Christopher L. Heavey

Christopher L. Heavey, Ph.D., is a seasoned higher-education administrator and tenured psychology professor who has served the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) for more than 30 years. In March 2025, following the resignation of President Keith Whitfield, he was appointed Officer in Charge of UNLV, and on April 24, 2025, the Nevada System of Higher Education (NSHE) Board of Regents formally appointed him as Interim President, a role effective April 25, 2025 through April 24, 2028.

Over his long career at UNLV, Heavey has held several senior leadership positions, including Executive Vice President and Provost, Senior Vice Provost, Dean, and Vice Provost for Undergraduate Education. He is also a tenured professor in the Department of Psychology. His academic research focuses on clinical psychology and inner experience; he has no professional involvement in the iGaming or commercial gambling industry, though UNLV as a university conducts broad research in that area.

Heavey earned his Ph.D. and master's degrees in clinical psychology from the University of California, Los Angeles, and his bachelor's degree from the University of California, Santa Cruz. He is not known to hold any roles in the gambling industry, and his career remains entirely within academic and university leadership.