administrative leaders to guide major initiatives from development to execution, strengthen partnerships, and advise on organizational priorities. Additionally, she will serve as a senior advisor to the President, lead the President’s Office, and oversee the strategy implementation portfolio, which includes communications, external relations, institutional research, and campus engagement.

Gil Refael, Taylor W. Lawrence Professor of Theoretical Physics and former faculty chair, praised Messersmith’s understanding of Caltech’s unique culture and her commitment to advancing its mission. He noted her experience in academic leadership and institutional strategy, expressing confidence in her ability to help Caltech achieve its ambitious goals. Messersmith’s background includes senior roles at Johns Hopkins, where she managed research, advancement, and university-wide strategy initiatives.

Before joining Caltech, Messersmith held positions such as chief of staff and associate vice provost for strategic initiatives at Johns Hopkins. She previously directed the Bloomberg Distinguished Professorships program, oversaw research development, and co-developed Hopkins on the Hill, a showcase of federally funded research. Messersmith holds degrees from Pepperdine University, the University of Denver, and Johns Hopkins University.