The University of Washington Bothell has selected Dr. Sophie C. Avila Leroy as its new dean of the School of Business, effective Aug. 18, 2025.
Leroy, who is a professor in the School of Business, has held various leadership roles in her 10 years at the University. Prior to her current role as the school’s associate dean of administration, she was area coordinator for management and organization. She previously served as chair of the school’s Elected Faculty Council and of its Graduate Council and as an elected representative on UW Bothell’s General Faculty Organization Executive Council.
In her role as associate dean, Leroy now oversees all degree-granting academic programs and student success. She has focused on improving processes, solving challenges, and bringing intentionality and strategic vision to the school’s work. She also has prioritized developing connections and partnerships in the business community and building momentum for fundraising efforts.
“Dr. Leroy’s initiatives as associate dean have led to significant enrollment growth in both graduate and undergraduate programs,” said Chancellor Kristin G. Esterberg. “She understands the institutional framework of UW Bothell and its faculty, staff and students, and has experience working within the UW’s shared governance system.”
As a faculty member, Leroy’s research has focused on self-regulation of attention, ethical behaviors and temporal behaviors. She established the study of interruptions — the moment of transition from one task to another and its effect on performance — as a new research area within the field of organizational behavior. She has published in top scientific journals and served on the editorial boards of several of her field’s best scientific journals.
Since joining UW Bothell in 2014, Leroy has received the MBA Faculty of the Year teaching award six times along with other teaching awards, such as the School of Business’ undergraduate teaching award. In 2024, she received the campus-wide Distinguished Research, Scholarship & Creative Activities Award in recognition of her research contributions and impact.
“I am inspired by the work Dr. Leroy has done to promote initiatives that support a diverse and supportive environment for students, faculty and staff, a commitment that is core to the University’s mission and vision,” said Esterberg. “She has secured student scholarships, revised academic programs to remove barriers to enrollment, and fostered a culture of inclusivity and respect.”
Leroy received her doctorate in Management/Organizational Behavior from New York University, and her master’s and bachelor’s degrees from Hautes Etudes Commerciales School of Management in Paris.
