Dr. Nyman, Assistant Dean for Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion

Dear Colleagues,

I am delighted to let you know that Dr. Heather Nyman has been appointed as Assistant Dean for Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion in the college and will begin her service today, September 1st.

The Assistant Dean for Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion is a new position within the college, with responsibilities to lead our efforts to create a community that is equitable, diverse, and welcoming to all people, especially those historically underserved in higher education. In this role, Heather will take initiative for organizing college programs that promote a culture of belonging for people of all backgrounds and viewpoints. She will participate in all faculty recruitments to ensure best practices are utilized and advise the Admissions Committee on best practices for enhancing the diversity of the student body. In this new role, Heather will participate as a member of the Executive Committee in the College. She will report directly to me and chair the College’s EDI committee.

I believe most of you know Heather and are aware of what an exceptional leader and colleague she is. She is Associate Professor of Pharmacotherapy and a clinical pharmacist in acute care at UHealth. She is beloved as a preceptor and teacher, having been nominated or won Preceptor of the Year and Teacher of the Year honors 14 times. She is widely published and frequently invited to speak at national meetings, especially in the area of nephrology. As Heather has served in many areas across the college and university, I have been impressed by her thoughtful and dedicated leadership. Heather is deeply committed to the principles of equity, diversity, and inclusion that we embrace as a college, and I am excited to benefit from her thoughtful leadership in this critical area. Although Heather will be leading us, it’s important to remember that all of us are responsible for ensuring we create a diverse and welcoming community. Let’s rally around Heather and contribute to this important work.

I’d like to thank Shawna Webster, who has done an outstanding job chairing our EDI committee for the past several years. I’m sure she will continue to be a passionate advocate for EDI through her leadership of Student Affairs.

Please join me in offering our congratulations and support to Heather as she begins to serve in this new capacity.

Sincerely,

Randall T. Peterson, PhD

L.S. Skaggs Presidential Endowed Professor

Dean, College of Pharmacy