Since becoming the Ivy League Council of Presidents' second full-time Executive Director on July 1, 2009, Robin Harris has pioneered the Ivy League to new heights in a number of areas. Throughout her tenure, Robin has focused on guiding and advancing the League in a manner that remains consistent with the philosophy set by the Ivy League Presidents. The Ivy League continually supports academic and athletic excellence while paving a road to current and future successes for the student-athletes that extends beyond the four years they spend at their respective campuses. Robin continues to strengthen the model the Ivy League has established as a nationally regarded, premiere collegiate athletic conference.
Among her accomplishments, Harris expanded and negotiated the Ivy League’s television agreements, including a groundbreaking media rights partnership with ESPN in 2018. Under the agreement the Ivy League features more than 1,000 events across ESPN’s digital platforms and a minimum of 24 annual events air nationally on ESPN’s linear networks. Prior to the League’s agreement with ESPN, Robin enhanced the exposure of the Ivy League through conference-wide television agreements with national networks such as NBC Sports, ESPN, CBS Sports Network, FOX Sports, American Sports Network and Eleven Sports. Along with these television negotiations, a trailblazing sponsorship rights agreement with JMI Sports has increased exposure of the League’s prestigious brand.
The athletic and academic standing of the Ivy League on a national stage has only grown during Robin’s including significant National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) tournament successes and national championships. Academically, the Ivy League has consistently led the nation in NCAA Graduation Success Rate (GSR) and Academic Progress Rate (APR) rankings.
Under Robin’s leadership, the Ivy League has developed and implemented new championship events for men's and women's basketball, men and women’s soccer, women’s field hockey, women’s volleyball, men and women’s squash, men’s wrestling, women’s rowing, fencing, baseball, softball and men’s and women’s lacrosse. In 2025, the Ivy League participated in the NCAA FCS football championship for the first time.
Robin has been very active in positioning the Ivy League at the forefront nationally regarding concussion research, education, and prevention. Under her leadership, the League has reviewed and implemented a variety of concussion-curbing measures across a number of sports and implemented a comprehensive League-wide data collection and study of concussion in all sports. The League also partnered with the Big Ten Conference to foster co-sponsored, cross-institutional research collaborations to study the effects of head injuries in sports.
Beginning with football and eventually including eight other sports to-date (men’s and women’s lacrosse, men’s and women’s ice hockey, men’s and women’s soccer, wrestling and rugby), Robin led sports-specific studies of concussions and related policy changes. As additional concussion data was collected and analyzed, Robin and the League implemented two major football-related policies effective with the 2016 season: Elimination of to-the-ground (“live”) tackling during regular season football practices; and an experimental rule to move kickoffs to the 40-yard line and touchbacks to the 20-yard line. The NCAA adopted a modified kickoff rule in Spring 2017 based in part on the results of the Ivy League experience with the experimental rule.
Robin has volunteered on numerous national boards and committees. Robin is a member of the Women’s Sports Foundation Board of Trustees and has served in various leadership roles, including as Chair since January 2022 and service on the Executive Committee and Advocacy Committee (including as Chair). Other current board and committee service include the ASU Sports Law and Business Advisory Board, the Rose Bowl Institute Advisory Board, and the USOPC Collegiate Advisory Council. Previously, Robin was selected to serve on the NCAA Constitution and Division I Transformation Committees tasked with proposing dramatic changes to the NCAA constitution and Division I operations to more effectively meet the needs of current and future college athletes. Other prior NCAA Division I committee service includes: the Strategic Vision and Planning Committee, the Nominating Committee, and the Competition Oversight Committee. Prior national service includes the USOPC Think Tank on Sustainability, the National Advisory Board of the Concussion Legacy Foundation and the Board of Governors of the Naismith Hall of Fame. Additionally, Robin served as president of Women Leaders in College Sports (formerly NACWAA).
In 2019, Women Leaders in College Sports named Robin an Administrator of the Year, and in 2016, The Sports Business Journal (SBJ) selected Robin as a “Game Changer;” a national recognition of selected female sports executives.
Prior to joining the Ivy League, Robin was co-chair of Ice Miller, LLP’s Collegiate Sports Practice and spent nine years at the NCAA, ending her tenure as associate chief of staff for Division I. She graduated with a B.A. from Duke University and earned her law degree from Duke University School of Law.