EVP Biography

Shannon Cullinan

Shannon Cullinan was elected executive vice president of the University of Notre Dame effective July 1, 2019, by the University’s Board of Trustees. In this role, Cullinan oversees the University’s $1.6 billion operating budget and leads the divisions that are responsible for operating the University including Campus Safety and Operations, Economic Development, Facilities Design and Operations, Finance, Human Resources, the Office of Information Technologies, the Investment Office and University Enterprises and Events.

Previously, Cullinan served as the vice president for finance at the University of Notre Dame since January 2017, a role in which he was responsible for the University budgets, capital planning, treasury management, procurement, real estate acquisitions and development, financial reporting and analysis, and accounting and financial services. Prior to that, Cullinan was the associate vice president for University Relations, a role in which he worked closely with trustee leadership, executive leadership, deans, and the University Relations team to oversee Notre Dame’s advancement and campaign efforts.

Cullinan graduated from Notre Dame in 1993 with a bachelor’s degree in accountancy. He returned to his alma mater in 2000, serving first as assistant vice president for Public Affairs and Communications. He went on to serve as assistant vice president for Development, and associate vice president for Continuous Improvement and Campus Services, with oversight for more than a dozen departments and 400 employees.

For four years prior to joining the University, Cullinan served as the associate executive director of the Center for the Homeless in South Bend, establishing it as a national model. During his tenure at the center, he served as the controller and created a commercial landscape business employing homeless men and women. He also owned and operated an advertising company before working at the center. 

Cullinan enjoys contributing his time to the local community, and currently serves on the board of directors of the South Bend-Elkhart Regional Partnership and the Community Foundation of St. Joseph County. 

He earned his master of business administration degree with highest honors from the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School. Cullinan and his wife Sarah (ND ’95) have four children.