Sylvia McGeary, Ph.D.
Sylvia McGeary, Ph.D.
Executive Vice President and Chief of Staff
Acting Vice President for Mission Integration
Dr. Sylvia McGeary serves as executive vice president and chief of staff at Holy Family University. She brings extensive leadership experience in Catholic higher education, with a focus on strategic planning, mission-centered program development, and faith-based education.
Before joining Holy Family, Dr. McGeary held a variety of academic and administrative positions at Felician University, including vice president for academic affairs and mission integration, professor of religious studies, and associate dean of social and behavioral sciences. She also served as acting president from June through September 2020. She chaired the Academic Prioritization Task Force and co-authored Felician’s 2014-19 strategic plan. Earlier in her career, she taught at Caldwell College, St. Peter’s College, and Villa Walsh Academy, and spent nearly two decades in parish ministry, where she focused on curriculum design and catechetical and lay leadership training.
At Holy Family, Dr. McGeary oversees strategic planning and organizational transformation across the University. She also serves on the Board of Specified Jurisdiction for Father Judge High School in Philadelphia.
Dr. McGeary earned her Ph.D. and M.A. in religion and education from Fordham University and holds a B.A. in psychology from the College of Saint Elizabeth.