Strategic and leadership updates

To the Harvard Chan community:

I hope you are having a good summer! I’m writing to share with you a few strategic and leadership updates.

During my ongoing listening tour and at a retreat in May with department chairs and senior leadership, I heard deep pride in the School’s research, education, and engagement with the world. I also heard a call for fresh thinking to fully unlock our potential in all three of those areas. To start that process, I’ve launched three working groups:

• Educational Principles Working Group: Co-led by Dean for Education Erin Driver-Linn and Professor Kari Nadeau, chair of the Department of Environmental Health, this group will develop principles for shaping our educational strategy, including both degree and non-degree offerings, so we continue to attract and train the best students in the world.
• Financial Principles Working Group: Co-led by Executive Dean for Administration Kate Calvin and Professor Arnie Epstein, chair of the Department of Health Policy and Management, this group will develop core principles for financial stewardship and revenue and expenditure allocation.
• Research Dean Working Group: Led by Dean for Academic Affairs Jane Kim, this group will oversee the recruitment of a dean for research—a new leadership position at the School. The person in this role will develop transformative strategies to strengthen our world-class research and translational work and nurture innovative collaborations.

I am continuing my listening tour and working to synthesize the many wonderful ideas I have heard from all of you into an overarching vision for the future of Harvard Chan School. I appreciate the input that I have received from students, alumni, staff, supporters, faculty, and academic appointees at all levels. I continue to welcome comments from our entire community and I plan on giving regular updates on our progress, starting this fall.

I am also delighted to announce that my leadership team is almost complete.

I have elevated Erin Driver-Linn, dean for education, to report directly to me, in recognition of the essential role of education at Harvard Chan School. Liz DeLucia, our new vice dean for development and alumni relations, will arrive in mid-August. We are well into the search for a new chief diversity, inclusion, and belonging officer. And we are soon to launch the search for our new dean for research.

You are familiar with the other active members of our outstanding senior leadership team, who will tackle the many opportunities and challenges facing the School. Our terrific Dean for Academic Affairs Jane Kim will continue to provide leadership for faculty and academic affairs. Kate Calvin, our executive dean for administration, will lead the charge in strengthening Harvard Chan School’s financial, administrative, and operational infrastructure. Stephanie Simon, dean for communication and strategic initiatives, will continue her multi-pronged approach to raising the profile of our School for global impact. And Linda Brady, chief of staff, will continue to provide strategic advice drawing on her vast institutional knowledge.

I hope that you are taking time to rest and recharge this summer. I have enjoyed seeing some of you on campus in recent weeks and look forward to seeing many more of you in September.

Best,
Andrea

Andrea Baccarelli, MD, PhD
Dean of the Faculty
Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health