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Robin Capehart is a distinguished leader in higher education and public service, with a dynamic career spanning university presidencies, government roles, legal practice, and creative endeavors.

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A native of Moundsville, West Virginia, Capehart has twice served as a university president. Most recently, from 2019 to 2023, he was President of Bluefield State University, a historically black college. His tenure marked a transformative period of growth and achievement. Under his leadership, Bluefield State attained university status, launched its first graduate degree, and introduced new health science programs. Despite the challenges posed by the pandemic, the university experienced significant enrollment growth and a remarkable increase in diversity, with African-American student representation rising from 6% to 30%. The institution’s cumulative financial index improved dramatically, moving from last to second in the state, and campus assets expanded through strategic acquisitions.

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President Capehart also oversaw the opening of campus housing for the first time since 1968, enhanced fundraising, and implemented a more efficient budget process. He prioritized competitive salaries for faculty and staff, established the Emerging Scholars Program for high-achieving students, and revitalized athletics—adding eleven new sports, including the return of football after more than 40 years. During his tenure, Bluefield State received the highest possible recognition from the Higher Learning Commission and rejoined the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA), becoming an NCAA Division II athletic conference member for the first time since 2013. These accomplishments reflect Capehart’s commitment to institutional growth, diversity, and excellence.

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Previously, Capehart served for eight years as President of West Liberty University. There, he achieved record enrollment and fundraising, oversaw the construction of a $22 million health sciences building (the campus’s first new academic building since 1976), and instituted the college's graduate physician assistant program—the only terminal degree of its kind offered by a regional college or university in West Virginia. Under his guidance, the university’s budget grew from $27 million to $42 million, fueled by successful enrollment initiatives and strategic planning. West Liberty rose in the U.S. News and World Report rankings from Tier 3 to Tier 1 during his presidency. Capehart’s influence extended beyond campus: he served as Chair of the President’s Council for the West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission, Chair of both the West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference and the Mountain East Conference, a member of the President’s Trust of the American Association of Colleges and Universities, and a member of the NCAA President’s Council.

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Capehart’s early career began in his hometown as an attorney, then as assistant prosecuting attorney, before holding key state positions including Chief Administrative Law Judge for the West Virginia State Tax Department, Secretary of Tax and Revenue under Governor Cecil Underwood, and Chair of the Governor’s Commission on Fair Taxation. He was also Chair of the Governor’s Committee on Government Reorganization. In academia, he served as Director of the Tax Studies Program at Marshall University (where he earned “Teacher of the Year” honors) and as an adjunct professor at the West Virginia University College of Law.

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Beyond his administrative and legal work, Capehart is an accomplished creative professional. He has produced five motion pictures, authored two books, and written numerous stage and screenplays. He was on the editorial staff of a national tax publication and even appeared as a sports reporter in the film “We Are Marshall.”

His academic credentials are equally distinguished. Capehart is magna cum laude graduate of West Virginia University, a member of Phi Beta Kappa, and was inducted into the John Marshall High School Hall of Fame. He holds a law degree from WVU and a graduate law degree in taxation from Georgetown University. As a Fulbright Scholar, he taught at a law school in the Republic of Moldova.

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Capehart’s excellence in public service was recognized in 2000 when he was named a “Distinguished West Virginian” by Governor Cecil Underwood.

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Currently, Robin Capehart is the Principal Fellow of The Carnegie Academy, a group of higher education leaders dedicated to helping colleges and universities reach their maximum potential. He also serves as a senior consultant at Collegiate Consulting in Atlanta, GA, and as a member of the John Maxwell Certified Leadership Team, where he is committed to developing current and future leaders. He is a Senior Fellow of the Public Policy Foundation of West Virginia and continues to advise colleges and universities across the country.

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Robin Capehart resides in Jonesborough, Tennessee, with his wife, Dr. Amanda Banks, a Professor of Education at East Tennessee State University. He has one daughter, Emily, a graduate of Pepperdine University and Chapman University. They are active members of Grace Fellowship Church in Johnson City, where Capehart leads a life group, and also attend Newbridge Church in Wheeling when back in West Virginia.