Neeli Bendapudi

Balanced the University’s budget one year ahead of schedule, completing a significant financial turnaround. Outside higher education, she served as executive vice president and chief customer officer for Huntington National Bank and has consulted for some of the world’s largest companies, including AIG, Procter & Gamble, and the U.S. Army. President Bendapudi earned her bachelor’s degree in English and her MBA from Andhra University in India, and her Ph.D. in marketing from the University of Kansas. She is a member of the International Women’s Forum, a board member of the American Council on Education and Internet2, and a former Leadership Foundation Fellow. President Bendapudi is known for her energy, optimism, and clarity of purpose. She leads with empathy, discipline, and resolve—and is deeply committed to the students and communities Penn State serves.