Outstanding Higher Education Leader Named Vice Chancellor for Strategic Communications and Marketing

After an extensive nationwide search, Karla Leeper, PhD, MBA, MA, a highly accomplished communicator with decades of leadership experience in higher education and health care, has been named the new vice chancellor for Strategic Communications and Marketing at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center. She will join the university July 7.

Dr. Leeper has served since 2022 as the vice chancellor for Strategic Communication and Public Affairs at the University of Kansas (KU), where she is on the Chancellor's Executive Cabinet and is the executive leader for marketing, communications, and media relations for the university's six locations across the state.

Throughout her career, she has held high-level executive positions with significant responsibility in communications and academic health care.

She previously held the position of executive vice president for Operations at Augusta University/Augusta University Health, overseeing the Divisions of Marketing and Communication, Auxiliary Services, Facilities, and Human Resources. She also served as the executive vice president for Strategic Communication and Chief Marketing Officer for Augusta University/Augusta University Health System, executive vice president for University Relations, and chief of staff to the president and CEO of Augusta University (formerly Georgia Regents University/Georgia Regents Health System). Additionally, she was the vice president of Executive Affairs and chief of staff to the president of Baylor University.

Dr. Leeper, who holds a PhD in communication studies from KU and an MBA from Augusta University, also has distinguished academic experience as the Glenn R. Capp Endowed Professor and chair of the Department of Communication Studies at Baylor University.

"I speak a lot of campus languages," Dr. Leeper said, referring to her knowledge and experience in multiple arenas. "I've had a wide variety of responsibilities and operational experience, but the work I continue to find the most exciting is in strategically positioning and strategically branding an institution to effectively tell the story of all of the great work that faculty, staff, students, alumni, and our clinical partners do every day."

At KU, she led the creation and launch of the university's first brand campaign in 15 years, highlighting the impact of its research and teaching missions. In Georgia, she led an award-winning enterprise-wide comprehensive brand identity and marketing campaign.

"Karla's recruitment adds another dimension to the already impressive leadership team at UT Health Science Center, especially at this juncture in our evolution," said Chancellor Peter Buckley, MD. "Her stellar skills and experience make her the optimal leader to help us as we continue to strengthen our statewide presence and impact.

"During the recruitment process, Karla had the opportunity to meet with many of our esteemed clinical and academic partners in Memphis and across the state and has already built valuable relationships that will help her be a connector locally and statewide, as we continue to pursue our vision of Healthy Tennesseans. Thriving Communities," he said.

Dr. Leeper will lead strategic initiatives, including developing and implementing a comprehensive marketing and communications plan to amplify UT Health Science Center's vision, missions, and impact across Tennessee, fostering collaboration with academic and clinical leaders to strengthen partnerships and enhance the visibility of programs and research initiatives, and engaging with communities statewide.

"At the institutions I have served, I have been privileged to develop communication strategies that advance the university and to collaborate with campus leaders to implement them," Dr. Leeper said. "I look forward to working with the team at UT Health Science Center to achieve this goal and to the opportunity to further strengthen our partnership with the University of Tennessee System Communications and Marketing team.

"I am excited about joining the Memphis community and I appreciate UT Health Science Center's involvement both in Memphis and throughout the state," she said. "I look forward to contributing to the communities we serve."

"I am looking forward to the ability to focus on the transformational impact of university research and value the clinical workforce training UT Health Science Center provides to the citizens of this great state."

Dr. Leeper has also partnered closely with campus fundraisers to develop communications strategies for successful philanthropic campaigns in several of her previous roles. "Karla's experience in philanthropic communications will be extremely valuable as we begin our fundraising for the College of Medicine Interdisciplinary Building, which will be our major capital focus over the next few years and essential for our progress as we work to improve the health of Tennesseans," Chancellor Buckley said.

"It's an exciting time to be part of a health sciences university that has such a wonderful history, but an even more exciting future. I am looking forward to the ability to focus on the transformational impact of university research and value the clinical workforce training UT Health Science Center provides to the citizens of this great state," Dr. Leeper said.

Dr. Leeper joins an impressive roster of senior leaders recruited to UT Health Science Center over the past few years. This leadership team is poised to take Tennessee's academic health science institution into the future as the state's largest educator of health care professionals, a key player in clinical care, and a major source of scientific research.

In addition to Chancellor Buckley, who joined the university in 2022, the new leaders include Executive Vice Chancellor and Chief Operating Officer Raaj Kurapati, AIFA; Vice Chancellor for Strategic Partnerships Paul Wesolowski, MBA; Vice Chancellor for Advancement Brigitte Grant, MBA; College of Pharmacy Dean Reginald Frye, PharmD, PhD; College of Dentistry Dean Ken Tilashalski, DMD; Vice Chancellor for Research Jessica Snowden, MD; and UT System Chief Wellness Officer Jessi Gold, MD. The new leadership at UT Health Science Center also includes outstanding deans at College of Medicine campuses across the state: James Haynes, MD, in Chattanooga; Robert Craft, MD, in Knoxville; and Brian Wilcox, MD, associate dean of Clinical Affairs and Graduate Medical Education in Nashville. Michael Hocker, MD, also joins the leadership team next month as the new executive dean of the College of Medicine.

Dr. Leeper said multiple factors, including Chancellor Buckley's outstanding leadership, attracted her to the university. She cited, "the team he's put together, the vision that they have, and the mission of the institution."

Dr. Leeper is active in national higher education organizations. She is also a senior consultant for the Strategic Partnerships in Higher Education (SPH) Consulting Group and a senior fellow for the Center for Higher Ed Mergers and Acquisitions.

She is married to John Cleavelin, a retired theatrical designer. She said the city of Memphis also drew her to the university. "I love the historic nature and vibrancy of the city," she said. "All of the people that I met spoke about how much they love Memphis. I know we are going to feel at home right away."

Dr. Buckley thanked Vice Chancellor for Advancement Brigitte Grant and Vice President of Institutional Advancement for Le Bonheur Children's Hospital Maureen O'Connor for their outstanding work in chairing the search.

"Karla will be a great fundraising partner, and we will benefit greatly from her branding expertise," Grant said.

"Karla will be a great partner in highlighting the impact of UT Health Science Center's clinicians, who provide exemplary care at all the affiliate hospitals and clinics in Memphis, Nashville, Chattanooga, and Knoxville," O'Connor said.

Grant and O'Connor praised the members of the search committee, which had representation from the university, clinical partners, the media, and the business community from across the region. The committee included: Neil Hayes, MD, College of Medicine professor and director of the UT Health Science Center's Center for Cancer Research; Debbie Long, Staff Senate representative and Human Resources benefits and training associate; Karen Derefinko, PhD, Faculty Senate representative and associate professor of Preventive Medicine; Robert Craft, MD, College of Medicine regional dean, UT Health Science Center, Knoxville; Tracy Hagemann, PharmD, College of Pharmacy regional dean, Nashville; Paul Wesolowski, vice chancellor for Strategic Partnerships; Wendy Likes, PhD, DNSc, APRN-Bc, College of Nursing dean and special advisor on rural health; Charles Snyder, PhD, MPH, vice chancellor for Student Affairs; Sally Whitehorn, Memphis Business Journal senior multimedia consultant; Blair Taylor, MBA, CEO of Memphis Tomorrow; Peggy Reisser, MASC, strategic communications manager, UT Health Science Center Communications and Marketing; Matthew Harris, social media specialist, UT Health Science Center Communications and Marketing; Tim Barton, MS, compliance officer, UT Health Science Center; Special Advisor to the Chancellor Phil Wenk, DDS, former chair of the UT Health Science Center Advisory Board; Sharon Tallach Vogelpohl, president and CEO of MHP/Team Sl, Anne Toomey, president Jarrard Inc., and Wendy Fournet, EdD, executive vice president and chief administrative officer, Erlanger.

The chancellor also thanked India Biddle, executive administrative aide to the chancellor, Tretobia Martin, senior executive assistant in Advancement, and Leslie Phelps-Detter, assistant to the vice chancellor for Research, for their commitment and exemplary work in organizing the search and the interviews.