Leadership

Diana Hess

Dean and the Karen A. Falk Distinguished Chair of Education

Diana Hess was appointed Dean of the UW–Madison School of Education on August 1, 2015. Under her leadership, the School has experienced notable growth in academic programming, research, and innovation. Dean Hess has an acclaimed background in education; she has been awarded the Karen A. Falk Distinguished Chair of Education and is part of the National Academy of Education.

Learn more about Dean Hess

Deans & Senior Staff

LaVar Charleston
Associate Dean for
Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion

Program support related to fostering diverse and inclusive communities; development and implementation of initiatives to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion; review of existing diversity-related policies

Dorothy Farrar-Edwards
Associate Dean for Research

Research, funding for research, grants acquisition for education-related research; human subjects protection, conflict of interest, Education and Social / Behavioral Science Institutional Review Board, grant support, and research funding

Rich Halverson
Associate Dean for Innovation, Outreach, and Partnerships

Office of Professional Learning and Community Education (PLACE) and The Network, for outreach and partnerships in School of Education

Kristen Hendrickson
CFO, Business Office

Strategic investment of resources, budget, and administration; compensation exercises; SoE Human Resources; summer session budget-related issues; facilities and parking

John Hitchcock
Associate Dean for the Arts

Strategic planning and program support for development of new programs, certificates, and non-pooled programs for arts cluster departments (Art, Dance, Theatre and Drama)

Julie Mead
Associate Dean for Education

Strategic planning and program support for development of new programs, certificates, and nonpooled programs for education cluster departments (C&I, ELPA, EPS, Ed Psych)

Colleen Howes, Associate Dean for Communications and Advancement

Communications, marketing, media relations, website, School of Education events

Bill Hoyt
Associate Dean for Health

Strategic planning and program support for development of new programs, certificates, and nonpooled programs and graduate student funding, as well as support for health cluster departments (Counseling Psych, Kinesiology, RPSE)

Carolyn Kelley
Senior Associate Dean for Academic Programs

Program quality and accountability (program reviews, processes, and rules for approval of new courses, programs, and certificates); senior staff meeting agendas, strategic planning, and support for health cluster departments; summer session