ATLANTA — The President of Spelman College, Dr. Helene D. Gayle, will not return following a leave of absence, the college board of trustees announced Thursday.
Just weeks ago, it was announced that Gayle would take a personal leave of absence.
The college did not elaborate on the reason for the decision. However, the institution said Interim President Roz Brewer would continue to lead in the meantime.
"Spelman College will continue to prosper and thrive under the leadership of Interim President Roz Brewer, C’84, as the Board works to finalize the path forward for identifying and selecting our next president," the statement reads.
Gayle became Spelman's president in 2022 after former president Mary Schmidt Campbell retired. The school is part of the Atlanta University Center, a consortium of four historically Black schools.
Before working at Spelman, Gayle was president of the Chicago Community Trust, one of the nation's largest community foundations. She is also an epidemiologist who spent decades fighting AIDS and HIV and led an international anti-poverty group.
Brewer had been involved in overseeing the college for 17 years. She spent 12 as board chair, where she worked with three Spelman presidents and chaired the two most successful fundraising campaigns in the college's history. She also previously served as president and CEO of Walgreens Boots Alliance, chief operating officer of Starbucks and CEO of Sam's Club.