A veteran administrator at the University of Miami will be GW’s next executive vice president and chief financial officer, the University announced Thursday.

Mark Diaz, who worked as a budget and planning leader at the University of Miami for 18 years, will fill the role beginning in August, according to a release. He will replace Lou Katz, who plans to step down in June after nearly three decades as executive vice president and treasurer.

Diaz will oversee a broad office that leads GW’s finance and budget, Human Resources, information technology, facilities and operations, risk management and safety and security divisions.

Diaz twice served under University President Thomas LeBlanc at Miami first as associate vice president for budget and planning from 2005 until 2012 and later as vice president for budget and planning, according to the release. LeBlanc served as Miami’s executive vice president and provost for more than a decade before coming to GW last summer.

“Mark was a true partner at the University of Miami in ensuring that our resources and aspirations were aligned,” LeBlanc said in the release. “He is a change agent who excels in reshaping processes to drive and sustain academic excellence.”

Diaz will be the second official from the University of Miami to fill a major position at GW since LeBlanc took over. Donna Arbide will leave Miami to begin work as vice president for development and alumni relations next month.

Diaz also served as interim chief financial officer for Miami’s Miller School of Medicine and UHealth from 2013 until 2016 and was a key part of Miami’s effort to improve employee morale and staff support, according to the release. LeBlanc has sought to overhaul the partnership between GW’s medical school, a medical faculty group and GW Hospital as well as improve staff culture in the opening months of his tenure.

“The opportunity to join The George Washington University and once again operationalize Tom LeBlanc’s vision was one I could not pass up,” Diaz said in the release. “My passion is organizational assessment and making things better, and I look forward to assisting the University in any way I can to achieve its aspirations.”