PBN Business Women Awards 2026
WOMAN TO WATCH | EDUCATION:
Abby Benson, University of Rhode Island vice president of administration and finance
Abby Benson has spent more than two decades building the operational and financial infrastructure of major research universities – and at the University of Rhode Island, she is doing it on a scale that could reshape the institution for a generation.
Benson, who serves as vice president for administration and finance at URI, oversees a broad portfolio that includes facilities, human resources, budget and finance, risk management, public safety and purchasing. Since joining the university in 2021, she has led a universitywide balanced budget initiative to address structural deficits, guided URI through a clean financial audit and implemented proactive scenario planning to navigate shifting federal funding.
“Abby’s strategic and disciplined approach has been instrumental in stabilizing URI’s finances and setting the stage for long-term sustainability,” said URI President Marc B. Parlange.
Benson spearheaded URI’s first Comprehensive Campus Plan in more than 25 years, as chair of its advisory committee, leading the development of a long-term vision designed to align the university’s academic priorities with its physical infrastructure, sustainability goals and student experience. The plan, which looks a decade ahead and beyond, serves as a strategic roadmap for improving URI’s campuses and positions the university for future growth and competitiveness. To support it, Benson has overseen more than $1 billion in capital planning.
On the operational side, she has driven the university’s transition to Workday, a new enterprise resource planning system, while establishing an enterprise risk management framework. She has also recruited senior leaders across finance, facilities, information technology and procurement. “Her work has built a more efficient, accountable and future-ready organization,” Parlange said.
Benson earned a bachelor’s degree in geology and geophysics from Yale University in 1996 and dual master’s degrees in transportation and logistics engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 2005.
Before joining URI, Benson served as deputy chief operating officer at the University of Colorado Boulder, where during a decadelong tenure she held additional roles, including associate vice chancellor and assistant vice chancellor for research and innovation.
(Editor’s note: This profile was written using an artificial intelligence program and supported by honoree nominations and applications. The material was reviewed, fact-checked and edited for style and accuracy by Providence Business News editorial staff.)
