Several Leadership Changes and New Roles at HSPH Announced by Office of the Dean

David Hunter to Be Dean for Academic Affairs

David Hunter, Vincent L. Gregory Professor of Cancer Prevention, will succeed James H. Ware, Frederick Mosteller Professor of Biostatistics, as the Dean for Academic Affairs at HSPH on August 1, 2009. Dean Frenk made the announcement on June 22, noting that, "Dean Ware has served the School in this role for the past 19 years, with close to two years as acting dean, and has set the model for academic leadership. I am confident that Dr. Hunter will continue this outstanding tradition."

Hunter received his medical degree from the University of Sydney, Australia, in 1982, and his MPH in 1985 and ScD in Epidemiology in 1988, both from HSPH.

His principal research interests are the etiology of cancer, particularly breast and prostate cancer. He has analyzed inherited susceptibility to cancer and other chronic diseases and established the DF/HCC Core Laboratory for High-Throughput Genotyping at the School. He is Co-Chair of the NCI Breast and Prostate Cancer Cohort Consortium and a Co-Director of the NCI CGEMS Special Initiative. In recent years he has led teams that co-discovered the most common genetic variant associated with breast cancer risk and that have made discoveries of novel genetic variants for a variety of nutritional exposures and physical traits. Hunter was the Director of the Harvard Center for Cancer Prevention from 1997-2003 and is now Director of the Program in Molecular and Genetic Epidemiology at HSPH.

Michael Grusby Is Senior Associate Dean for Academic Affairs

On July 1, 2009, Michael Grusby, professor of molecular immunology, assumed his role as Senior Associate Dean for Academic Affairs. Dean Frenk announced the new role on June 9.

Grusby received his PhD from Northwestern University in 1988 and joined HSPH that year as a postdoctoral fellow. His research interests have been on the role of a class of transcription factors called signal transducer and activator of transcription (STATs) in the differentiation and function of T helper cell subsets. Studies from his lab have shown how manipulating STAT activity can alter the function of T helper cells and therefore change the outcome of diseases such as asthma and diabetes. For the past three years, he has served as the Director of the PhD in Biological Sciences in Public Health (BPH) Program within the Division of Biological Sciences and is a member of the Steering Committee for the Office for Educational Programs.

Karen Emmons Is Associate Dean for Research

Karen Emmons, professor of society, human development, and health, began her service as Associate Dean for Research on July 1, 2009. The position is a new role at the School. Dean Frenk made the announcement in an email to the School.

In 1994, Karen Emmons came to HSPH from Brown University as an assistant professor in the then-named Department of Health and Social Behavior. She has an extensive research portfolio in community-based approaches to cancer prevention and control. Her expertise is in behavior change and policy interventions for behavioral cancer risk factors, particularly for low-income communities. She also has expertise in cancer disparities and in efforts to increase dissemination/knowledge translation in low-resource settings. Based at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, she has served as deputy director of the Center for Community-Based Research since 1999. She has held leadership roles within the Dana-Farber/Harvard Cancer Center including serving as past Director of the Health Communications Core and is currently serving as Associate Director for the Initiative to Eliminate Health Disparities.

Linda McDonald Named Director of Office for Strategic Priority Management

Linda McDonald will be joining the School's central administration as director of the newly created Office for Strategic Priority Management.  In an email to the School, Dean Frenk said that her role will focus on operationalizing and managing the Dean's priorities for the School and enhancing follow-up within the Dean's office.

McDonald has been at Harvard in a variety of capacities for 18 years. She has held senior management positions within the Office of the President and Provost of the University and the School of Public Health. In her position in the Office of the President and Provost, McDonald oversaw administrative operations and ensured efficient coordination and communication between the offices. Most recently, McDonald has been the Director of Strategic Planning and Development for the Department of Health Policy and Management and the Division of Public Health Practice. During her tenure McDonald helped to guide and shape the missions of both the Department and Division, with particular emphasis on strategic planning, as well as coordinating operations and coaching senior management and faculty.

-- Photos by Richard Chase, Erica Jurgensen, and courtesy of Karen Emmons and Michael Grusby