Blaze Leadership Academy, which launched Oct. 4, 2021. This is the 13th class for the academy, which is designed to prepare high-potential faculty and staff for senior leadership opportunities and become the stewards of UAB’s future.
Congratulations to the more than two dozen faculty and staff leaders seeking to grow and contribute more to UAB who were selected for the latest cohort of UAB’sBlaze Leadership Academy provides an intensive leadership-development program that combines team projects, case studies, skill-building, expert speakers and panels, peer-to-peer consultation, and networking opportunities.
Twenty-five faculty and staff from all UAB schools and the College of Arts and Sciences, as well as eight VP units and UAB Hospital, are part of the fall 2021 cohort, which follows a spring cohort. “We are delighted to conduct the 13th cohort of Blaze Leadership Academy in-person after shifting to a remote, online platform last year,” said Organizational Learning and Development Executive Director Susan Coan.
Blaze Leadership Academy Fall 2021 Cohort
Craig Anderson
Executive Director, Administrative Operations
School of Nursing
Michelle Cook, Ph.D.
Director, National and International Fellowships and Scholarships
Office of the Provost
Chelsea Crawford, Ph.D.
Director, Research Development
Office of Research
Ryan Davis, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, Department of Accounting and Finance
Collat School of Business
Edie Hapner, Ph.D.
Professor, Clinical Otolaryngology; Co-Director, UAB Voice; Director, Otolaryngology Speech and Hearing Services
Heersink School of Medicine
Julie Keith
AVP, Content Strategy
Digital Strategy/University Relations
Jesse Keppley
Director, Student and Academic Services
Graduate School
Marissa Keppley
Director of Communications, Department of Surgery
Heersink School of Medicine
Angela Lewis-Maddox, Ph.D.
Professor, Department of Political Science and Public Administration
College of Arts and Sciences
Katie McDowell
Senior Director, Advancement Communications
Office of Advancement
LaShonda McNair
Manager, HR Compliance
Human Resources
Melendi Morton
Clinic Manager, UAB Eye Care
School of Optometry
Karolina Mukhtar, Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Department of Biology
College of Arts and Sciences
Karley Nemeth
Manager
UAB Hospital
Ashley Neyer
Director, Education Abroad
Office of Education Abroad
Chris Parks
Information Systems Manager II
School of Public Health
Kasey Robinson, J.D.
Title IX Coordinator
Office of Student Affairs
Deanna Smeltzer
Director, Fiscal and Administrative Affairs
School of Engineering
Jessica Stephens
Business Manager
Facilities
Monica Stinnett
Director, Research Operations
College of Arts and Sciences
Larrell Wilkinson, Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Department of Human Studies
School of Education
Jessica Williams, Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Department of Health Services Administration
School of Health Professions
Jamie Witter
Director, IT Client Services
Information Technology
Wen-Chou (James) Wu, DDS
Associate Professor, Department of Prosthodontics
School of Dentistry
Wesley Zech, Ph.D.
Interim Chair, Civil, Construction and Environmental Engineering
School of Engineering