KENNESAW, Ga. | Dec 16, 2022

Kennesaw State University has named Jo Donna Lamb as assistant vice president for planning, design and construction, effective Jan. 23, 2023. She will report to Tricia Chastain, vice president for administration.

Lamb has served for the past two years as director of planning, design, engineering and construction at King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) in Saudi Arabia where she oversaw a team of approximately 180 engineers, architects, and professionals executing design and construction projects in the university and surrounding area. Prior to KAUST, Lamb served as director of planning and design at Piedmont Healthcare. From 2011 to 2019, she served in several project management and leadership roles at Emory University. Her most recent position was as senior director of project planning and design where she oversaw a wide range of projects, including the design of the University Student Center, a BSL-3 and ABSL-3 laboratory facility, and the university master plan among other projects.

In her role at KSU, Lamb will be responsible for providing strategic leadership, direction and coordination for the areas of campus planning, design and construction, real estate, space management, and environmental health and safety.

“Jo is a proven professional who brings tremendous and varied experience from higher education, research and health care,” Chastain said. “I am confident her collaborative leadership style and creative spirit will deliver outstanding results for KSU.”

Lamb began her career at Columbia University in New York City as part of the Capital Project Management team where she spent seven years overseeing large capital projects, including the construction of the university’s inaugural alumni and development center. She also partnered with research faculty to secure $21 million in construction research grants from the National Science Foundation, the National Institute of Standards and Technology and the National Institutes of Health.  

"I am thrilled to be joining KSU and to be a part of the university's incredible forward momentum,” said Lamb. “I'm looking forward to partnering with the professionals in PDC and our partners KSU-wide to continue creating the best student experience and research environments for our students, faculty, and staff.”

Lamb earned her Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from Columbia University. 

A leader in innovative teaching and learning, Kennesaw State University offers undergraduate, graduate and doctoral degrees to its more than 45,000 students. Kennesaw State is a member of the University System of Georgia with 11 academic colleges. The university’s vibrant campus culture, diverse population, strong global ties and entrepreneurial spirit draw students from throughout the country and the world. Kennesaw State is a Carnegie-designated doctoral research institution (R2), placing it among an elite group of only 7 percent of U.S. colleges and universities with an R1 or R2 status. For more information, visit kennesaw.edu.