Davina Desnoes is joining UCF’s Division of Administration and Finance as senior assistant vice president for budget, planning and analysis. She joins UCF after careers at both the University of Buffalo and Cornell University. She will oversee the Office of Budget, Planning and Analysis, and will report to Senior Vice President for Administration and Finance and Chief Financial Officer Gerald Hector.

Desnoes starts on Jan. 17, 2025, and will have her offices in Millican Hall. She will oversee the annual five-year budgeting process for the university, gathering information for both operating and capital budgets from across the campus and roll them up into the annual incentive based operating budget plan, the annual carryforward spending plan, and all capital needs requests for the physical plant. She will work closely to ensure that all financial reports are prepared to assist senior leaders of the university to make informed and data driven decisions both “inter- and intra-” fiscal years. She will work collaboratively with the Office of Provost and Academic Affairs to ensure that funding needs are clearly understood and are appropriately captured in the university’s various budgets for presentation to the Board of Trustees. All budget reporting to both internal and external stakeholders will be her responsibility that includes making presentations to the university’s Board of Trustees, the monthly management, discussion and analysis reports for senior leadership, the quarterly Board of Trustees reports, and being the liaison for the Budget Office in terms of Board of Governors interactions around the operating budget and carryforward submissions each summer and fall.

“UCF is on the cutting edge of all aspects of higher education. Its transformation efforts are visible for everyone to see, and it is exciting,” Desnoes says. “I am looking forward to using my experience and knowledge to assist this great institution to reach even higher heights. I am looking forward to joining Knight Nation and working with so many talented individuals whose innovation and commitment to student success is immeasurable.”

“I am pleased to learn of this wonderful opportunity for Davina,” says Joanne DeStefano, Cornell’s recently retired executive vice president and chief financial officer. “One thing that impressed me most about Davina was her ability to work with everyone at Cornell. Whether it was central administration, colleges, or individual departments, everyone would go out of their way to provide feedback on how helpful she was to them. I wish her all the best in this role at UCF.”

“I had the pleasure of working with Davina as she led the University Budget Office,” says Paul Streeter, retired vice president for budget, planning and analysis at Cornell University. “Davina and her team did a wonderful job developing and monitoring a complex budget in a very decentralized environment.”

“I am excited that Mrs. Desnoes is joining UCF at this pivotal time,” Hector says. “Her experiences of working at two complex AAU universities with total annual research spend of approximately $400 million and $1.1 billion respectively augurs well for the work that she will undertake and shepherd for us here at UCF around all aspects of budgeting, planning and analysis for the entire university”