Summer Advisory Board Meeting Emphasizes Leadership, Statewide Accomplishments, Future Success

In his first address to the Advisory Board since joining UT Health Science Center, College of Medicine Executive Dean Michael Hocker spoke eloquently of his commitment to the vision of the university for improving health and health care across Tennessee.

During its summer meeting Friday, August 15, the University of Tennessee Health Science Center's Advisory Board was introduced to new leaders at the university, learned about the recent accomplishments of the six colleges, received an update on financial and compliance issues, and heard about plans for the proposed new College of Medicine Interdisciplinary Building.

The meeting began with a moment of silence in recognition of Frederick W. Smith, FedEx Corp. founder, executive chairman, and long-time chairman and chief executive officer, who passed away in June.

"Several of us had the opportunity at the beginning of the week to recognize an extraordinary individual and quintessential Memphian, and that is the late Mr. Fred Smith, the founding CEO and president of FedEx," Chancellor Peter Buckley, MD, said. He described Smith as "an individual who gives meaning to the words 'changed the world.' "

The chancellor read from a beautiful article in tribute to Smith, authored by Gayle Rose, a Memphis businesswoman, philanthropist, and friend of Smith. "He was more than a CEO or a visionary entrepreneur, though he was certainly both. He was something more elemental: a builder of belief - in himself and in the city that raised him, and in the people whose lives were transformed by his vision."

Continuing the theme of excellence in leadership, Chancellor Buckley introduced members of the university's new leadership team to the board.

"Over the past three years, we've been on a journey towards our vision of Healthy Tennesseans. Thriving Communities," Chancellor Buckley said. "We've been deliberate with that vision, and we've been attracting top talent and have developed a new leadership team." Buckley emphasized that the new leadership team is comprised of an enviable blend of leaders who are new to UT Health Science Center alongside leaders who are the best of the best and who have come up through the organization.

The chancellor introduced the two newest additions, College of Medicine Executive Dean Michael Hocker, MD, and Vice Chancellor for Strategic Communications and Marketing Karla Leeper, PhD.

"I look at this as an incredible opportunity," Dr. Hocker said. "I am so grateful and humbled to really look at how we change the landscape of health care, how we generate the next generation of health care leaders who are going to go out and care for the people of Tennessee. Healthy Tennesseans. Thriving Communities. is a lofty goal, but it's achievable through the great work being done here."

Dr. Leeper said she has never had an easier transition connecting with a university and a community. "I've worked at a lot of institutions, but I have never been more excited to work at an institution as I am here," she said. "The opportunity to come here and really emphasize what I think are the defining issues of higher education of our time, which are the advancement of science, the advancement of expertise, the extension of research to solve the big problems that we all face and particularly in health care, was just too exciting to walk away from at this point in my career. There is excellent work here, there are excellent colleagues, and I am extremely excited to figure out how to better tell the story about what we do."

The chancellor recognized College of Nursing Dean Wendy Likes, PhD, DNSc, APRN-BC, FAAN, FAANP, who recently assumed the additional role of executive director and special advisor on rural health for the university. He also introduced Ashley Harkrider, PhD, an alumnus and chair of the Department of Audiology and Speech Pathology, who is serving as the interim dean of the College of Health Professions. Samantha Townsend, a pharmacy student and president of the Student Government Association Executive Council, was introduced as the student representative for the board.

Amplifying the positive comments from the UT Health Science Center leaders about their newly adopted city, the chancellor recognized the outstanding leadership of the Greater Memphis Chamber, its President and CEO Ted Townsend, Nancy Coffee, senior vice president of the Chairman's Circle, and other members of the team. The Greater Memphis Chamber recently was named the 2025 Chamber of the Year.

Greater Memphis Chamber President and CEO Ted Townsend, left, received a plaque from Chancellor Peter Buckley recognizing the Chamber's exceptional accomplishment in being named 2025 Chamber of the Year, as well as the organization's vital partnership in helping the university attract top talent and outstanding students.

"As someone who has come new to the city, we've watched a vibrancy, we've watched record employment, we've watched record investment, we've watched efforts to define the essence of Memphis and put it on the map," the chancellor said, before presenting a plaque to Townsend. "We share with our chamber colleagues the excitement and the pride of the national recognition earlier this year. That is about exceptional leadership and it's about team leadership, and we have benefited from that because you have been partners in helping us develop our team as well and in making this city a great place to come to and a great place to live in."

Townsend said the recognition was heartwarming and much appreciated. "We are an organization supported by you, the business community. UT Health Science Center is an incredible piece of our narrative in making Memphis greater and attracting businesses here."

Townsend praised the many attributes that make Memphis a great place to live, learn, work, and play. He highlighted the competitive review process that led to the Chamber's national award. "This is something we can all celebrate and appreciate," Townsend said.

Reports from the Colleges

• College of Nursing Dean Wendy Likes reported the Nursing Mobile Health Unit had 504 patient encounters and 2,870 community touchpoints over the last year. The college also launched the first cohort of its Nurse Executive DNP program with eight students, and enrollment is up 20% over the previous year.
• Interim College of Graduate Health Sciences Dean and Vice Chancellor for Research Jessica Snowden, MD, detailed new resources and programs in the college, including a grant writing seminar, mentor/mentee training, and an entrepreneurship workshop. The college is also refreshing its strategic plan to align with strategic enrollment and research goals for the university.
• The College of Dentistry had its visit from the Commission on Dental Accreditation May 13-15, Dean Ken Tilashalski, DMD, said. Plans for an additional extramural dental clinic are moving ahead in Savannah, Tennessee, to add to clinics in Union City, Bristol, Chattanooga, Crossville, Knoxville, and Kingsport. A remarkable benefactor has purchased land in Savannah for the project. Additionally, the dental clinic in Kingsport has rotations from senior dental students and dental hygiene students from East Tennessee State University, another community collaboration that is testimony to the power of partnerships. And the college is exploring another partnership with Northeast State Community College in Blountville for a dental assisting program.
• Interim Dean of the College of Health Professions Ashley Harkrider said the college is part of a $2 million grant from the Health Resources and Services Administration to eight degree programs, including UT Health Science Center and the University of Memphis, to train students to provide interdisciplinary care to medically underserved children and youth as another component of UT Health Science Center's broad commitment to Rural Health.
• Student satisfaction in the College of Medicine remains high on year-end surveys, as did resident evaluations of the program, said Executive Dean Michael Hocker. The incoming medical school class has 177 students, and recruitment is underway for a pediatrics chair and a chief of staff. Dr. Hocker reaffirmed the College of Medicine commitment to quality and to partnerships.
• The College of Pharmacy launched a new graduate certificate program, and curriculum revision is ongoing, said Dean Reginald Frye, PharmD, PhD. The college welcomed 100 new students this month, 124 graduated in May, and 19 students earned Rural Health Certificates, demonstrating the college's commitment to being the largest provider of pharmacists for Tennessee, including in rural communities.

Finance, Compliance, and Capital Projects

Executive Vice Chancellor Raaj Kurapati told the board that efforts are continuing to assure compliance with the evolving state and federal regulatory landscape. Additionally, adjustments are being made to the university's budget to ensure economic sustainability.

Kurapati updated capital projects on the Memphis campus, focusing on the status of the proposed new College of Medicine Interdisciplinary Building.

Executive Vice Chancellor Raaj Kurapati updated the board on the university's efforts to make the case for a new $350 million College of Medicine Interdisciplinary Building that will to set the stage for the future of health care in Tennessee.

The building, expected to cost $350 million, is proposed for the space on Madison Avenue between the College of Pharmacy Building and the old Holiday Inn Building, which is being demolished.

He said university leaders have been making the case for the new building with state government and legislative leaders, presenting the current state of the College of Medicine space in the Madison Plaza (910, 920, and 930 Madison) versus that of the college's competitors for faculty and students.

He said, current space built in the 1960s and 1970s "was not designed to accommodate learning, to accommodate teaching, and to accommodate clinical support." He added, "Clearly there's a need for us to have true academic and learning spaces for our students."

He said plans for the new building were drawn after the university conducted an inventory of current space and future needs. The building plan allows room to expand the medicine class from 175 to 225 per cohort. It is designed to optimize workspace, allow for growth and increased partnerships, and facilitate more internal and external collaborations, he said.

The state Building Commission Friday approved a $10 million amendment to allow for planning and design of the building. The university will go back to the Building Commission August 25 with recommendations for a designer.

"This is going forward as UT's No. 1 capital priority and is a substantial ask to the state," Kurapati told the board. "I think we are making good progress in making the case for this building. We need all of us. We need you all to be advocating for this."

The meeting preceded a reception in the Nash Building to welcome the new leadership cabinet and introduce them to the campus community, business and government leaders, clinical and academic partners, and friends of the university.

A reception followed the Advisory Board to introduce new leaders to the UT Health Science Center community, partners, and friends of the university.