About the President
The Role of the President
As the chief executive officer of the university, the president provides overall leadership and direction for UNLV. The president oversees the university’s academic, administrative, and financial operations and works closely with students, faculty, staff, and external stakeholders to advance the institution’s mission.
The president collaborates with the Nevada System of Higher Education (NSHE) and the Board of Regents to implement system-wide initiatives and align institutional priorities with state and national goals. As the public face of the university, the president also serves as a key advocate for UNLV in the community and represents the university in local, state, and national forums.
The president plays a central role in shaping the university’s strategic vision, fostering academic excellence, promoting research and innovation, and ensuring that UNLV continues to serve as a vital resource for Nevada and the broader region.
Biography
Chris Heavey is an accomplished academic leader and distinguished researcher who was named UNLV’s interim president in April 2025. President Heavey has dedicated his career in higher education administration to strengthening academic and clinical programs, supporting student and faculty success, and creating community-focused programs that deepen the university’s connection with partners throughout the region.
President Heavey has been at UNLV for more than 30 years, holding numerous faculty and leadership roles including senior vice provost, vice provost for undergraduate education, and dean. He most recently served as executive vice president and provost from 2019 to 2025, guiding the university’s academic mission as chief academic officer and leading efforts to drive excellence, innovation, and collaboration.
As a professor of psychology, President Heavey’s research focuses on improving understanding of the inner experience and its relationship to mental health. He’s published dozens of articles and book chapters, and is considered one of the nation’s leading scholars in the thoughts and feelings that make up the consciousness of people as they go about their everyday lives.
He is a former president of the Nevada State Board of Psychological Examiners and has been honored by the state psychological association for his work. During his tenure at UNLV, he has earned numerous awards for both teaching and service, and he currently serves on a variety of external boards focused on higher education, economic development, and community engagement.
President Heavey earned Ph.D. and master’s degrees in clinical psychology from UCLA and a bachelor’s degree in psychology from the University of California, Santa Cruz.
Chris Heavey, Ph.D., Interim President
Contact
Email: chris.heavey@unlv.edu
Phone: 702-895-3201
Office: FDH 752
Mail Code: 1001
Address: 4505 S. Maryland Pkwy., Box 451002, Las Vegas, NV 89154-1002
Related Links
- Curriculum Vitae
- Download High-Res Photo
- Request as a Media Expert
- Invite to an Event or Meeting
- President's Office Staff Directory
- Video: Provost's Welcome for New Student Orientation
- Video: Provost's Welcome for New Faculty Orientation
- Video: Rebel Recharge Presentation ("Your Inner Life - How to Learn About It and Why It Matters")
- Past Presidents and Campus Leaders
Teaching Experience
The winner of multiple awards for his teaching, President Heavey has taught a variety of undergraduate and graduate courses in psychology, including General Psychology (PSY 101 and HON200A), Introduction to Statistical Methods (PSY210), Research Methods (PSY 240), Personality Psychology (PSY 435), Basic Principles of Psychotherapy (PSY 451), Intervention with Adults (PSY 726), Teaching of Psychology (PSY 757), General Practicum (PSY 767), and Family Therapy Practicum (PSY 794). He has designed or redesigned several courses, such as Psychology of Marriage (PSY 494), History and Foundations of Clinical Psychology (PSY 714), and Marital Therapy Practicum (PSY 767).
While serving as Director of Clinical Training and Interim Chair of the Department of Psychology, he led the development of a successful clinical psychology doctoral program accredited by the American Psychological Association (APA). Enrolling approximately 50 students annually, it continues to be one of the most popular doctoral programs at UNLV.
In his role as president, he is committed to supporting teaching excellence across the university. He prioritizes faculty development, inclusive pedagogical practices, and initiatives that improve student learning outcomes. He continues to champion efforts that promote educational access and student success.
Research Interests
Heavey researches inner experience, or the thoughts, feelings, sensations and other experiences that populate awareness. He uses the Descriptive Experience Sampling (DES) method to explore the experience of people who share a common feature, such as those suffering from depression, as well as the characteristics and phenomena of normal, unaltered consciousness.
Descriptive Experience Sampling involves asking subjects to pay attention to their ongoing inner experience at randomly chosen moments as they go about their day-to-day activities. Subjects subsequently describe these moments of experience during an interview. Written descriptions of these moments of experience then are combined to develop a profile of an individual or a group of individuals.
Other areas of interest for Heavey include how inner experience relates to other psychological constructs (e.g., personality, emotional intelligence, etc.), exploring the experience of naturally-occurring emotions, and how methodological variations in procedures used to research inner experience influence findings.
Connect with President Heavey
