As the George Washington University (GW) School of Medicine and Health Sciences (SMHS) reaffirms the importance of diversity, inclusion, and clinical partnerships, Jeffrey S. Akman, MD ’81, RESD ’85, vice president for health affairs, Walter A. Bloedorn Professor of Administrative Medicine, and SMHS dean, is working to align the school’s strategies with GW President Thomas J. LeBlanc’s vision for the university. “In this process,” Akman said, “the roles of several leaders have expanded to guide our school as we aspire to pre-eminence.”
Yolanda Haywood, MD, RESD ’87, BA ’81; Raymond Lucas, MD; and Walter Harris, MBA, PMP, received new titles for 2018 to reflect the expansion of their roles and the emphasis the school and the university place on their respective functions. Haywood was tapped to join SMHS’ senior leadership team and serves as the senior associate dean for diversity and inclusion. Haywood’s office has supported efforts to attract and retain diverse and talented students, faculty, and staff. Recently, SMHS scored above the 90th percentile among peer institutions for recruitment and retention of a high number of black or African American students and female faculty members, according to the Mission Dashboard tracked by the Association of American Medical Colleges. Additionally, Haywood maintains her role as associate dean for student affairs and associate professor of emergency medicine. Lucas was recently selected to serve as the senior associate dean for faculty and health affairs. Lucas, who has served as the associate dean for faculty affairs and professional development since 2013, is an adviser to faculty and leaders across the clinical enterprise. Since that appointment, his portfolio has continued to grow with an additional focus on wellness across the medical enterprise, the creation of a research workforce development function, and the development of the SMHS Center for Faculty Excellence. Harris, who joined SMHS in August 2016 as the senior associate dean for administration and operations, now holds the title of associate vice president for administration and operations. The position change more accurately reflects his role as the SMHS chief operating officer. Harris came to SMHS from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), where he served as the deputy commissioner for operations and chief operating officer, providing strategic and innovative operational services to more than 16,000 FDA staff members, overseeing a budget in excess of $4 billion along with a $450 million IT portfolio. At SMHS, Harris is responsible for operations and administration, including financial planning and accounting, strategic planning, human resources, information technology, facilities, and safety and security.
