Longtime Leader, Gifted Educator, and Dedicated Mentor, Ashley Harkrider, PhD, Named Dean of the College of Health Professions

After 16 years of stellar leadership as the chair of the Department of Audiology and Speech Pathology at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Ashley Harkrider, PhD, has been named the new dean of the university's College of Health Professions, effective Wednesday, October 1.

A respected leader, strategic innovator, enthusiastic collaborator, and dedicated mentor to students and faculty, Dr. Harkrider has served since March 2025 as the interim dean of the College of Health Professions, which includes the Department of Audiology and Speech Pathology, based in Knoxville, and the Departments of Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy, and Diagnostic and Health Sciences, based in Memphis.

Since assuming the role of interim dean, Dr. Harkrider has concentrated on making the college, with its various departments, more aligned and cohesive. She has held regular remote and in-person meetings and town halls with faculty, staff, and students in Knoxville and Memphis.

Dr. Harkrider has conducted visits with external health care and educational partners to foster collaboration and strengthen relationships for the college's students and faculty. Additionally, she created a comprehensive development plan for the college, formed a college Alumni Board, and updated budget and hiring processes.

"Becoming the dean of the College of Health Professions is both an honor and a privilege," Dr. Harkrider said. "I am deeply grateful for the opportunity to lead such a vibrant community of faculty, staff, and students. Together, we will advance innovative approaches to health care education and strengthen the lasting impact of our college on the communities we serve."

A motivational servant leader, Dr. Harkrider reviewed the College of Health Professions' commitment to excellence and detailed her vision for the future during an inspirational talk last week titled "Together We Will."

An alumna of the Department of Audiology and Speech Pathology, she has led the department's outstanding growth in enrollment, clinical care, research, and community outreach since 2009.

Dr. Harkrider presided over the renovation of the Department of Audiology and Speech Pathology's home, which is in the UT Conference Center in Knoxville, and celebrated its grand opening in October 2024. The $20 million, four-year renovation increased the department's footprint to approximately 65,000 square feet and brought its academic, research, and clinical operations under one roof for the first time in 40 years.

Under her leadership, the department has grown to include 300 students and 55 faculty and staff members and has experienced curricular growth in all degree programs (BS, MS, AuD, and PhD).

The department operates the Knoxville area's only academic hearing and speech clinics. It offers degree programs for undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral education in audiology and speech pathology. The department's Doctor of Audiology program reached the top 25 of audiology programs in the country, ranking No. 23 in the U.S. News & World Report's Best Graduate Schools list.

"Dr. Harkrider is a homegrown talent and proven academic leader, who knows and has a longstanding commitment to the college and the university," said Cindy Russell, PhD, vice chancellor for Academic, Faculty, and Student Affairs. "She is highly respected by her colleagues, beloved by students, connected with alumni, well regarded in the community, and uniquely suited to take the college into the future. We are excited about the college's future and how her leadership will inspire others."

"After six months as the interim dean of the College of Health Professions, I have grown to further appreciate the incredible dedication of our faculty, staff, and students," Dr. Harkrider said. "United, we are uniquely positioned to create a model for interprofessional education, research, and clinical practice that will serve as a benchmark across our state. By building on our existing excellence and passion for Healthy Tennesseans and Thriving Communities, prioritizing responsible growth and expansion, and amplifying the presence of our college, the possibilities for our impact are boundless."

In her new role as the dean of the College of Health Professions, Dr. Harkrider will continue to be based in Knoxville, yet serve across the state of Tennessee.

"We are extremely fortunate to have a leader of the caliber of Dr. Harkrider, who is excited and equipped to step up and take on an even more extensive role at the university," said Chancellor Peter Buckley, MD. "Moreover, UT Health Science Center serves all across Tennessee, and having the dean of one of our six colleges stationed in Knoxville strategically illustrates the fact that we serve the state from Memphis in the west to Knoxville in the east and all the areas in between."

As a highly collaborative researcher, Dr. Harkrider is a member of the grant team for the new, state-funded $12 million Tennessee Rural Health Care Center of Excellence at UT Health Science Center aimed at improving health outcomes for rural Tennesseans.

She is also a principal on a UT Grand Challenge Grant to the Department of Audiology and Speech Pathology funding a van to bring audiology, speech-language pathology, and social work services to high-need rural areas in East Tennessee in partnership with the UT Knoxville College of Social Work.

Dr. Harkrider earned her bachelor's degree from the University of North Carolina, a master's degree in audiology from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, and a PhD in communication sciences and disorders from the University of Texas at Austin.

She joined UT Health Science Center as an assistant professor in the Department of Audiology and Speech Pathology in 2000, became an associate professor in 2006, and a professor 2013.

She is a graduate of the UT Executive Leadership Institute Class of 2023, the recipient of the UT Alumni Association's Distinguished Service Professorship, and was named a 2015 Distinguished Alumnus by the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders at the University of Texas at Austin.

New Leaders and Strategic Direction at UT Health Science Center

Dr. Harkrider joins an impressive roster of outstanding senior leaders at the university, including those with longstanding service and those recruited to UT Health Science Center over the past few years.

In addition to Chancellor Buckley, who joined the university in 2022, the new leaders include Executive Vice Chancellor and Chief Operating Officer Raaj Kurapati, AIFA; Vice Chancellor for Strategic Partnerships Paul Wesolowski, MBA; Vice Chancellor for Advancement Brigitte Grant, MBA; College of Pharmacy Dean Reginald Frye, PharmD, PhD; College of Dentistry Dean Ken Tilashalski, DMD; Vice Chancellor for Research Jessica Snowden, MD; College of Medicine Executive Dean Michael Hocker, MD; Vice Chancellor for Strategic Communications and Marketing Karla Leeper, PhD, MBA; and UT System Chief Wellness Officer Jessi Gold, MD.

In 2023, UT Health Science Center adopted a new vision as part of an ambitious five-year Strategic Plan. The four-word vision - Healthy Tennesseans. Thriving Communities - represents the university's commitment to improving health outcomes in Tennessee.

The university continues to make strides in fulfilling that plan. In a recent major accomplishment, the university achieved R1 status from the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education, joining the elite ranks of the top 5% of universities conducting groundbreaking research across the country.