The College of Education and Health Professions' dean extended five-year appointments to three interim associate deans and two department heads, effective March 1.

Dean Kate Mamiseishvili announced the new leadership roles in a monthly email to faculty and staff last week. "All five of these administrators have demonstrated amazing leadership and commitment to the success of our college, and I am beyond grateful and excited that they have accepted these critical leadership positions," she said. "Each has been instrumental in advancing the college's new WE CARE initiative, and we're all committed to improving health and education across Arkansas and beyond." 

Paul Calleja was named associate dean for administration and manages the college's human resources, financial affairs, facilities and technology services. Calleja assumed the interim associate dean role after it was vacated by Lewatis McNeal. Calleja joined the college in 2003 as the education outreach director for the Microelectronics Photonics Department. He previously served as the assistant head of the Department of Health, Human Performance and Recreation. Calleja is a teaching professor of physical education and serves as the president of the Teaching Academy.

Matthew Ganio, who joined the college's faculty in 2011, was named associate dean of academic and student affairs. His role includes facilitating changes and additions to degree plans, accreditation and assessments. He also supervises the Boyer Center for Student Services and the Office for Teacher Education. Ganio assists departments and faculty in evaluation, promotion and tenure policies. Ganio, a professor of exercise science, previously served as head of the Department of Health, Human Performance and Recreation.

Michelle Gray was promoted to head of the Department of Health, Human Performance and Recreation. She's a professor of exercise science whose research centers around age-related ailments to increase the quality of life among older adults. Gray previously served as director of the Exercise Science Research Center. The department offers degree programs in exercise science, public health, recreation and sport management, athletic training and teaching K-12 physical education and health.

Mamiseishvili named Michael Hevel to associate dean for research, strategy and outreach. He leads the college's strategic initiatives and provides support and direction for those areas. An associate professor of higher education and a faculty member in the college since 2012, Hevel previously served as head of the Department of Rehabilitation, Human Resources and Communication Disorders beginning in 2017.

Kristin Higgins was named head of the college's Department of Rehabilitation, Human Resources and Communication Disorders. Higgins, an associate professor of counselor education and supervision, joined the faculty in 2006. She has served as a program coordinator since 2016. The RHRC department houses six undergraduate and graduate programs, including adult and lifelong learning, communication sciences and disorders, counselor education and supervision, educational statistics and research methods, higher education, and human resource and workforce development.

Mamiseishvili and her leadership team launched the WE CARE initiative in the summer of 2022. WE CARE stands for Wellness and Education Commitment to Arkansas Excellence and its priorities revolve around tangible ways faculty and staff can collaborate within the college and across the state to address complex challenges in education and health.

The College of Education and Health Professions enrolls more than 6,200 students and has about 400 full-time faculty and staff. The college offers more than 50 degree programs, including 17 bachelor's programs and 34 master's and doctoral programs.