Dr. Gary Daynes, PhD

Dr. Gary Daynes became Mary Baldwin University’s 12th president on July 1, 2026, serving as Interim President and Chief Transformation Officer. He and his wife, Kristine, moved into the president’s house on campus when he assumed the role, making their home in the heart of the MBU community they serve.

A historian by training, Dr. Daynes holds a PhD and MA in American History from the University of Delaware and a BA from Brigham Young University. He is the author of How to Be a Small College (Manuscripts Press, 2025) — a reflection of his conviction that small, distinctive institutions like Mary Baldwin play an irreplaceable role in American higher education and civic life.

Before joining MBU, Dr. Daynes served as interim president of Salem Academy and College in Winston-Salem, NC, where he guided the institution to a balanced operating budget, advanced a new strategic plan, and strengthened relationships with alumnae and donors during a period of transition.

Earlier, Dr. Daynes served for eight years as provost and vice president for academic affairs at Barton College in Wilson, NC, where he led a shared academic vision, launched new programs, grew enrollment, oversaw student affairs and enrollment management, and guided the institution through COVID-19. He has also served in leadership roles at Westminster College and as a faculty member at Brigham Young University. As founder of Back Porch Consulting, he has guided more than 20 independent colleges through strategic planning, academic program redesign, and financial sustainability.

Dr. Daynes’ commitment to community runs through everything he does. He has chaired civic boards, co-led economic development initiatives, and built lasting local partnerships in every community where he has lived. Kristine Daynes, an educational consultant, is his partner in that work. They have four young-adult children.

Dr. Daynes looks forward to meeting members of the MBU community — students, faculty, staff, alumni, and Staunton neighbors — and to listening before leading.