Meet the Dean: Northeastern in Silicon Valley

Join us on Zoom on Thursday, December 5, at 6 p.m. PST to meet Caroline Simard, regional dean of Northeastern University in Silicon Valley.

During this conversation, you’ll have the opportunity to:

• Hear firsthand about the current and future plans for the Silicon Valley campus.
• Learn how our campus supports student and faculty research, industry partnerships, and student career development.
• Ask any questions about our campus or life in Silicon Valley.

About Dean Caroline Simard, PhD

Caroline Simard is the regional dean of Northeastern University in Silicon Valley. In this role, she is responsible for the design and execution of the campus strategic plan, including the expansion of academic programs and design of new initiatives, building partnerships with companies, and overseeing campus operations. 

Dr. Simard is passionate about the role of higher education in advancing social impact and is dedicated to expanding career pathways for students of all backgrounds in Silicon Valley. Before joining Northeastern, she was the managing director of the VMware Women’s Leadership Innovation Lab at Stanford University, a social impact initiative to bridge the gap between research and practice to advance diversity in organizations from the C-suite to K–12. In this position, she led the implementation of the research agenda, engaged industry partners, and oversaw operations.

Previously, she served as the senior director of research at the Clayman Institute for Gender Research, designing and implementing academic-industry research collaborations for impact. She was also the director of faculty development and diversity at the Stanford School of Medicine. Prior to Stanford, she served as the vice president of research and executive programs at AnitaB.org, a nonprofit organization dedicated to the advancement of women in computing, and as host of the Grace Hopper Celebration. Dean Simard has a PhD from Stanford University and a master’s degree from Rutgers University. 

Dr. Simard is a board member of the Center for Institutional Courage, a nonprofit organization dedicated to transformative research and education for impact. A 25-year Silicon Valley resident, Dr. Simard is originally from Montreal, Canada.