By Anne Steele, News Staff

Northeastern President Joseph Aoun named former Harvard University official Elisabeth Werby to the new chief of staff position last month, as well as announcing Senior Vice President for Administration and Finance Jack McCarthy’s retirement Feb. 24.

Werby, who accepted the position, was executive director of the Harvard University Museum of Natural History, where she has led the revitalization of a premier university-based museum, Aoun said in a Feb. 4 e-mail to faculty.

Prior to joining Harvard, she was director of government relations and strategic project development at the American Museum of Natural History in New York City. She has held several other positions at the intersection of policy, education and law.

Werby holds a B.A. in anthropology from Harvard and a J.D. from University of California, Berkeley’s Boalt Hall School of Law.

As member of the senior leadership team, “Liz will lead a broad range of presidential initiatives,” Aoun said in the e-mail. Werby will begin on March 17.

“Her combination of intelligence and enthusiasm will be a strong addition to our team,” Aoun said.

McCarthy plans to step down June 30, but will stay on as a part-time advisor to the president and Northeastern.

Aoun commended McCarthy’s work as vice president in a Feb. 24 e-mail to faculty.

“Over the past four years, Jack has provided extraordinary leadership,” Aoun said. “His wisdom and financial expertise were invaluable during the recent economic downturn. During his tenure, Jack helped us navigate a series of complex challenges across a range of fronts and today the University is stronger than ever.”

Aoun said he would immediately begin a search for a new senior vice president for administration and finance and said he looks forward to working with McCarthy in the years to come.

In an e-mail to the News, McCarthy said he has enjoyed serving as the university’s senior vice president for administration and finance for the past several years. He also said he is pleased that he will continue to serve both the president and the university in an advisory capacity going forward.

“This has been an interesting and rewarding challenge but I’m ready to slow down and spend more time with my family and pursuing my many other interests,” McCarthy said.

He said he serves on several nonprofit boards and has enjoyed teaching part time for many years.

“I am committed to make a smooth transition to whomever my successor is,” McCarthy said.

These administration changes come after four other major university transitions this past year, including two provost-level offices and two dean offices.