Daniel Alden Durbin

On Thursday, May 8, 2025, Daniel “Dan” Durbin of Louisville, Ky., left his legacy and the world following his diagnosis with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS).
Dan was born October 27, 1962, in Clarksburg, to the late Alex A. Durbin and Sondra L. Durbin and was raised in Weston.
Dan was the first in his family to graduate from college, earning his B.S. in Finance from Glenville State University in 1984.
He began his career as a West Virginia legislative auditor in Charleston. In 1986, he moved into higher education as the director of Budgets and Financial Operations at the West Virginia University Health Sciences Center in Morgantown until 2006, where he ultimately moved up the ranks to the senior associate vice president at the University.
In 2006, he completed his Master’s Degree in Public Administration.
During his time at WVU, he played a significant leadership role in transforming the University, overseeing major projects related to student housing and academic facilities that reshaped the landscape of
Morgantown.
In 2017, Dan relocated his family to Louisville, where he became associate vice president for Health Affairs and chief financial officer of the University of Louisville Health Sciences Center. The following year, he was named executive vice president for Finance and Administration at the University of Louisville. Dan guided the institution through major challenges, including state budget cuts, the acquisition of KentuckyOne Health, the creation of UofL Health, and the complexities of the COVID-19 pandemic—all while designing and implementing a new budget model that supported increased enrollment and financial stability. His accomplishments earned him recognition as one of Louisville’s Best in Finance by Louisville Business First.
In recognition of his outstanding leadership and dedication to academic excellence, Dan was awarded a Doctor of Public Service degree, with honors, from the University of Louisville in May of 2025.
Along the way, he married the love of his life, Maria Santalucia, on September 17, 1988, in Weston, and went on to have four children: their eldest, Jonathan Durbin, passed away as an infant in July of 1994; Annalie Cristina of Louisville; Kaitlyn Elizabeth of Rome, Italy; and Andrew Joseph of Milan, Italy.
Family and friends are invited to attend a Celebration of Life/Visitation from 3 to 7 p.m. Friday, May 16, at the University Club, 200 East Brandeis Avenue. A visitation will be held from 9 to 10 a.m. Saturday, May 17, followed by a Funeral Mass at 10 a.m. in the Cathedral of the Assumption, 443 South Fifth Street, Louisville.
In lieu of flowers, the family kindly asks that memorial gifts be made to the University of Louisville, in Dan’s honor, to support the students Dan worked hard to ensure came first. Donations can be made via http://give.louisville.edu/dan-durbin. Dan’s alma mater, Glenville State University, honored him with a Presidential Scholarship, named the Dan Durbin Board of Governors Scholarship. Donations to the Scholarship can be sent via https://www.glenville.edu/foundation/donation-form