About Elizabeth Beard, Ph.D.
Prior to her appointment as Chancellor, Dr. Beard served as Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs at LSUA, where she led academic planning, accreditation, workforce-aligned program development, student success initiatives, and institutional strategy. She played a key role in advancing innovative academic programs, expanding curriculum-to-career pathways, strengthening partnerships across the LSU System, and leading the development of LSUA’s nationally recognized Command Your Career quality enhancement plan.
Dr. Beard joined the LSUA faculty in 2005 as a member of the English department and later served as Dean of the College of Liberal Arts. Throughout her career, she has been recognized for her commitment to student success, teaching excellence, and community engagement. She was the founding coordinator of the LSUA Writing Center and has held the Richard Bryan Gwartney Endowed Professorship in the Liberal Arts.
A graduate of Rapides High School and Spring Hill College, Dr. Beard earned both her master’s and doctoral degrees in English from Louisiana State University. She is an alumna of Leadership CenLA, member of the Rotary Club of Alexandria, serves on the Board of the Alexandria Museum of Art, and remains actively engaged in community and civic leadership throughout central Louisiana.
As Chancellor, Dr. Beard is focused on advancing LSUA’s mission of providing affordable, accessible, and career-connected education while strengthening the university’s role as a driver of workforce development and opportunity for the region and the state of Louisiana. Deeply rooted in central Louisiana, she continues to align LSUA’s academic portfolio with evolving workforce demands while maintaining a strong focus on student outcomes, access, degree value, and community impact.
For inquiries, Dr. Beard can be reached at ebeard@lsua.edu or 318-473-6444.
