Pat Pitney

Karen Patricia "Pat" Pitney ( Spurgin, born August 10, 1965) is an American university president and sports shooter, now living in Fairbanks, Alaska. Born in Billings, Montana, she competed and won a gold medal in the 1984 Summer Olympics. She became the first Olympic Champion in Air Rifle for Women, at the time being an 18-year-old student at Murray State University, Kentucky. She earned a degree in engineering physics from Murray State University and a Master of Business Administration from the University of Alaska Fairbanks. She is the interim president of the University of Alaska system.
Pitney volunteered as an assistant coach for the Alaska Nanooks at the University of Alaska Fairbanks for almost two decades. The team won nine NCAA Rifle Championships during that time.
The Pat Spurgin Rifle Range at Murray State University is named after her.
Sochi 2014 Winter Olympic Games.
Pitney was a torchbearer for the Sochi 2014 Olympics torch relay. She traveled 3,100 miles on the Russian nuclear-powered icebreaker "50 Let Pobedy" to the North Pole, where the crew ignited a cauldron with the Olympic torch.
University of Alaska.
Pitney held administrative positions at the University of Alaska for 23 years. From 2008 to 2014, she was the vice chancellor for administrative services at the University of Alaska Fairbanks. While vice chancellor, she also served as finance vice president for the University of the Arctic, starting in 2012.
State of Alaska.
In December 2014, newly elected Alaska Governor Bill Walker appointed Pitney as director of the Office of Management and Budget During the 2014-2018 Walker administration, Pitney focused on managing the impact of collapsing oil prices on the Alaska state budget. Pitney then became director of the state of Alaska's Legislative Finance Division in January 2020.
Interim University of Alaska President.
Pitney became interim president of the University of Alaska system on 1 August 2020. She succeeded acting President Michelle Rizk, who had stepped in after the resignation of President Jim Johnsen on 22 June. Pitney is expected to serve until at least the spring of 2022.