About the COO
Patrick Norton
Patrick Norton is the Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of Tulane University. In this role, Mr. Norton is responsible for all operational aspects of the university including Finance, Facilities Management, Capital Planning and Real Estate, Human Resources, Information Technology, Business Services, Risk Management, Campus Police, Internal Audit and Emergency Preparedness, and Business Continuity.
A determined leader, Patrick brings an entrepreneurial energy to his work. Over the course of his career, he has successfully brought financial rigor and innovation to organizations seeking comprehensive solutions. As the Chief Operating Officer, Patrick is charged with creating an environment fueled by innovation, discovery and discipline, while ensuring the financial and operational stability of Tulane University. As the most senior non-academic officer, his broad portfolio represents the underlying infrastructure supporting the academic mission and vision of the university.
After joining Tulane in 2016, Mr. Norton undertook an extensive review of university’s fiscal practices, investments, and opportunities. Because of his initial work and leadership, Tulane University has reversed its course of deficit spending and is building a financial culture of empowered leaders, rigorous planning, and effective execution. Seen by many as an unlikely entrepreneur, Mr. Norton has demonstrated a unique approach to his work. In his short tenure, he has redesigned the university’s approach to budgeting, creating the opportunity for deans to act as their own CEO – allowing for innovative programing and investment at the school level. Mr. Norton has also ensured the university can extend its impact and increase the accessibility of its renowned instruction by investing in the development of online course offerings and summer programming.
A passionate member of the community, Mr. Norton devotes considerable time to organizations committed to New Orleans and the state of Louisiana. He is a member of the board at Tulane Medical Center and is a board member at New Orleans College Prep., a pre-K through grade 12 charter school network.
Prior to being named the COO of Tulane, Mr. Norton was the Vice President for Finance and Treasurer at Middlebury College, located in Middlebury, Vermont.
Mr. Norton is a graduate of the University of Texas with a degree in Accounting, a graduate of Columbia University with a Master’s in Organizational Leadership, and a Certified Public Accountant. He is also a current doctoral candidate in Higher Education Administration at Northeastern University.
He and his wife Valerie live with their two children in New Orleans.
Chief of Staff to the Chief Operating Officer
Judy Vitrano
Judy Vitrano was appointed as Chief of Staff to the Chief Operating Officer in 2021. In this role, she serves as trusted advisor and counsel to the Chief Operating Officer. She plans, implements, communicates, and ensures key initiatives are being advanced at Tulane. She also represents the COO at times to internal and external constituencies while coordinating and managing the day-to-day operations of the COO’s administrative office.
Judy is a native New Orleanian and has a BS in Economics and an MBA from the University of New Orleans. She has had an accomplished, 30-year career at Tulane, serving in various financial and administrative roles in the Budget Office, the Law School, and a shared research instrumentation department. She was also an adjunct instructor in the Tulane A.B. Freeman School of Business. Her long tenure and experience across different areas of the university and her established relationships gives her a unique and valuable perspective to serve in this role.
In her previous role as the Associate Vice President of Institutional Budgets and Planning, Judy has been responsible for the implementation and management of the university’s responsibility centered management financial model. She has been a key member in driving the vast improvement in the university’s financial position. During the COVID-19 pandemic, she oversaw the monitoring spending controls and policies and played a large part in our continued financial sustainability. She has been a strategic partner, participating on administrative council and several other key committees throughout the university. Finally, as an inaugural member of the Anti-Racism Leadership Program of the Tulane University Leadership Institute, she is a strong advocate for equity, diversity, and inclusion efforts across the university.
Senior Executive Assistant to the Chief Operating Officer
Frances Vickers
Frances Vickers has a BA in Media Arts from Tulane University and has worked at Tulane for 32 years. In the past, she worked at the Tulane University Hospital & Clinic as well as the Tulane School of Medicine. She also worked for the University’s Chief Financial Officer for 25 years. She is currently the Executive Assistant to the Chief Operating Officer, for whom she provides advanced administrative support in all phases of daily operations to ensure a smooth and efficient operation.
