Kate Mamiseishvili Named Dean of College of Education and Health Professions

University of Arkansas

Kate Mamiseishvili

Kate Mamiseishvili will be named the dean of the College of Education and Health Professions at the U of A, effective Feb 1. Mamiseishvili has served as the interim dean of the college for the past seven months.

"I am honored to be officially named dean of the College of Education and Health Professions," Mamiseishvili said. "I am grateful to Provost Martin for his confidence and trust in me. It's the greatest privilege to serve as the dean of the college that has been my academic home for the past 15 years. In that time, I've seen the impact of our amazing faculty and staff, who have continuously enriched the educational experiences of our students and helped people reach their full potential. I look forward to supporting our faculty and staff as we advance the goals of our college and show how we care for our students and the community in Arkansas and beyond."

Mamiseishvili was named interim dean of the College of Education and Health Professions in June 2022, taking over for former dean Brian Primack. She has achieved much in that brief time. One notable accomplishment is the launch of the WE CARE initiative, which stands for Wellness and Education Commitment to Arkansas Excellence. The initiative revolves around tangible ways faculty and staff can collaborate within the college and across the state to address complex challenges in education and health.

"I am thrilled to announce Kate's appointment as dean of the College of Education and Health Professions," said Terry Martin, provost and executive vice chancellor for academic affairs. "Kate has done a tremendous job leading the college the past seven months and launching key initiatives that align with the university's overall strategic plan." 

Prior to her role as interim dean of the College of Education and Health Professions, Mamiseishvili served as interim vice provost for academic affairs, taking over for Terry Martin, who was named interim provost in August 2021 and has since been named the permanent provost for the university. Before serving as interim vice provost for academic affairs, Mamiseishvili was the associate dean for academic and student affairs in the College of Education and Health Professions from 2017-2021. As associate dean, she managed academic operations for the college, coordinated accreditation and program reviews, and oversaw academic planning, faculty affairs and student success.

"Kate has filled many different roles since she joined the university," Martin said. "Her experience across many different academic units will be a great asset in her role as dean and to the university as a whole. I know without a doubt she is the right person to lead the College of Education and Health Professions forward and advance our goals as a university."

Mamiseishvili joined the U of A in 2008 as a professor of higher education. In 2013, she was appointed head of the Department of Rehabilitation, Human Resources, and Communication Disorders, leading a unit composed of seven academic programs and the Speech and Hearing Clinic with more than 40 faculty members and 800 students.

In her tenure as a faculty member at the U of A, Mamiseishvili received many awards and accolades. She was inducted into the Teaching Academy; she received the College of Education and Health Professions' Rising S.T.A.R. award; she was awarded the S.T.A.R. Faculty Awards for her all-around outstanding performance in teaching, research, advising and service; she was recognized as an Outstanding Mentor by the Office of Nationally Competitive Awards; and she was selected as a fellow of the SEC Academic Leadership Development Program. In addition, she has led research on faculty productivity, job satisfaction and student persistence.

Mamiseishvili received her Ph.D. and M.A. in educational leadership and policy analysis from the University of Missouri and a bachelor's degree in English language and literature from the Akaki Tsereteli State University in the country of Georgia.

For more information on the College of Education and Health Professions, visit coehp.uark.edu.

About the University of Arkansas: As Arkansas' flagship institution, the U of A provides an internationally competitive education in more than 200 academic programs. Founded in 1871, the U of A contributes more than $2.2 billion to Arkansas' economy through the teaching of new knowledge and skills, entrepreneurship and job development, discovery through research and creative activity while also providing training for professional disciplines. The Carnegie Foundation classifies the U of A among the few U.S. colleges and universities with the highest level of research activity. U.S. News & World Report ranks the U of A among the top public universities in the nation. See how the U of A works to build a better world at Arkansas Research News.