Neeli Bendapudi is an Indian-American academic and businesswoman. She served as the 18th President of the University of Louisville in Kentucky, United States, from 2018 to 2023. Prior to her role as president, Bendapudi held various leadership positions in academia and the corporate world. Bendapudi earned a Bachelor's degree in Arts and Communication from Andhra University in India. She later moved to the United States and completed her Master's degree in Statistics from the University of Kansas. She went on to earn a Ph.D. in Marketing from the University of Kansas as well.