Job Description
The Associate Dean within the College of Health Sciences (COHS) will support the Dean and enhance our college’s programs through active collaboration and facilitation of initiatives aimed at advancing healthcare education. This role requires partnership with deans, associate deans, faculty, students, and staff across the campus, actively engaging in health science initiatives. We are seeking a leader who is deeply committed to fostering excellence in our academic environment and enhancing the support structures necessary for the success of our students and faculty.
Key Roles & Responsibilities:
- Strategic Support in College Leadership: Actively support strategic needs as a key member of the college leadership team. Ensure alignment with the college’s and university’s goals, facilitating collaboration across departments.
- Faculty and Academic Support: Facilitate faculty support initiatives, serving as an intermediary in the promotion and tenure processes to align with university standards and foster an academic environment conducive to success.
- Student Success and Engagement: Coordinate advisory and recognition programs to enhance student experiences. Act as a liaison for student-related concerns, promoting an inclusive and supportive educational environment.
- Governance and Committee Leadership: Participate and or facilitate as a liaison in university governance, including college and university committees. Support policy formulation and decision-making to align with the college’s mission and health sciences landscape.
Candidate Presentations
Candidates’ Scenario-Based Presentation Prompt
The candidates have been asked to imagine that they’ve been selected for the Associate Dean role at Boise State’s College of Health Sciences and that Dean Joelle Powers has asked them to lead an initiative that strengthens collaboration across several academic units, each with its own distinct culture, priorities, and needs. They are responsible to help align these units around a shared college-wide goal while maintaining the trust and engagement of faculty, staff, and program leadership.
The candidates will develop a presentation around a real-world initiative that someone in this role might be expected to lead and they have been given some examples to consider. In their presentation, they will share how they would approach this effort. Specifically, they will address the following:
- How they would begin building relationships across units, learning the “personalities” of each program, and facilitating early buy-in
- Their approach to creating alignment and collaboration among faculty and staff across diverse units
- How would they respond when collaboration breaks down or engagement is low
- How would they act as a connector and liaison between the Dean, departments, and external university partners to move this effort forward?
They will incorporate what they’ve learned about Boise State and the College of Health Sciences, and include examples from their experience that illustrate their leadership style and strategy in similar situations.
Information for Open Forum Attendees
Can’t attend? A recording of each presentation will be available on this webpage the following day.
Provide Your Input
If you attend the forum, participate in the on-campus interview, or engage with a candidate, we encourage you to complete a short survey to share your feedback. Survey links are listed beneath each candidate’s photo, along with a link to their CV and open forum recording (when available).
Your input, along with the search committee’s recommendations, will help inform Dean Powers and Provost Buckwalter in making a hiring decision.
Dr. Richard Williams
Monday, April 14,
11 am-12 pm
The Space, Albertsons Library
View Dr. Williams’ Open Forum Recording (available until Monday 4/21 at 5pm MT)
Submit feedback about Dr. Williams (available until Monday 4/21 at 5pm MT)
Bio Sketch
Richard H. Williams, Ed.D. has over twenty years of experience within the collegiate milieu. A scholar whose research interest encompasses neuromuscular physiology and minority health disparities and policy, he has published numerous books, editorial volumes, electronic books, peer reviewed journal articles, and non-refereed publications. Currently, he serves as the Assistant Dean of Nutrition and Sport Health Sciences and provides departmental leadership that supports two graduate programs, a post baccalaureate Dietetic Internship, five undergraduate programs, and an associate degree program.
Dr. Williams has contributed to university-wide projects focusing on teaching excellence, student retention, innovation, and graduation success. He promoted, organized, and oversaw assessment of student learning outcome for systematic and continuous quality improvement, developed academic curriculum, created collaborative cross campus projects, developed budget recommendations, and provided facilities utilization plans for various community and recreational pursuits.
Williams has experience engaging in various educational accreditation agencies and sponsored programs. They include the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools, Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs, Commission on Accreditation of Athletic Training Education, National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education, and Accreditation Council for Educators in Nutrition and Dietetics.
Williams’ academic and student affairs responsibilities are inclusive of Carnegie Research-1 public and private institutions and historical black colleges and universities. Those appointments include the University of Georgia, Shepherd Hospital, Emory University, Morehouse College, Langston University, Albany State University, and Life University. Similarly, he has experience in the academy as an assistant dean, department chair, tenured professor, and athletic director.
Dr. Williams earned his baccalaureate, masters, and doctoral degrees in kinesiology-muscle physiology from the University of Georgia, and he is a FIRST fellow of Emory University’s School of Medicine and Rollins School of Public Health. Williams also completed the University System of Georgia’s (USG) Executive Leadership Institute.
Dr. David Fukuda
Tuesday, April 15,
11 am-12 pm
Norco Gehrke Hall Room 431
View Dr. Fukuda’s Open Forum Recording (available until Tuesday 4/22 at 5 pm MT)
Dr. Fukuda’s Open Forum Slides (PDF) (available until Tuesday 4/22 at 5 pm MT)
Submit feedback about Dr. Fukuda (available until Tuesday 4/22 at 5 pm MT)
Bio Sketch
David Fukuda is a Professor and Division Chair of Kinesiology in the College of Health Professions and Sciences at the University of Central Florida. An Idaho native and proud graduate of Boise State University, he earned his Ph.D. and M.S. degrees in Exercise Physiology from the University of Oklahoma. Over the past decade, Dr. Fukuda has built a career in academic leadership, program development, and interdisciplinary research, with a strong commitment to student and faculty support.
At UCF, Dr. Fukuda leads one of the college’s largest and fastest-growing divisions, overseeing undergraduate, master’s, and Ph.D. programs, accreditation processes, and a wide portfolio of research initiatives. He has played a central role in launching new degree programs, securing state-level STEM designation for academic tracks, and building collaborative partnerships across disciplines.
A Fellow of both the American College of Sports Medicine (FACSM) and the National Strength and Conditioning Association (FNSCA), Dr. Fukuda’s research focuses on exercise physiology, body composition, and applied sport science, and he has mentored numerous graduate students toward professional and academic success. He has published extensively in peer-reviewed journals and has been recognized with numerous awards, including the NSCA Educator of the Year and UCF’s Luminary Award.
Dr. Fukuda’s leadership philosophy centers on fostering collaborative, student-centered academic environments that prioritize quality, innovation, and stakeholder engagement. He believes that strategic growth must be driven by excellence in teaching, research, and service. Motivated by a deep personal connection to Boise State and a passion for public higher education, Dr. Fukuda is excited about the opportunity to contribute to the College of Health Sciences’ continued growth, advance its mission of innovation and impact, and support the success of its students, faculty, and community partners.
Dr. Oaklee Rogers
Friday, April 18,
11 am-12 pm
AFC Ballroom
View Dr. Rogers’ Open Forum Recording (available until Friday 4/25 at 5pm MT)
View Dr. Rogers’ slides (available until Friday 4/25 at 5pm MT)
Submit feedback about Dr. Rogers (available until Friday 4/25 at 5pm MT)
Bio Sketch
Dr. Oaklee Rogers is an academic leader with more than 16 years of work experience in higher education. During this time, she developed a fieldwork program and co-created the curriculum for both an occupational therapy assistant (OTA) program at a technical college and an occupational therapy (OT) program at Northern Arizona University (NAU). At each institution, she advanced to the role of department chair. Currently, Dr. Rogers serves as the Associate Dean for the College of Health and Human Services at NAU, where she is the primary administrator for NAU’s second-largest campus located at the Phoenix Bioscience Core.
Her research interests include developing OT interventions to support the recovery of individuals with substance use disorders and designing and implementing interprofessional education opportunities to enhance students’ learning. Dr. Rogers has co-authored several peer-reviewed publications, secured $3.5 million in grant funding, and presented at numerous state, national, and international conferences. She has also mentored over 50 doctoral students and junior faculty in their research, nurturing their success with scholarship.
Dr. Rogers is a dedicated educator deeply committed to supporting student success. She has designed and taught courses in education, leadership, mental health, and scholarship. She has led initiatives that foster students’ mental health and well-being, provided financial support to offset educational costs, and created opportunities to build community and belonging.
Dr. Rogers has demonstrated a commitment to service through leadership roles at the local, state, and national levels. Her exceptional contributions have been recognized by the Arizona Occupational Therapy Association, where she received the Outstanding Occupational Therapist of the Year Award in 2017 and the prestigious Lorna Jean King Distinguished Achievement Award in 2024.