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.