Seven Women Appointed to Dean Positions in Academia

Malini Suchak has been appointed dean of the School of Environmental Sustainability at Loyola University Chicago. She comes to her new role from Canisius University in Buffalo, New York, where she was a professor and chair of the animal behavior, ecology, and conservation department. She also co-chaired the university’s Middle States Commission for Higher Education self-study accreditation process and oversaw the Native Plants Project.

Dr. Suchak received her bachelor’s degree in biology from Canisius University and her master’s degree and Ph.D. in psychology from Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia.

Kristin McCauliff has been promoted from interim dean to permanent dean of the College of Communication, Information, and Media at Ball State University in Indiana. A faculty member since 2009, she previously served as the university’s associate provost for faculty affairs and professional development. Her work focuses on rhetorical theory, criticism, feminism, and media analysis. She is the co-author of Listening to Women on the Right: Communication Strategies of Todays Female Republican Politicians (McFarland & Company, 2017).

Dr. McCauliff holds a master’s degree from Wake Forest University in North Carolina and a doctorate in communication from the University of Georgia.

Dana Davis has been named dean of institutional effectiveness, grants, and special projects at Gadsden State Community College in Alabama. An administrator with the community college for nearly three decades, she most recently served as director of the Advising and Retention Center. Earlier in her tenure, she was acting director of counseling and advising.

Dr. Davis is a graduate of Martin Methodist College in Tennessee, where she majored in human services with concentrations in psychology and social work. She holds a master’s degree in counselor education from Jacksonville State University and a doctorate in higher education administration from the University of Alabama.

Leslie Edgar has been appointed as the J. R. Simplot Endowed Dean of the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences at the University of Idaho. She comes to her new deanship from Washington State University, where she currently serves as associate dean of research for the College of Agricultural, Human, and Natural Resource Sciences and director of the Agricultural Research Center. Previously, she held various academic leadership roles with New Mexico State University, the University of Georgia, and the University of Arkansas.

Dr. Edgar received her bachelor’s degree in animal science and a master’s degree in agricultural systems, technology, and education from Utah State University. She holds a doctorate in agricultural leadership, education, and communication from Texas A&M University.

Alexa Doig has been selected to serve as interim dean of the College of Health, Education, and Social Transformation at New Mexico State University. For the past seven years, she has served as director of the university’s School of Nursing. Prior to joining the New Mexico State University faculty, she was chair of the division of acute and chronic care at the University of Utah College of Nursing.

Dr. Doig received a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from McGill University in Montreal. She holds a second bachelor’s degree, a master’s degree, and a Ph.D. from the University of Utah.

Shreerekha Pillai has been named dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at the University of North Carolina at Pembroke. Currently, she is the associate dean of the College of Human Sciences and Humanities at the University of Houston-Clear Lake, where she has taught for nearly two decades. She previously served as chair of the university’s liberal arts department.

Dr. Pillai is a graduate of the University of Michigan, where she earned bachelor’s degrees in literature and creative writing. She holds a master of fine arts degree in creative writing from Syracuse University in New York and a Ph.D. in comparative literature from Rutgers University in New Jersey.

Elizabeth Gmitter has been appointed dean of the College of Nursing and Health Professions at Valparaiso University in Indiana. For the past decade, she has been a faculty member with Malcom X College, an institution within the City Colleges of Chicago System. Most recently, she served as dean of the college’s School of Health Sciences and Career Programs.

Dr. Gmitter holds a bachelor’s degree in sports medicine from the University of Virginia, a master’s degree in physical therapy from Virginia Commonwealth University, and a Ph.D. in curriculum and instruction from the University of Illinois at Chicago.