JOHNSON CITY (Feb. 22, 2023) – East Tennessee State University announced the appointment of Christina Graham as its new chief financial officer and vice president of Business and Finance. Graham began her new role this month, replacing Dr. B.J. King, who retired after 25 years of service at ETSU.
Graham previously served as the executive vice president for finance and chief financial officer at Lincoln Memorial University. There, she oversaw all business and financial activities, assisted in strategic planning to achieve the university’s goals and managed the institution’s operating budget.
“With more than 25 years of experience in higher education, Ms. Graham has proven to be a visionary leader and a good steward of the resources she has managed throughout her career,” said ETSU President Dr. Brian Noland. “She understands what it takes for an institution to thrive and grow, and she has the expertise and leadership acumen to be an integral part of that growth. Perhaps more importantly, she has expressed a deep and heartfelt commitment to the public value of public higher education and particularly ETSU’s access mission. I believe she will be a true advocate for our students and our communities.”
Graham holds a master’s degree in accountancy from Golden Gate University and a master of business administration from LMU. She also is a Ph.D. candidate in the educational leadership program at Indiana State University. She is a certified public accountant (CPA) and has taught numerous business and accounting classes at the university level.
While at LMU, she was responsible for the collaborative planning and implementation of several major colleges and programs, such as the College of Osteopathic Medicine, the College of Veterinary Medicine, the College of Dentistry and the School of Law. In 2022, she was an inductee into the Lincoln Memorial University Professional Hall of Fame.
“I am honored to join ETSU as the chief financial officer,” Graham said. “I was drawn to ETSU because of the mission. I pledge to keep that mission at the forefront of all decision-making and to safeguard the resources allotted to us. I look forward to working with Dr. Noland and his outstanding team and the talented staff Dr. King has assembled to continue to serve the campus community.”