Neva J. Specht, PhD, is a well-known and widely respected academic leader who was appointed executive vice chancellor and provost for Appalachian State University, effective May 1, 2025. 

Specht manages the university’s academic enterprise, as well as all aspects of Enrollment Management, the Student Affairs departments that support students and student success, and Arts Engagement and Cultural Resources. 

From 2017 to 2021, she served as dean of the College of Arts & Sciences. She was the college’s senior associate dean from 2013 to 2017 and associate dean from 2010 to 2013. She has been a professor in the Department of History since 1996 and served as the assistant chair of the department from 2007 to 2009. 

Specht received her PhD in United States history and material culture studies from the University of Delaware, where she also earned her Master of Arts in United States history with a certificate in museum studies. She received her bachelor’s degree from Grinnell College, with a double major in history and American studies.