Associate Vice President and Counselor to the President
Ann Firth
Ann Firth serves as associate vice president and counselor to Notre Dame’s president, Rev. John I. Jenkins, CSC. Ms. Firth’s responsibilities include serving as liaison to the Board of Trustees, assisting in the oversight of the numerous University departments that report to the President, representing the President on University committees, and coordinating initiatives related to the Catholic character of the University.
Ms. Firth received both a Bachelor’s degree and a Juris Doctor from Notre Dame. After practicing law in Chicago, Firth returned to Notre Dame in 1985 to join the Division of Student Affairs as the inaugural director of the Office of Residence Life, serving for six years as the University’s primary hearing officer for student disciplinary matters.
From 1992 to 2011, Ms. Firth served as a member of the Student Affairs’ senior leadership team. As Associate Vice President for Student Affairs, she was responsible for strategic planning and assessment for the Division, ensuring student welfare and safety, managing crisis communications, leading efforts aimed at better integration of academic and student life, implementing the University’s residential master plan, and oversight of The Career Center and Campus Ministry.
Over the course of her career in student life at Notre Dame, Ms. Firth was instrumental in establishing both the Office of Alcohol and Drug Education (OADE) and the Gender Relations Center, led two University committees on the future of residential life, and served as the chair of the Committee on Sexual Assault Prevention and Deputy Title IX Coordinator. She played a central role in the formulation of policies related to student life, and served on numerous University committees, including the Committee on Academics and Student Life, Faculty Board on Athletics, University Council on Events, Notre Dame Forum Committee, and the President’s Committee on Women.
Ms. Firth is the recipient of a University Presidential Award for her exceptional work. The Congregation of Holy Cross honored her with the Howard J. Kenna, CSC Award for extraordinary contributions to Notre Dame and Holy Cross.
Ms. Firth and her husband, John, are the parents of a Notre Dame graduate and two current Notre Dame students, as well as two younger children.
