Please see below for a message on behalf of the Office of the President.
To the NEOMED Community:
With the anticipated departures of Carolyn Lanier, Chief of Staff and Vice President for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, effective Sept. 30, 2018; and Richard Lewis, Vice President for External Affairs and Board of Trustees Secretary, effective Dec. 31, 2018, we will have two significant positions on our leadership team experiencing transition.
Consistent with NEOMED’s budgetary principles that are intended to provide the University with the foundation necessary to evaluate resource allocation while aligning with the University’s mission and strategic priorities, we will be re-engineering the Office of the President due to this unique transitional period.
To better align needs of the Office of the President with the dual roles of leadership team members, the two positions will be among other restructuring taking place in the office. As a result, modified positions will include:
- Chief of Staff and Board of Trustees Secretary. Beginning Oct. 1, 2018, the Chief of Staff component of the position will be filled on an interim basis by Michelle Mulhern, who is currently the Executive Director of the Office of the President and Associate Board Secretary. The University will begin an internal search for the dual position ― Chief of Staff and Board of Trustees Secretary on Nov. 1, 2018. A permanent appointment could be made as early as Jan. 1, 2019 after the incumbent Board Secretary ― Richard Lewis ― retires.
- Vice President for Human Resources and Diversity. Beginning Oct. 1, 2018, this position will be filled on an interim basis by Andre Burton, who is currently Executive Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. In the Spring of 2019, the University will begin an internal search for a permanent appointee to the position of Vice President for Human Resources and Diversity.
- Vice President for Governmental Affairs and Community Relations. On Nov. 1, 2018, the University will begin an internal search for this position. A permanent appointment could be made as early as Jan. 1, 2019.
As the Office of the President considered the transitions in our area, it was important that we identify staff who can take on interim roles and execute important projects during the pendency of permanent searches without compromising quality and workflow. Additionally, this is recognized as an opportunity to realize significant cost savings and keep within the principles of the Workforce Re-engineering Program.
Please join me in congratulating and thanking both Michelle and Andre for being willing and able to take on these important interim roles. I am looking forward to working closely with them and the entire Leadership Team to continue NEOMED’s success.
Jay A. Gershen
President