Presenter Bio - Peter Trentacoste

Peter Trentacoste is the Executive Director of Residential Life at Louisiana State University, where he leads one of the nation’s largest comprehensive residential life operations, serving nearly 9,000 students across 22 residence halls and three apartment communities. He manages a $90 million budget and oversees more than 800 full-time and student staff.

Pete is also a national voice on the practical integration of artificial intelligence into student affairs. Throughout his career, he has helped teams respond thoughtfully to emerging technologies – from early online housing communities and social media to today’s generative and agentic AI Tools. He trains higher education professionals to use platforms such as ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini to streamline workflows, improve accessibility, strengthen operations, and support student success. His work emphasizes adopting technology without sacrificing empathy, professional judgment, accountability, or student trust. 

With more than 25 years of experience in higher education, Pete has led significant fiscal, organization, and capital-planning initiatives, including reversing multimillion-dollar deficits and managing more than $300 million in housing projects across multiple institutions.

A frequent presenter at national and regional conferences, Pete has addressed artificial intelligence, capital planning, post-pandemic housing trends, and staff well-being. His work has appeared in the Journal of College and University Student Housing, New Directions for Student Services, and the Talking Stick.

A first-generation college student, Pete holds degrees from Bloomsburg University and Indiana University of Pennsylvania and is pursuing his Ph.D. in Higher Education at Ohio University. He remains committed to building student-centered communities and helping professionals use technology to work smarter while preserving the human connection at the heart of student affairs.