Executive Vice Chancellor, Sharon P. MinnichAdministration and Finance
Executive Vice Chancellor

Sharon P. Minnich

Contact

Sharon P. Minnich joined Pennsylvania’s State System of Higher Education as Vice Chancellor for Administration and Finance in January 2019, after serving as Secretary of the Governor’s Office of Administration for four years. As a member of Governor Tom Wolf’s senior staff and cabinet, she led the agency responsible for oversight and administration of the enterprise functions of human resources, information technology, continuity of government and records management for nearly 80,000 employees under the Governor’s jurisdiction implementing shared services for both human resources and information technology. 

Vice Chancellor Minnich previously served as the assistant chief information officer for the commonwealth; chief information officer for the Department of Revenue; deputy secretary for financial administration in the Office of the Budget; and deputy secretary for procurement at the Department of General Services. In these roles, she improved operations and managed significant process and system changes, including the implementation of a new financial shared services model for Pennsylvania, the implementation of Pennsylvania’s tax amnesty project, and the state’s enterprise resource planning system implementation.

In addition to her work in state government, Minnich has worked as a consultant in the private sector, specializing in strategy and transformation. Her experience includes positions at Highmark Blue Cross/Blue Shield, Meridian Bank, SAP Business Consulting, and Deloitte Consulting, LLP.

She served for 12 years on the Board of Trustees for her alma mater, Albright College, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts in Economics and Political Science, and holds a master’s degree in Government Administration from the University of Pennsylvania. 

Q: Why did you pursue a career in higher education?

I was originally planning to be a professor and was in a Ph.D program, but my career took me in a different direction. My interest in higher education administration began while I served on the Board of Trustees for Albright College, where I received my undergraduate degree. I understand how higher education changed my life and want to make sure that the opportunities I had are available for all students in Pennsylvania.

What first sparked your interest in administration and finance?

I have spent my entire career in administration and finance areas including budget, procurement, IT, and HR. What I love about back office operations is that they provide the foundation for organizations to operate. I have spent the last 20 years working on transformation projects within these areas always with the goal to help improve efficiency so resources can be directed to the students or to innovation.

Q: Years of work in transformation later, what keeps you motivated?

What motivates me – people. Seeing people from different backgrounds coming together to problem solve and empowered to make changes they believe in and supporting them on their journey. I have been with the System a little over a year and a half and I am excited about the people I have gotten to know and the work around redesign. The System is at a great point to reimagine itself for the future students and communities within Pennsylvania.

What are your top priorities as executive vice chancellor?

My top priorities are helping to improve financial transparency and sustainability, collaborating on how to design shared services for the universities, and supporting the System as we embark on the next phase of the journey.

What are you passionate about outside of work?

Not being on zoom. 😊 Spending time with family and friends and the outdoors. Hiking is a favorite and Pennsylvania has beautiful trails.