Dean’s Message – October 2026
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This October the achievements and accolades of SPHHS faculty and alumni were proudly recognized all over campus. It began early in the month on October 7th when Dr. Liz Evans, chair of Health Promotion and Policy, received the Chancellor’s award and presented the first Distinguished Faculty Lecture of the 2026-27 academic year. Dr. Evans spoke about her career and research examining how health care systems and public policies can better promote health and wellness among vulnerable and underserved populations, particularly for individuals at risk for opioid and other substance use disorders.
The following night, two individuals we had nominated for UMass Foundation Alumni Awards, were honored for their work. The Honorable William Hadley ’80, who worked with Dr. Evans on the Holyoke District Court’s HEART (Holyoke Early Access to Treatment and Services) program, which utilized court resources to assist individuals in search of treatment for substance use disorders, was awarded the Nancy J. Vajcovec Excellence in Service Award. In addition, Efosa Guobadia, a 2007 kinesiology alum and former lacrosse player who founded Move Together, a nonprofit that aspires to open 100 physical therapy clinics in 10 years around the world to expand access to movement health, was awarded the Revolutionary Spirit Award. Efosa is also a co-chair of our Dean’s Advisory Board. Visit the UMass Alumni website to watch videos describing their accomplishments. Congratulations to both!
On October 19-21, our campus, in conjunction with the University College Dublin (UCD), hosted the Strategic Research Partnership Workshop on the topics of Food, Nutrition, Health Technologies, and Therapeutic Innovation. Several of our nutrition and kinesiology faculty were involved in presenting their work and engaging with colleagues at UCD to facilitate new research ideas and partnerships. The two-day workshop was a huge success, resulting in the launch of a joint faculty research seed fund for faculty to propose creative research partnerships. Kudos to Dr. Chaoran Ma from the department of nutrition; she received a grant last year that helped spark this exchange.
On October 28th, Drs. Mariana Chilton and Megan Patton Lopez organized the Right to Food Day of Dialogue with campus and community partners. This amazing event, which started with song, food and conversation, convened many stakeholders in the Western Mass area who are passionate advocates and community leaders around the area of food sovereignty. They also held an important town hall with U.S. Rep. James McGovern, State Senator Jo Comerford, and State Rep Mindy Domb, on how the right to food can be enshrined into law in the Commonwealth. The insights from this meeting will be shared with the Center for the Future of Food steering committee to help guide their work as this center is launched.
I also want to welcome two new deans to the school. Dr. Sofiya Alhassan, professor of kinesiology and currently the associate dean of equity and inclusion in the UMass Amherst Graduate School, will become our next associate dean for graduate and professional studies starting January 1, 2027. Under her leadership, we have added a new position, assistant dean for graduate and professional online learning. Dr. Elizabeth Chen, a professor of practice in the Department of Health Promotion and Policy, has taken on that role effective immediately. This new role will allow us to improve the quality and expansion of our online programs. We are so delighted to have these two amazing and talented individuals on our leadership team.
Lastly, I encourage you all to vote on Nov 3rd. Whatever your political views, remember that the relationship between voting and health outcomes is multifaceted, underscoring the significant impact that civic engagement can have on public well-being. Voting shapes public health policies that affect various critical areas, including healthcare access, reproductive rights, mental health services, climate change, gun violence, and LGBTQ rights. Express your opinion and vote!