HCOPH Faculty Member Promoted to Assistant Dean for the Office of Sovereignty, Belonging, and Engagement (SOBE)

We are pleased to announce that Dr. Deirdra “Dee” Terrell, Associate Professor in the Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, was named Assistant Dean for the Office of Sovereignty, Belonging, and Engagement (SOBE). Dr. Terrell has served as a trusted advisor to campus leadership and an advocate for students, staff, and faculty across the University.  This inaugural leadership position has not been without its challenges. Dr. Terrell’s response has been to open the channels of communication for all students and employees creating a pathway to share their concerns and experiences.  She has brought a quantitative expertise to the work of SOBE, employing thoughtful, evidence-based strategies to foster a more welcoming, supportive, and diverse faculty, staff, and student community. 

Dr. Terrell is passionate about mentoring and believes in evidence-based policies and practices that strengthen our mission. She believes that creating a culture of belonging means not only having different voices and backgrounds represented at the hypothetical table but also working to ensure they all feel heard and valued. Her research interests focus on understanding the impact of disease from the patient’s perspective and also on recognizing and improving health disparities. She has worked in the area of classical hematology for over 20 years and has published 93 peer-reviewed articles. Dr. Terrell is an active volunteer for the American Society of Hematology where she has served in various leadership positions including Chair of the Hematology Inclusion Pathway study section, Chair of the PhD Workforce Study, past Chair of the Minority Recruitment Initiative subcommittee, and the past Vice-Chair of the Committee on Promoting Diversity. She received her doctoral and master's degrees in epidemiology from the Hudson College of Public Health. Outside of work, she enjoys watching college basketball.