Margaret Grundy Noland

Education: B.A., University of Virginia; MBA, University of Virginia, Darden School of Business; Ed.D., University of Pennsylvania 

Margaret G. Noland is a Lecturer in the Communication area at Darden. She brings two decades of leadership experience across higher education and business, with a focus on strategy, crisis management, and executive communication.

Most recently, Noland served as Vice President and Chief of Staff to University of Virginia President James E. Ryan, partnering closely with him to lead a university of 26,000 students, 30,000 employees, and a $5.8 billion annual operating budget. She directed the presidential transition in 2017–2018 and remained Chief of Staff throughout Ryan’s presidency, serving as his principal advisor and operational lead. In this role, she directed the Office of the President, managed a $12M budget, and oversaw a 40+ person team spanning finance, communications, executive search, and major events.  She coordinated institutional priorities, played a central role in crisis response—including the COVID-19 pandemic and the November 2022 campus shooting—and served as a go-to resource for institutional problem-solving, providing counsel, chairing committees, and advancing mission-critical efforts across Grounds.

Prior to her executive leadership role, Noland spent six years in UVA’s Division of Student Affairs, where she advanced student life through leadership development, crisis response, and fundraising. She worked with the Vice President for Student Affairs to design and lead the Meriwether Lewis Institute for Citizen Leadership, taught in the Batten School, and raised nearly $2M to support student initiatives. In her time in Student Affairs, Noland played a key role in responding to major University crises and contributed to pan-University efforts, including strategic planning, climate and culture initiatives, and high-level search committees.

Noland began her career as a management consultant at Bain & Company in San Francisco, advising Fortune 500 clients on data-driven strategy, market entry, and organizational effectiveness.  Her work included long-range planning for utilities and universities, due diligence for private equity clients, and a pro bono externship in Uganda.

She holds a Doctorate in Higher Education Management from the University of Pennsylvania and two degrees from the University of Virginia: a B.A. with high distinction from the College of Arts and Sciences and an M.B.A. from Darden.  She lives in Charlottesville with her husband and two young sons.