New deans appointed for school of medicine and school of nursing, new associate vice chancellor appointed for enrollment management
UC Davis faculty have appointed three new individuals to leadership positions on campus. Allison Brashear and Stephen J. Cavanagh will serve as the new deans of the UC Davis School of Medicine and the Betty Irene Moore School of Nursing, respectively. Both will begin their new positions on July 22. Donald E. Hunt was also recently appointed as the new associate vice chancellor for enrollment management.
“The three people who will join UC Davis in these key leadership positions come from very diverse backgrounds, yet they all excel at leadership, collaboration and innovation,” Chancellor Gary May said via email. “These qualities, combined with the professional expertise each of them brings, will help the university continue to be both a great place for students and a top public research institution.”
Brashear currently works as a professor and is chair of the department of neurology at Wake Forest School of Medicine in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. She has more than 30 years of experience working in the medical field. Beyond her international reputation researching new models of neurological care, Brashear also has experience working with health-sector management and has received a Master’s of Business Administration.
As a leader in a male-dominated industry, Brashear has been a lifelong champion for advancing gender equality and opportunities for women in STEM fields, specifically medicine.
“The emphasis on inclusion at Davis, within so many different groups among faculty, staff and students speaks to my lifelong commitment to diversity,” Brasher said in a statement.
As the Dean of the School of Medicine, Brashear will have the opportunity to collaborate with the newly-appointed dean of the UC Davis School of Nursing, Cavanagh.
Cavanagh is known for his work advancing the capacity and capabilities of the healthcare workforce. In the past, he has focused on increasing the accessibility of advanced-care nurses in clinical settings and strengthening the qualifications and education of the next generation of nurses.
Cavanagh’s work has become increasingly relevant in light of the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) predicting an increased shortage of nurses in the near future.
This shortage “is expected to intensify as Baby Boomers age and the need for health care grows,” according to the AACN website.
Utilizing the largest grant for nursing education in the country, the Betty Irene Moore School of Nursing is uniquely situated to make meaningful advancements in education curriculum development that will help address workforce shortages.
During his career, Cavanagh has successfully generated over $16 million in funding to help develop innovative nursing practice arrangements.
David Lubarsky, the UC Davis Health vice chancellor and chief executive officer, commented on Cavanagh’s recent appointment in a statement.
“Dr. Cavanagh has proven experience and a demonstrated passion for developing a workforce that is both prepared and positioned to serve people where and when they need it,” Lubarsky said. “His perspectives will complement my vision for where we need to grow capacity at UC Davis Health and how team-based education and practice can build the workforce of the future.”
Beginning this summer, Cavanagh will leave his current position as the dean of the College of Nursing at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst and join UC Davis’ team of medical professionals.
A current resident of Northern California, Hunt serves as the associate vice president of Enrollment and Student Services as California State University, Sacramento. On July 1, Hunt will begin his new position at UC Davis as associate vice chancellor of enrollment management.
In his new position, Hunt will oversee a group of departments dedicated to recruiting and admitting the next class of UC Davis undergraduate and transfer students. Hunt will work with undergraduate admissions, financial aid and scholarships, the Office of the University Registrar and enrollment management analytics among others.
Ed Mills, the vice president for student affairs at Sacramento State, worked alongside Hunt during his time there.
“Increasing diversity and student success requires commitment and collaboration across the university,” Mills said. “Don has played an important role for Sacramento State to help us make progress. He will bring that same dedication to UC Davis.”
Hunt has served in various administrative leadership positions at six different universities in the United States and Canada. Along with his work in higher education, Hunt is also a U.S. Army veteran.
Written by: Ally Russell — campus@theaggie.org
