COLUMBUS, Ohio — Ohio State University moved quickly Thursday to fill its top leadership position, selecting its current provost as president just days after the previous leader stepped down amid scandal.
The board of trustees selected Executive Vice President and Provost Ravi Ballamkonda to take over the role, skipping the typical national search process that would normally be conducted. This marks the fourth presidential change at the institution since 2020.
The appointment follows growing details about former President Walter “Ted” Carter Jr.’s improper relationship with a woman who hosts a podcast aimed at military veterans.
Ballamkonda brings extensive academic credentials to the position, working as both a bioengineer and neuroscientist. He came to Ohio State in 2021 after serving in leadership and research roles at several prestigious institutions including Emory University, Duke, Georgia Tech and Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland. He holds a Ph.D. in medical science and biomaterials from Brown University.
The leadership change came after university trustees received an external tip and confronted Carter about his conduct less than a week ago. Carter acknowledged in his public statement that he had “made a mistake in allowing inappropriate access to Ohio State leadership” before submitting his resignation. The former Navy vice admiral had served only two years of a five-year agreement that paid him over $1.1 million annually, plus additional compensation and housing at the university’s presidential residence.
Board Chair John Zeiger said he was surprised and disappointed when he accepted Carter’s resignation on Sunday. The university announced it was looking into Carter’s “inappropriate relationship with someone seeking public resources to support her personal business.”
The state’s economic development agency, JobsOhio, confirmed Carter’s departure was “possibly connected” to his association with Krisanthe Vlachos, who hosted a planned four-part veterans’ podcast series called The Callout. The agency paid $15,000 per episode for the full series and is now working to recover the $60,000 payment.
“Ohio State is a trusted partner and Admiral Carter, sharing our passion for military and veterans, recommended The Callout Podcast as an opportunity to build and engage a military and veteran audience in Ohio,” the agency wrote on X, “and connect them to the massive job opportunities coming to Ohio’s super sectors like advanced aerospace/defense and energy.”
University spokesperson Ben Johnson said the investigation centers on Vet Earn USA LLC, a business Vlachos registered in Ohio on December 19.
JobsOhio also provided Vlachos with $10,000 for a veterans’ theater production titled “Last Out” Elegy of a Green Beret.” This funding came through the agency’s Hometown Heroes program, which provides free entertainment for military members, veterans and their families.
