Mullins to serve in new VP for Strategic Initiatives role

UAB Chief Financial Officer Stephanie Mullins will serve as UAB’s inaugural Vice President for Strategic Initiatives, effective Oct. 1.

Nicolaas Geurs, D.D.S., M.S., inaugural holder of UAB's Weatherford-Palcanis Endowed Professorship in Dentistry and the Dental Alumni-Joseph F. Volker Chair of Clinical Dentistry, has been selected as the next dean of the UAB School of Dentistry following a national search. He will begin his new role June 1.

Updates on the search process will be posted as they become available.

Provost and SVP for Academic Affairs Pam Benoit, Ph.D., will retire at the end of 2023, concluding a distinguished career in higher education administration that includes almost seven years as a transformational leader at UAB. 

Christopher L. Shook, Ph.D., who will begin July 1, brings more than 25 years of academic leadership experience to the role; he has served as dean of the Gordon Ford College of Business at Western Kentucky University since 2019.

Teresa Taber Doughty, Ph.D., who will begin April 3, brings to the role extensive experience in higher education and a demonstrated commitment to preparing outstanding education professionals; she has served as dean of the University of Texas at Arlington’s College of Education since 2016.

Michelle Horvath, J.D., will help provide a safe place for the UAB community to navigate policies, issues, concerns and conflicts in a safe, unbiased environment.

In this new position Annee Cook will manage the increasing demands of digital marketing for more than 160 academic programs at UAB.

In this newly created role, Scott Phillips, Ph.D., will continue to direct the Center for Teaching and Learning and also will oversee seven units in the Office of the Provost that work to deliver innovative teaching to UAB students.

A 21-member committee will guide the national search with assistance from executive talent firm AMN Healthcare.

During his 14 years at UAB, Stephen Yoder has made significant contributions that advanced strategic initiatives, and his leadership has been valuable within UAB and on its behalf.

Professor Mona Fouad, M.D., a nationally recognized leader in health disparities research, is joining UAB’s Office for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (ODEI) as associate vice president.

Earlier this year, UAB was recognized as one of just 13 institutions ranked as national leaders in racial and gender diversity in leadership. We asked 12 women senior leaders to answer one question: What advice would you give a young woman who aspires to a career like the one you've achieved? Read their answers.

Maria Rodriguez Shirey will transition to her new role, effective June 1, succeeding Doreen Harper, who is retiring.

Tom Brannan, vice president for Advancement, will take on additional responsibility to support the Office of the President and university priorities arising from the core missions of the institution.

Anthony Purcell, associate vice president and chief of UAB Police and Public Safety, has announced he will retire, effective June 1, following a 15-year tenure with the vast safety and security enterprise he helped build.

Shadi S. Martin, Ph.D., brings extensive experience in international and graduate education and a strong record of interdisciplinary scholarship to this new combined role.

Four candidates for the new role of vice provost for graduate and international education will make Zoom presentations to campus starting Oct. 5.

Lisa Schwiebert, Ph.D., senior associate dean for graduate and postdoctoral affairs, will assume the role during the remainder of the national search to replace retiring Dean Lori McMahon.