Ohio State's 18th President: Ravi Bellamkonda Named After Ted Carter Resigns Over Krisanthe Vlachos Podcast Scandal

Ohio State University has its fourth president since 2020. Just four days after the stunning resignation of Walter "Ted" Carter Jr. over an inappropriate relationship with podcaster Krisanthe Vlachos, the OSU Board of Trustees voted unanimously Thursday to name Executive Vice President and Provost Ravi V. Bellamkonda as the university's 18th president — bypassing a national search entirely.

Ted Carter Resigns: What Happened and Why

Ohio State University President Ted Carter Jr. resigned from his $1.5 million-per-year position after admitting to an inappropriate relationship with a local podcaster named Krisanthe Vlachos. Carter said he made a mistake in allowing inappropriate access to Ohio State leadership, and the resignation came after 45 years of marriage.

Carter had been a regular guest on Vlachos's podcast for months, and a photo shows the two smiling together at a conference in January 2026. He had served as Ohio State's president for 26 months.

Who Is Krisanthe Vlachos? The Callout Podcast and $60,000 in State Funds

JobsOhio, the state's privatized economic development office, said Carter's resignation was possibly connected to his relationship with Krisanthe Vlachos, host of what was supposed to be a four-episode veterans' podcast pilot called The Callout, for which it paid $15,000 an episode. Only one episode was delivered and the state is now trying to claw back its $60,000.

Vlachos is also the owner of Veteran USA LLC, which has a business address registered to the WOSU studios on the Ohio State campus. She interviewed Carter multiple times on the podcast and posted online that he was a friend and mentor. Ohio State spokesperson Ben Johnson confirmed VetEarnUSA LLC, an Ohio business registered by Vlachos in December 2025, is part of the ongoing university investigation.

Ravi Bellamkonda: Ohio State's New 18th President

Ravi V. Bellamkonda was named Thursday morning as the university's 18th full-time president — Ohio State's first person elevated from within to the position in 100 years, since George Rightmire served as president from 1926 to 1938.

Bellamkonda said he received the offer to become Ohio State's next president late Sunday night, about 12 hours before Ted Carter's resignation was publicly announced. Three trustees delivered the offer in person, and Bellamkonda said he almost fell off his chair when told Carter would be announcing his resignation at 10:00 AM Monday. Within 72 hours of Carter's resignation, Bellamkonda was sworn in.

Bellamkonda signed a five-year contract with a $1.4 million annual base salary. He is a bioengineer and neuroscientist who holds 11 U.S. patents focused on new ways to treat cancer, brain diseases, and nerve injuries.

Who Is Ravi Bellamkonda? Background and Priorities

Bellamkonda earned a PhD at Brown University and also studied at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He was the recipient of a National Institute of Health Research award for his work in treating pediatric brain tumors. He becomes Ohio State's first first-time university president since Karen Holbrook in 2002.

Bellamkonda came to Ohio State in early 2025 from Emory University in Atlanta, where he also served as provost. His academic career began as a Case Western Reserve University professor in Cleveland in 1995, and he has also held positions at Duke University and Georgia Tech.

His priorities as president include advancing research, being on the leading edge of the AI revolution, and shaping the future through students. He has been heavily involved in developing a new strategic plan and launching an AI Fluency initiative embedding artificial intelligence into the general education requirements of all undergraduate degrees.

Investigation Ongoing — No Law Enforcement Referral Yet

Ohio State spokesman Ben Johnson confirmed the investigation into Carter's inappropriate relationship is ongoing and acknowledged that JobsOhio has issued statements about its involvement. He confirmed there has been no referral to law enforcement at this time.

Bellamkonda said of the scandal: "One event, one person or one news story does not define The Ohio State University." He also confirmed he will appoint an interim provost and conduct a national search for a permanent replacement in the coming months.