Thad Seymour, Jr., Ph.D.
Thad is a respected advisor and speaker on innovation, entrepreneurship and strategy. Among other projects, he led the development of a 20-year plan for the University of Central Florida (UCF), the second largest university in the nation. Thad most recently served as Interim President of UCF for 14 months after being asked by the Board of Trustees to shepherd the university through a challenging period. Thad also served as Vice President for Partnerships and Chief Innovation Officer, which included oversight of a new UCF Downtown campus that opened in 2019 for over 7,000 UCF and Valencia College students.
As senior vice president at Tavistock Development Company Thad led planning, marketing and business development for Lake Nona, including its Medical City. His role encompassed institutional recruitment and new business ventures, driving innovation, and cultivating collaboration among the Lake Nona partners.
While at Tavistock, Thad was the founding president of the Lake Nona Institute focused on accelerating innovation with global partners in health and wellness, sustainability and education. Thad co-founded the Lake Nona Impact Forum, which annually features notable health innovators and thought leaders from around the world.
In the community Thad has served on the executive committee of the Orlando Economic Partnership, and as a past chair of Starter Studio, which supports early stage entrepreneurs and companies, and Shepherd’s Hope, which provides medical care to over 20,000 uninsured patients annually in multiple clinics throughout Central Florida.
Thad holds a BA from Dartmouth College, an MA and Ph.D. from the University of Wisconsin, and an MBA from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University. Thad and his wife, Katie, have three grown children.