Dr. Liz Tovar serves as Director of Strategic Partnerships in the Office of the Provost and as Senior Associate Athletics Director for Student-Athlete Academic Services in University of Iowa Athletics. A member of each organization's leadership team, she advances efforts to foster student success, support strategic initiatives, and cultivate new opportunities for the university.

Tovar spearheaded a $6.6 million partnership with the John Deere Foundation, launching the John Deere Scholars Program, which will award 60 scholarships over three years for Davenport High School students. She has been instrumental in creating initiatives that foster a productive campus culture within a globally diverse society and workforce. 

Under her leadership in athletics, student-athletes have maintained an average graduation success rate of 88% and grade point average of 3.25. She launched the Hawkeye Life Student Development Program in athletics and played a crucial role in the $6 million renovation of the Gerdin Athletic Learning Center, enhancing the educational development of Hawkeye student-athletes.

Dr. Tovar began her career at the University of Kansas, where she earned degrees in psychology, clinical psychology, and educational leadership and policy studies. Before joining Iowa in 2013, she served in athletic student services roles at the University of Kansas, Northern Illinois University, and The Ohio State University.

She serves on the Board of Directors for United Way of Johnson and Washington Counties, chairs the NCAA Region Five Postgraduate Scholarship Committee, and serves on the Board of Trustees for KU Endowment.