Lepaine Sharp-McHenry, DNP, dean of the UNMC College of Nursing, will chair the search committee for the next dean of the UNMC College of Allied Health Professions.
The committee will advise the UNMC Office of the Chancellor on potential candidates to succeed Kyle Meyer, PhD. Dr. Meyer announced last summer his decision to step down from this role in 2026, after what will be 20 years of leading allied health professions education at UNMC. Dr. Meyer served as senior associate dean of the then-UNMC School of Allied Health Professions prior to the college’s founding in 2015.
Dr. Meyer will continue to serve as associate vice chancellor for health workforce initiatives and Armstrong Family Distinguished Chair of Rural Healthcare Workforce Strategy.
Dr. Sharp-McHenry will lead a group of more than a dozen leaders and stakeholders from on and off UNMC’s campuses and throughout Nebraska’s communities, including from among the professional health care fields that make up the allied health professions.
The college is searching for a new leader at a time of great momentum, including the addition of multiple programs and continued expansion at UNMC’s Kearney campus.
“The achievements over the past decade in the growth and impact of the college has been truly remarkable,” said H. Dele Davies, MD, interim chancellor of UNMC. “This is an important moment for the college, and our search committee’s perspective will be invaluable. I want to thank them in advance for taking on this commitment.”
Dr. Davies said the search for a new dean will start within the University of Nebraska System.
“I am grateful for the strong pool of leaders and deep talent we have within the UNMC College of Allied Health Professions and look forward to a successful search,” Dr. Davies said.
Allied health professions comprise about 60% of the national health care workforce. With 14 health professions programs at UNMC, the college boasts the second highest enrollment among UNMC colleges. The UNMC College of Allied Health Professions is known as a national leader in distance ducation, pedagogy and rural health. It has grown exponentially in enrollment, scholarship, philanthropic support and more under Dr. Meyer’s leadership, especially since becoming a college.
“I want to thank Dr. Meyer for everything he has done to advance allied health in Nebraska, particularly in our state’s rural and underserved areas, and across the nation,” said Dr. Davies. “The new dean will continue this legacy of commitment to our Nebraska communities and beyond.”
“The demand for allied health professionals is vital across our state, particularly in rural areas,” Dr. Sharp-McHenry said. “I am grateful for the opportunity to lead this search. The next dean of the college will build upon Dr. Meyer’s successes by crafting a vision to strengthen the workforce of allied health providers for our state and beyond.”
Please reach out to Dr. Sharp-McHenry or Anne Bowen Fischer, director of strategic relations and senior associate to the chancellor, with any questions, suggestions or feedback on the search for a new dean of the UNMC College of Allied Health Professions.
Members of the search committee are:
- Chair, Lepaine Sharp-McHenry, DNP, dean of the UNMC College of Nursing.
- Bradley Britigan, MD, dean of the UNMC College of Medicine.
- Emily Glenn, dean of the McGoogan Health Sciences Library.
- Jane Meza, PhD, interim vice chancellor for academic affairs and associate vice chancellor for global affairs and strategic planning.
- Anne Bowen Fischer, director of strategic relations and senior associate to the chancellor.
- Mike Moravec, Bluffs Physical Therapy, physical therapist, UNMC alum, Scottsbluff.
- Randy Wobig, CQuence Health and Cassling, former sonographer, UNMC alum, originally from Cody, Nebraska.
- Keenan Taylor, UNMC physician assistant student, AHEC scholar.
- Lisa Bartenhagen, O’Malley Endowed Chair, chair of clinical, diagnostic and therapeutic sciences, radiation therapy program director.
- Betsy Becker, DPT, PhD, chair of health and rehabilitation sciences, physical therapy program director.
- Shaun Grammer, DMSc, chair of medical sciences, physician assistant program director.
- Karen Honeycutt, PhD, chair of allied health professions education, research and practice, medical laboratory science program director.
- McKenzie Behrendt, OTD, assistant professor of occupational therapy, Kearney campus.
- Mary Matthiessen, genetic counseling education program coordinator, UNMC Staff Advisory Council member.
- Harris Frankel, MD, chief medical officer and chief compliance officer, Nebraska Medicine, associate professor of neurology, UNMC.
- Kate Minnich, director of development for allied health, University of Nebraska Foundation.