About the President
Dr. Neil MacKinnon became the 16th president of Central Michigan University on November 1, 2024, after unanimous appointment by the CMU Board of Trustees.
MacKinnon brings 26 years of higher education experience to his role as president, including experience as a faculty member, department chair, center director, dean and provost.
In his first year as CMU president, MacKinnon accelerated implementation of CMU’s 2023-2028 strategic plan, creating a Go Grants initiative to fund projects leading to progress on the university’s priorities and goals. He began the process of developing and implementing a Strategic Enrollment Management Plan to drive enrollment growth and examine academic programs, curricula and student support programs. He also created a University Transformation Office to work with university leaders to better align resources with strategic priorities, and appointed CMU’s first Chief Transformation Officer.
Under his leadership, the Carnegie Classifications of Institutions of Higher Education designated CMU as one of only 16% of universities nationwide to be classified as an Opportunity University. CMU earned the designation by offering both high access to a quality education and high earning potential for graduates. And, in his first year as president, MacKinnon led the university to significantly increase retention rates through a focus on student success initiatives.
As CMU President, MacKinnon leads the Central Michigan University Research Corporation Board of Directors, guiding new initiatives to expand the impact of the university’s research enterprise. In 2025, this included the launch of a translational accelerator to connect businesses and industries with faculty and student research, spurring innovation that will positively impact the state and regional economy.
MacKinnon maintains an active research program and is a tenured professor in the CMU College of Medicine. His research interests include health policy, rural health, patient safety and community pharmacy. He has been a principal investigator, co-P.I. or collaborator on 76 grants. He has 8,439 citations and he has co-authored more than 200 journal articles, reports and book chapters, more than 150 scientific posters, and more than 350 presentations at scientific and health care meetings.
On campus, MacKinnon is known for his regular attendance at events and his engagement with students. He is known to regularly dine with students in CMU dining halls, join athletic teams for practices, and work out with students at the Student Activity Center. His “omnipresence” at university activities and his engaging social media presence helped MacKinnon to quickly build strong connections with students, faculty and staff.
MacKinnon joined CMU from Augusta University in Georgia, where he served as provost and executive vice president for academic affairs. At Augusta, he led gains in enrollment and research funding, expanded the university’s international reach and reputation, and developed a reputation as a highly engaged, student-centered leader. Prior to his role at Augusta University, MacKinnon served as dean of the James L. Winkle College of Pharmacy at the University of Cincinnati for seven years. As dean, he oversaw a $34 million building renovation and a $5 million renovation of the College’s research labs.
MacKinnon has held teaching and research roles throughout his career in higher education. At the University of Arizona, he served as a tenured professor, section chair for the department of Public Health Policy and Management, and director for the Center for Rural Health at the Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health. He began his academic career as an assistant professor at Dalhousie University, where he held appointments in pharmacy, health administration and medicine. He also provided consulting services for government health organizations, health care organizations, and clients in the pharmaceutical industry for more than a decade.
MacKinnon earned his PhD in pharmacy health care administration from the University of Florida, Gainesville. He also holds a master’s degree in hospital pharmacy from the University of Wisconsin, Madison, and a bachelor’s degree in pharmacy from Dalhousie University in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. He completed his residency in hospital pharmacy administration at the University of Wisconsin Hospital and Clinics and was a fellow at the DuBow Family Center for Research in Pharmaceutical Care. In 2007-08, MacKinnon completed the Harkness Fellowship in international health policy and practice through the Commonwealth Fund. In 2014, he attended the Institute for Management and Leadership in Education at Harvard University’s Graduate School of Education.
MacKinnon and his wife, Leanne, have three daughters, Breagh, Ashlynn and Kaylee, and a mini labradoodle, Bentley.