Pharmacy Associate Deans Named

January 24, 2014

UT Tyler Office of Marketing and Communications

Founding Associate Deans of UT Tyler Fisch College of Pharmacy Announced

January 24, 2014

Media Contact:  Hannah Buchanan
Editor/Writer–Strategic Communications & Media Relations
Marketing and Communications
The University of Texas at Tyler
903.539.7196 (cell)

January 24, 2014

Dr. L. Douglas Ried and Dr. Kathleen Snella and have been named founding associate deans of the Ben and Maytee Fisch College of Pharmacy at The University of Texas at Tyler, Dr. Alisa White, provost and senior vice president for academic affairs, announced.

Both associate deans will join the leadership team under the direction of founding dean Dr. Lane J. Brunner with the goal of accepting the first class of UT Tyler pharmacy students in fall 2015.

“We are delighted to attract such highly talented, seasoned administrators into our developing college of pharmacy,” said Brunner. “Drs. Ried and Snella will be instrumental in establishing a strong foundation for our doctor of pharmacy program.”

Effective Feb. 1, Ried’s appointment as associate dean of academic affairs will play a key role in the development and implementation of a comprehensive array of academic policies and procedures in support of student success.

Snella’s appointment as associate dean of student affairs, effective May 28, will help develop and implement services in support of student excellence.

The college’s accreditation process is currently underway. Last year, the Texas Legislature passed legislation authorizing UT System to establish a college of pharmacy at UT Tyler. Gov. Rick Perry signed the legislation in June. Officially establishing the school last August, the UT System Board of Regents is expected to approve the conceptual drawing of the W.T. Brookshire Pharmacy Building next month, with construction scheduled to begin in March. A groundbreaking ceremony will be announced.

The UT Tyler Fisch College of Pharmacy is an innovative, self-sustaining program that will provide East Texas students access to a course of study not currently available locally or regionally. UT Tyler will partner with UT Health Northeast on the new college’s conducted research.

For more information, visit http://www.uttyler.edu/pharmacy/.

Ried joins UT Tyler from the College of Pharmacy at California Northstate University in Sacramento, where he served as senior associate dean for academic affairs. He holds a bachelor’s degree in pharmacy from the University of Washington’s School of Pharmacy as well as master’s and Ph.D. degrees from the University of Minnesota.

A licensed pharmacist since 1972, Ried has a longstanding research interest in patient reported outcomes, especially psycho-geriatric pharmacy practice. He is currently conducting research into the effects of medications on patients’ quality of life and the psychosocial aspects of elderly patients psychotropic medication use.

Ried’s academic expertise is in the area of program assessment and evaluation. He has published numerous articles on the assessment of academic performance and currently is the recipient of a Department of Education grant to examine common student competencies in the profession of pharmacy in the United States and European Union.

Snella previously served as the associate dean of the University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Pharmacy Satellite Program, which is based at the University of Missouri-Columbia campus. She holds a bachelor of science in pharmacy from the University of Iowa College of Pharmacy and a Ph.D. in pharmacy from the UT Health Science Center in San Antonio.

Snella, a board-certified pharmacotherapist, has practiced as a clinical pharmacist for the past 15 years in addition to her academic duties. Her specialties include the management and prevention of chronic diseases such as coagulation disorders, diabetes and osteoporosis.

Snella has published more than 30 manuscripts, book chapters, abstracts and monographs and has given more than 40 presentations at local, regional and national meetings. She has also received several teaching awards for her team-teaching approaches to pharmacotherapy.

One of the 15 campuses of the UT System, UT Tyler features excellence in teaching, research, artistic performance and community service. More than 80 undergraduate and graduate degrees are available at UT Tyler, which has an enrollment of more than 7,500 high-ability students. UT Tyler offers courses at its campuses in Tyler, Longview and Palestine as well as a location in Houston.