Beginning Oct. 1, Charlie Perusse will assume the role of the University of Louisville’s first chief transformation officer. He has been part of the UofL team for the past two years, most recently as senior advisor in the Office of the President and, before that, as interim executive vice president for finance and administration and chief financial officer.
As chief transformation officer and a member of the cabinet, Perusse will provide enterprise-level leadership to support the university’s 2026-2030 Strategic Plan. Much of the plan’s work crosses organizational, academic and administrative boundaries.
“Charlie will help us align resources and priorities, set clear frameworks for governance and accountability, remove barriers that slow progress and guide strategic initiatives from planning into implementation and sustainability,” said President Gerry Bradley.
Perusse will focus on organizational effectiveness, process improvement, digital transformation, data-informed decision-making and change leadership.
He brings 31 years of service in North Carolina state government, including two terms as state budget director across three gubernatorial administrations. Between those appointments, Perusse spent six years as senior vice president and chief operating officer of the University of North Carolina System. Earlier, he spent eight years in the General Assembly’s Fiscal Research Division, three of them as budget coordinator for the House of Representatives.
He holds a master’s degree in public administration from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and a bachelor’s degree in political science from North Carolina State University.
“In his two years here, he has come to know our budget, our operations and our UofL team. Charlie has been a key partner in helping us navigate a challenging financial landscape and has supported the university’s innovative and thoughtful approach to leveraging AI through our Cardinal Intelligence efforts.
“He will work closely with administrators, faculty and staff as we continue our efforts to ensure that UofL is a high-performing organization delivering measurable results toward our mission and vision. He has a strong commitment to shared governance, transparency and accountability, and, during his time with us, has demonstrated visionary, collaborative leadership,” Bradley said.
