Nicholas S. Zeppos (born 1954) is the eighth Chancellor of Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee. According to Forbes magazine, Zeppos ranks 5th in the Highest Earning College Chancellors list, with salary rising to $2.23 million.

He was born in 1954 in Milwaukee and has 2 brothers. His Athens born grandfather migrated to the United States together with his 4 brothers.

“There was a big migration west to Detroit and Chicago among Greeks. I’m sure they knew somebody in Milwaukee and went where the jobs were”, Zeppos says in an interview.

He studied History at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, before enrolling at the University of Wisconsin Law School.

He first practiced law in Washington, D.C., at the Justice Department and at Wilmer, Cutler & Pickering law firm. He joined the faculty of the Vanderbilt Law School in 1987 and served in a number of posts, including Professor of Law, Vice Chancellor and other. From 2002 until 2008, he served as Vice Chancellor for the university’s academic affairs, overseeing undergraduate, graduate and professional education programs, as well as research efforts arts, sciences, music, education, law and other.

He was appointed Chancellor on March 1st, 2008.

He has written widely about legislation and professional responsibility. He has served as President of the Scholars Committee on the Federal Judiciary and President of the Rules Advisory Committee of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit.

He’s a board member of the the Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce and the Nashville Public Education Foundation. He also serves on the National Security Higher Education Advisory Board.

He’s married to writer Lydia Howarth and has 2 sons.