Leadership

Senior Leadership

  • John Kuriyan

    Dean of the School of Medicine Basic Sciences

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  • Charles Sanders

    Vice Dean of Basic Sciences

    Professor Chuck Sanders

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  • Kathleen Gould

    Senior Associate Dean for Biomedical Research Education and Training

    Kathleen L. Gould, Ph.D., is a Professor in the Department of Cell and Developmental Biology and holds a Louise B. McGavock endowed faculty chair. Dr. Gould received her A.B. degree in Biochemistry from the University of California, Berkeley and her Ph.D. in Biology from the University of California, San Diego. She was then a Fellow of the Jane Coffin Childs Memorial Fund for Medical Research at the University of Oxford. After joining the Vanderbilt faculty, Dr. Gould received the Boehringer-Ingelheim New Investigator Award, the Searle Scholar Award, and was an Investigator of the Howard Hughes Medical Institute from 1994-2013. Elected a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science in 2011, Dr. Gould is also a member of several national professional societies and journal editorial boards, and she serves regularly as reviewer for the National Institutes of Health and the National Academies Ford Foundation. Her achievements have also been recognized with the SEC Faculty Achievement Award and the Vanderbilt Earl Sutherland Prize.Dr. Gould runs an internationally recognized research program that has made fundamental, pioneering discoveries in the mechanisms that control cell division using a multi-disciplinary approach that includes super-resolution microscopy, mass spectrometry-based proteomics, genetics, structural biology, and biochemistry. In her laboratory, Dr. Gould has trained over 60 undergraduate students, many who have gone on to attend graduate or medical schools, and 50 pre-doctoral and postdoctoral scientists.Dr. Gould has served in multiple leadership roles at Vanderbilt University including Interim and Vice Chair of the Department of Cell and Developmental Biology. She is currently Senior Associate Dean for Biomedical Research Education and Training in the School of Medicine. In this capacity, Dr. Gould is helping to shape institutional and national strategies to enhance and broaden training of biomedical pre- and post-doctoral fellows so that they are prepared to enter the biomedical workforce of the future.

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  • Alyssa Hasty

    Senior Associate Dean for Faculty

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  • Vivian Gama

    Associate Dean for Equity and Inclusive Mentoring

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  • Claudia Paz

    Chief Business Officer, Associate Dean for Finance and Administration

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  • Amy Major

    Faculty Director for Immersion Vanderbilt for the School of Medicine

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  • Tiffany Lawrence Givens

    Assistant Dean for Administration

    Tiffany Lawrence Givens is the assistant dean for administration for the School of Medicine Basic Sciences.As assistant dean, Lawrence Givens works closely with Basic Sciences Dean John Kuriyan, playing a pivotal role in facilitating operations of the dean’s office, enhancing support to faculty and staff, and advancing key initiatives as the school enters a new phase of discovery and impact.In her current role, Lawrence Givens was instrumental in developing processes underpinning the function and structure of Basic Sciences staff. As the school’s first director of human resources, Lawrence Givens furthers short- and long-term plans related to human resources policies and programs, including learning, development, and equity initiatives. As assistant dean for administration, Lawrence Givens will add high-level strategic and operational leadership to the School of Medicine Basic Sciences.Lawrence Givens joined the Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center in November 2015. During her tenure, she was promoted to senior administrative assistant for human resources. In this capacity, she routinely reviewed department operations to improve processes in a frequently changing environment. In July 2017, Lawrence Givens transitioned to the university as a human resources professional for the School of Medicine Basic Sciences and was promoted to director in May 2022. Throughout this time, she demonstrated adeptness in developing strategies and communications that enhanced Basic Sciences HR policies and processes.Lawrence Givens served as University Staff Advisory Council president from 2021 to 2022, vice president from 2020 to 2021 and membership committee co-chair from 2019 to 2020. She has been a member of the Basic Sciences Dean’s Mental Health and Wellness council and the Vanderbilt University Staff Women’s Advancement and Equity council since both were established.Before joining Vanderbilt, Lawrence Givens held roles in accounting, recruiting, and marketing. She was an academic adviser and assistant director of advising at Loyola University Chicago from 2003 to 2011.Lawrence Givens received her master of science in human resources from Loyola University Chicago and her master of education in human services and counseling from DePaul University.

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Departmental Chairs

Core, Center, and Institute Directors

Administrative Leadership

  • Selene Colon

    Selene Colon

    Assistant Dean for Research

  • Ted Gilbert

    Ted Gilbert

    Assistant Dean for Finance and Administration

  • Mary Heath

    Mary Heath

    Senior Assistant Dean for Strategic for Research Administration, Core Services and Strategic Initiatives

  • Felysha Jenkins

    Felysha Jenkins

    Assistant Dean of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

  • Marissa Shapiro

    Marissa Shapiro

    Director of Communications

  • Anthony Tharp

    Anthony Tharp

    Assistant Dean of Facilities, Infrastructure and Risk Management

  • Kimberly Turner

    Kimberly Turner

    Assistant Dean for Administrative Operations