DePaul alumnus Arbin Smith will serve as DePaul's next chief of staff and vice president for strategic initiatives. (DePaul University/Jeff Carrion)
An executive leader with expertise in facilitating communication, building understanding and fostering culture change will serve as DePaul's chief of staff and vice president for strategic initiatives. Arbin Smith, an alumnus of the College of Communication, will join the university, effective Nov. 1, DePaul President Robert L. Manuel announced.
"Arbin was one of the first alumni I met when I joined the DePaul community, and I immediately recognized his talents as a strategic thinker and skilled listener," Manuel says. "I'm grateful for his willingness to serve his alma mater. I know his lived commitment to our Catholic, Vincentian mission will be an asset to our entire university community."
As an experienced consultant and facilitator, Smith always has dedicated his skills to helping others. He currently serves as associate principal for the Hackett Group, a global intellectual strategic consulting firm. Smith previously held roles at global consulting firms Deloitte, EY and Accenture. He has an extensive track record of successfully driving large-scale initiatives and engagement strategies.
At Deloitte, he worked with academic medical centers and community hospitals during the challenging switch from paper to electronic records. As a liaison for doctors, nurses and other health care professionals, Smith helped ease the transition by listening to concerns and collaborating to proactively find solutions.
"As a proud alum, I am thrilled at the opportunity to support the university and drive our mission forward," Smith says. "I look forward to collaborating with all the stakeholders that make up the DePaul community as we chart a course toward the future."
An active alumnus, Smith is a member of the Dean's Advisory Council for the College of Communication. He also has served on the DePaul Alumni Board. He holds a master's degree in organizational communication from DePaul University and a bachelor's degree in journalism from Columbia College.
Smith and his wife, Celeste, live in Chicago with their son and daughter.