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University Academic Council

The University's Academic Council is responsible for addressing academic issues that affect the seven UTHealth Houston schools.

2025-2026 Members

Chair

  • Dr. Robert D. Spears, School of Dentistry

Representatives

McWilliams School of Biomedical Informatics

  • Dr. Susan Fenton, Vice Dean for Education (voting member)
  • Chelsea Overstreet, Assistant Director, Academic Affairs and Communication (interim alternate member)

School of Dentistry

  • Dr. Robert D. Spears, Associate Dean for Student and Academic Affairs (voting member)
  • Tala Hasbini, Director, Education and Assessment (voting designee)

Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences

  • Dr. Jeffrey Frost, Associate Dean for Academic and Faculty Affairs (voting member)
  • Dr. Francesca Cole, Associate Dean, Academic Affairs (voting designee)
  • Dr. Natalie Sirisaengtaksin, Assistant Director, Academic Affairs
  • Dr. Wassim Chehab, Director, Curriculum and Faculty Development

McGovern Medical School

  • Dr. Mark Hormann, Vice Dean of Educational Programs (voting member)
  • Dr. Allison Ownby, Associate Dean for Educational Programs
  • Dr. Sam Neher, Director of Accreditation & Continuous Quality Improvement
  • Elizabeth Green, Manager, Curriculum Support (alternate member)

Cizik School of Nursing

  • Dr. Cathy Rozmus, Vice Dean for Academic Affairs (voting member)
  • Dr. Susan Ruppert, Associate Dean for Graduate Programs
  • Dr. Teng-Yuan (Erica) Yu, Associate Dean for Undergraduate Programs

School of Public Health

  • Dr. Susan Tortolero-Emery, Sr. Associate Dean for Academic and Research Affairs (voting member)
  • Sarah Donahue, Assistant Dean of Academic Affairs, and Student Services (voting designee)
  • Kathryn (Kate) McMillan, Assistant Director of Academic Affairs

School of Behavioral Health Sciences

  • Dr. Scott Lane, Associate Dean for Academic and Student Affairs (voting member)
  • Christina Haigler, Assistant Director, Academic Affairs (alternate member)

Student InterCouncil Representative (non-voting member)

  • Mya Rodriguez, SIC Vice-President and GSBS Representative

UTHealth Houston Ex-Officio and Ad-Hoc Members (non-voting members): 

  • Dr. LaTanya Love, Executive Vice President, University Affairs (ex-officio)
  • Dr. Kevin Morano, Senior Vice President for Academic and Faculty Affairs (ex-officio)
  • Deanne M. Hernandez, Assistant Vice President, Institutional Research, Assessment and Accreditation (ex-officio)
  • Dr. Diana Keosayian, Director, Institutional Research and Effectiveness (ex-officio)
  • Nesh Aqrawi, Associate Director, Academic Administration (ex-officio)
  • Kevin Sanchez, Program Manager, Institutional Research & Effectiveness (ex-officio)
  • Dr. Sandra McKay, Co-Director, Quality Enhancement Plan (ad-hoc)
  • Dr. Angela Gomez, Co-Director, Quality Enhancement Plan (ad-hoc)