Dean's Council at the Gillings School
About
The Dean’s Council is broadly representative of academic and administrative leadership of the Gillings School and includes: the dean; department chairs, the vice dean; all assistant and associate deans; directors of programs and units that serve all parts of the Gillings School; and representatives of student government and the Minority Student Caucus.
The Dean’s Council meets bi-monthly and is charged with the following responsibilities:
- Establishes strategic directions
- Makes policy recommendations
- Approves directions in high-impact areas affecting many or all parts of the School
- Develops, approves, reviews and provides feedback on Gillings School CEPH metrics and advises on potential remedies in cases of underperformance
- Recommends strategies to enhance diversity and inclusion at the Gillings School
- Reviews and votes on memoranda of understanding
- Advises on fundraising directions
- Serves as a sounding board on important issues facing the Gillings School, including those related to students, and recommending appropriate actions
Administration
Dean of the Gillings School of Public Health
Department Chairs
Academics and Practice
Student Representatives
Dean of the Gillings School of Global Public Health
Dr. Nancy Messonnier
Nancy Messonnier, MD
Dean and Bryson Distinguished Professor in Public Health
170 Rosenau Hall
135 Dauer Drive
CB #7400
(919) 966-3215
uncsphdean@unc.edu
Assistant: Nia Mariso
(919) 445-0878
niamari1@email.unc.edu
Department Chairs
As leaders of and advocates for their departments, chairs bring a unique set of perspectives and concerns to the dean’s council. By definition, each department chair:
- Provides vision and leadership for departmental research, service and academic programs
- Manages departmental administrative functions
- Leads departmental faculty and staff
- Facilitates funding from a variety of sources
- Oversees research, grants and centers
- Connects to alumni and donors
- Promotes and nurtures diversity and inclusion
- Provides leadership for all student functions
The Gillings School’s Chairs’ Committee, composed of the leaders of all eight academic units in the Gillings School, meets monthly and is charged with the following responsibilities:
- Makes decisions on academic policies under School jurisdiction
- Guides and votes on the School’s allocation model and revisions to it for state budget
- Considers issues with schoolwide relevance to the academic mission
- Reviews, and makes funding decisions about, applications for Gillings Innovation Labs
- Reviews and approves new academic directions
Biostatistics
Lisa LaVange
Lisa LaVange, PhD
Chair and Professor, Biostatistics
Assistant: Tyyest Baker
919-966-7254
bakerts@email.unc.edu
Environmental Sciences and Engineering
Barbara Turpin
Barbara J. Turpin, PhD
Chair and Professor, Environmental Sciences and Engineering
166c Rosenau Hall
bjturpin@email.unc.edu
Assistant: Rhoda Cerny
919-966-1024
rcerny@email.unc.edu
Epidemiology
Til Stürmer
Til Stürmer, MD, PhD
Chair and Nancy A. Dreyer Distinguished Professor, Epidemiology
2101b McGavran-Greenberg Hall
sturmer@unc.edu
Assistant: Jackie Dark
919-966-7419
jackie_dark@unc.edu
Health Behavior
Kurt Ribisl
Kurt Ribisl, PhD
Chair and Jo Anne Earp Distinguished Professor, Health Behavior
303 Rosenau Hall
kurt_ribisl@unc.edu
Assistant: Darlene Laws
919-966-1131
dnlaws@email.unc.edu
Health Policy and Management
Morris Weinberger
Morris Weinberger, PhD
Chair and Vergil N. Slee Distinguished Professor, Health Policy and Management
1105B McGavran-Greenberg Hall
mweinber@email.unc.edu
Assistant: Stephanie Forman
919-966-9122
sforman1@email.unc.edu
Maternal and Child Health
Carolyn Halpern
Carolyn Halpern, PhD
Chair and Professor, Maternal and Child Health
401 Rosenau Hall
carolyn_halpern@unc.edu
Assistant: Julie Theriault, MA
919-966-5981
jther@email.unc.edu
Nutrition
Melinda Beck
Melinda Beck, PhD
Interim Chair and Professor, Nutrition
919-966-6809
Melinda_Beck@unc.edu
Assistant: Rachel Thimke
919-966-7218
rthimke@unc.edu
Public Health Leadership Program
Anna Schenck
Anna Schenck, PhD
Director and Professor of the Practice of Public Health, Public Health Leadership Program
4103 McGavran-Greenberg Hall
schenck1@email.unc.edu
Assistant: Chantal Donaghy
919-966-5285
donaghy@email.unc.edu
Academics and Practice
Academic Affairs
Laura Linnan
Laura Linnan, ScD
Senior Associate Dean for Academic and Student Affairs and Professor, Health Behavior
307 Rosenau Hall
919-843-8044
linnan@email.unc.edu
Assistant: Yasemin Garber
919-843-8099
ygarb@email.unc.edu
Global Health
Suzanne Maman
Suzanne Maman, PhD
Associate Dean for Global Health and Professor, Health Behavior
331A Rosenau Hall
maman@email.unc.edu
Practice
John Wiesman
John Wiesman, DrPH, MPH
Associate Dean for Practice
Professor of the Practice and Director, Doctoral Program in Health Leadership, HPM
919-445-0774
John.wiesman@unc.edu
North Carolina Institute for Public Health (NCIPH)
Robert Smith III
Robert Smith III, PhD
Interim Director, North Carolina Institute for Public Health
rosmith@email.unc.edu
Research, Innovation and Global Solutions
Andrew Olshan
Andy Olshan, PhD
Interim Associate Dean for Research and Barbara Sorensen Hulka Distinguished Professor, Epidemiology
2105-B McGavran-Greenberg Hall
CB #7435
Office of Research Director: Alexia Kelley
919-966-0123
alexia_kelley@unc.edu
Julie MacMillan
Julie MacMillan, MPH
Managing Director for Research, Innovation and Global Solutions
104 Rosenau Hall
919-843-3952
macmilla@email.unc.edu
Student Affairs
Charletta Sims Evans
Charletta Sims Evans, MEd
Associate Dean for Student Affairs
263b Rosenau Hall
simsevan@email.unc.edu
Assistant: Deshana Cabasan-Hunte
919-966-2499
deshana.cabasan-hunte@unc.edu
Administration
Robert Smith III
Robert Smith III, PhD
Vice Dean
107B Rosenau Hall
rosmith@email.unc.edu
Assistant: Angelica Figueroa
919-966-3215
amfiguer@email.unc.edu
Advancement
Karissa Grasty
Karissa Grasty
Associate Dean for Advancement
107B Rosenau Hall
kgrasty@email.unc.edu
Assistant: Adam Johnston
919-962-2817
adam920@email.unc.edu
Communications and Marketing
Matthew Chamberlin
Matthew Chamberlin
Associate Dean for Communications and Marketing
110 Rosenau Hall
mchamberlin@unc.edu
Inclusive Excellence
Kim Ramsey-White
Kim Ramsey-White, PhD
Associate Dean for Inclusive Excellence
207B Rosenau Hall
whitek22@email.unc.edu
Assistant: Kristine Thorne
919-966-3215
kthorne@unc.edu
Finance
Tiffany Farina
Tiffany Farina, CRA, CFRA
Interim Associate Dean of Business and Finance
207-B Rosenau Hall
tiffany.farina@unc.edu
Human Resources
Gretchen Senez
Gretchen Marie Senez, MS
Assistant Dean for Human Resources
212 Rosenau Hall
gmarie@email.unc.edu
Instructional and Information Systems (IIS)
Kathy Anderson
Kathy Anderson, PhD
Associate Dean for Information Technology and Planning
219B Rosenau Hall
kathy_anderson@unc.edu
Strategic Analysis and Business Intelligence
Deytia Lima Rojas
Deytia Lima Rojas, PhD
Director for Strategic Analysis and Business Intelligence
and Business Intelligence
126 Rosenau Hall
dlima@email.unc.edu
Strategic Initiatives
Elizabeth French
Elizabeth French, MA
Associate Dean for Strategic Initiatives;
Adjunct Instructor
138 Rosenau Hall
eafrench@unc.edu
Student Representatives
Asia Carter (She/Her)
MPH student | Health Behavior
Co-President, SPH Minority Student Caucus
Kiara Thompkins (She/Her)
MPH student | Health Behavior
Co-President, SPH Minority Student Caucus
Alka Manoj (She/Her)
BSPH Student
Co-President, SPH Student Government
Narvin “Nav” Chhay
MHA Student | Health Policy and Management
Co-President