Lakeisa Tucker has been promoted from acting dean to permanent dean of the College of Graduate and Professional Studies at South Carolina State University. A longtime faculty member at the university, she previously served as acting chair of the department of human services. Her background includes extensive professional experience in early intervention, child advocacy, education, and social work.
Dr. Tucker received her bachelor’s degree from Columbia College in South Carolina, her master of social work degree from the University of South Carolina, and doctorate in human services administration from Nova Southeastern University.
Michele Vancour has been selected to serve as interim dean of the College of Health and Human Services at Southern Connecticut State University. A faculty member since 1998, she most recently served as the college’s executive director of healthcare programs. Earlier in her tenure, she was founding director of the SCSU Wellness Center and director of faculty development.
Dr. Vancour holds a bachelor’s degree in English language and literature and a master’s degree in public health from Southern Connecticut State University. She earned a Ph.D. in public health education and promotion from New York University.
Brooke A. Burks has been appointed dean of the School of Education at Tuskegee University in Alabama. With 25 years of experience in education, she most recently served as associate dean of the College of Education; chair of the department of curriculum, instruction, and technology; and chief diversity officer at Auburn University at Montgomery. Earlier in her career, she was a high school English teacher.
Dr. Burks is an alumna of Tuskegee University, where she earned her bachelor’s degree in language arts education. She holds a master’s degree in education and a doctorate in curriculum and instruction from Auburn University.
Kecia Williams Smith has been selected to serve as interim dean of the College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences at North Carolina A&T State University. An associate professor of accounting, she has served as director of the university’s master of accountancy degree program since its inception in 2019. She also currently directs the Center for Accounting Opportunities.
Dr. Smith is a summa cum laude graduate of North Carolina A&T University, where she majored in accounting. She holds a Ph.D. in accounting from Texas A&M University.
Heather Hathaway has been appointed acting dean of the Klingler College of Arts and Sciences and the College of Education at Marquette University in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. She has previously held several leadership roles with Klinger College, including associate dean for academic affairs, associate dean for faculty and graduate studies, and a prior stint as acting dean. A full professor of English, Dr. Hathaway studies African American and Japanese American literature and culture.
Dr. Hathaway holds a bachelor’s degree in English and American studies from Wesleyan University in Connecticut and a Ph.D. in the history of American civilization from Harvard University.
Pamella Ochoa has been promoted from interim dean to permanent dean of the Ben and Maytee Fisch College of Pharmacy at the University of Texas at Tyler. She has been a clinical professor with the college since 2018. Prior to her interim appointment, she was associate dean for experiential education. Outside of her faculty role, she has served in several capacities with the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy.
Dr. Ochoa is a graduate of Texas A&M University, where she double-majored in biochemistry and genetics. She holds a doctor of pharmacy degree from Texas Tech University.
Sarah Radtke has been named dean of the College of Health Sciences at Midwestern University in Downers Grove, Illinois. She comes to hew new role after over two decades on the faculty at Aurora University in Illinois, where she most recently served as dean of the College of Health Sciences. As a scholar, she studies a wide range of topics, including emotional intelligence in healthcare, self-directed learning, and clinical education strategies.
Dr. Radtke is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point, where she earned her bachelor’s degree in athletic training and fitness and health promotion. She holds a master’s degree in exercise physiology education and a doctorate in adult and higher education from Northern Illinois University.