Hari Sastry is stepping down as Pitt’s chief financial officer

Senior Vice Chancellor and Chief Financial Officer Hari Sastry will step down from his position at the University of Pittsburgh to become CFO at Georgetown University. Sastry will stay on at Pitt through March 1.

In her message to the University community, Chancellor Joan Gabel praised Sastry for his five years of service. Since coming to Pitt in 2018, Sastry has been a strategic leader and steward of the University’s financial resources. During his tenure, he has overseen the University’s $3 billion operating budget and $5.5 billion endowment, ensuring strong financial performance during state funding uncertainty and the COVID-19 pandemic.

Sastry also led several initiatives that strengthened and positioned the University for long-term success, growth and impact. He was pivotal in developing the Budget ReSTART model, which enhances transparency in the budget formulation process, and the Enterprise Risk Management program, which provides comprehensive risk assessments to discern and plan for potential vulnerabilities. He has also championed supplier diversity, ensuring Pitt’s role as a regional anchor institution committed to bettering economies and communities across the state.

Thurman Wingrove, the University’s controller, will serve as acting CFO starting in March, as the University begins a comprehensive search for Sastry’s replacement.