Excelsior University Welcomes Education Lawyer Jeffrey Metzler to Board of Trustees
ALBANY, N.Y. — The Excelsior University Board of Trustees has appointed Jeffrey Metzler, a partner at Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP in New York City, as one of six new trustees. The University’s governing board includes leaders from across the country with deep experience in business, education, government, and public service.
Metzler is a litigation partner at Pillsbury and a co-leader of the firm’s Education practice. He is nationally ranked by Chambers for Higher Education law and has spent more than three decades working at the intersection of education, governance, and public policy. He currently serves as co-chair of the New York City Bar Association’s Education and the Law Committee and as a leader of the Association’s Task Force on Higher Education. He was recently nominated to serve on the Board of Directors of The Legal Aid Society of New York City.
“As someone who has spent much of my career supporting educational institutions and expanding access to opportunity, I am honored to join the Excelsior University Board of Trustees,” said Metzler. “Excelsior’s mission, its focus on adult learners, and its commitment to quality and integrity resonate deeply with me. I look forward to contributing to the Board’s strategic work as the University continues to grow its reach and impact.”
In his professional work, Metzler advises colleges, universities, and other institutional clients on governance, civil rights matters, investigations, and complex litigation. He regularly counsels boards and senior leadership on risk oversight, institutional policy, and navigating evolving legal and regulatory environments. He brings extensive experience in government investigations and appellate advocacy, having handled numerous federal and state matters.
Before joining Pillsbury, Metzler served in a variety of non-profit and government roles, including Associate General Counsel at New York University, Assistant Solicitor General for New York State, Acting General Counsel for the New York City Council, and Vice President for Economic Empowerment at Empire State Development.
Metzler has also served as an adjunct professor at NYU’s Robert F. Wagner Graduate School of Public Service, taught in New York City public schools, and is a frequent speaker on higher education law and governance.
Kent A.D. Clark, president and chairman of the board of the Clark Advisory Group LLC and CAG Federal, was appointed chair of the Excelsior University Board of Trustees. Other newly appointed trustees include Diane Adams, chief learning officer of Mount Sinai Health System; Todd Greene, vice president of the Work, Education, and Labor Division and executive director of WorkRise at the Urban Institute; Jessica Hinkle, senior vice president of Strada; Ruth Lown Turman, senior sales operations manager at Optum Serve of UnitedHealth Group; and Tony Spearman-Leach, director of development and philanthropy at the National Academy of Public Administration.
For more information on the Excelsior University Board of Trustees and full biographies of each member, visit: excelsior.edu/about/leadership/trustees.
Media contact Excelsior University:
Jason Bonafide, jbonafide@excelsior.edu, 518-608-8446
About Excelsior University
Excelsior University is an accredited, not-for-profit higher education institution focused on helping learners complete their degrees and advance their careers. Excelsior contributes to the development of a diverse, educated, and career-ready society by valuing lifelong learning with an emphasis on serving individuals historically underrepresented in higher education. Founded in 1971 in Albany, New York, Excelsior meets students where they are — academically and geographically — removing obstacles to the educational goals of adults pursuing continuing education and degree completion. Our pillars include innovation, flexibility, academic excellence, and integrity.
Excelsior is a not-for-profit university with a main campus in Albany, New York, and an educational site in St. Petersburg, Florida. Excelsior University’s academic programs are registered by the New York State Education Department, with additional licensing for Florida-based programs.
Licensed by the Commission for Independent Education, Florida Department of Education (License No. 12928). Additional information regarding this institution may be obtained by contacting the Commission at 325 West Gaines Street, Suite 1414, Tallahassee, FL 323099-0400, toll-free number: (888)-224-6684.
