Dear Members of the SPH Community,
We write to inform you that Associate Dean for Education Melissa Clark will be returning to her full-time faculty role, effective July 1, 2022. We're pleased that in addition to playing a vital role in the educational program as a teacher, advisor, and mentor, she will continue her survey methodology and research work.
Melissa has been a skilled and influential leader, and we are indebted to her for her numerous contributions to research, teaching, mentoring, and the expansion of the School's educational portfolio. Her many accomplishments include leading the School's recent CEPH re-accreditation efforts for the next seven years - the maximum CEPH offers.
For the last three years, Melissa has been the cornerstone of the school’s academic mission. Her deep understanding of the School’s educational ecosystem has allowed our programs to thrive and grow. In addition, she was one of the leads in designing the online MPH program, ensuring compliance with University academic and curricular requirements and processes, and ensuring the implementation of high-quality courses, instruction, and student advising and affairs. Melissa has been a thoughtful and unwavering advocate for always prioritizing the student experience.
Melissa began her career at Brown University in 1997 as an assistant professor in the Department of Community Health. She worked at Brown in several academic and research capacities until 2015, when she departed Brown to join the faculty at the University of Massachusetts Medical School. Upon her return to Brown in 2019, she was appointed Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, succeeding Don Operario. In September 2021, she became the Associate Dean for Education at the School of Public Health.
We will announce in the coming weeks the next steps for identifying Melissa's successor and for building upon her many successes in supporting the School's academic mission.
Please join us in thanking Melissa for her commitment to enhancing academic excellence, enriching the student experience, and dedicated service to the School of Public Health community.
Kindly,
Ronald Aubert, PhD
Interim Dean
Megan L. Ranney, MD, MPH
Academic Dean