Myers McRae Recruits Dean for the Arnold School of Public Health at the University of South Carolina
November 1, 2024 – Macon, GA-based Myers McRae Executive Search and Consulting recently assisted the University of South Carolina in the recruitment of accomplished public health leader Tara Sabo-Attwood as the new dean of the Arnold School of Public Health. Ms. Sabo-Attwood will take the helm of the Arnold School from retiring dean, Tommy Chandler, who served the school for 17 years.
“It is a pleasure to welcome Dr. Sabo-Attwood back to USC, where she distinguished herself as an early-career faculty member in the Arnold School of Public Health,” said Michael Amiridis, president. “She returns as an accomplished researcher, educator, mentor, and public health and wellness advocate, with a strong record of academic excellence and innovative leadership.”
“Tara is a visionary leader with a proven track record of success,” said Donna Arnett, executive vice president for academic affairs and provost. “Her expertise in environmental and global health, coupled with her dedication to supportive leadership, will be invaluable to the Arnold School as it addresses the most pressing public health challenges of our time.”
Ms. Sabo-Attwood brings a wealth of experience to the Arnold School, having served for 17 years in various leadership positions after earning her bachelor’s degree in medical technology and genetics from the University of Connecticut and her PhD in biomedical sciences with a specialty in environmental toxicology and pharmacology from the University of Florida. She also spent four years at USC as an assistant professor and three years as the director of the Nano-Environmental Strategic Group. Her record includes:
- Serving as department chair at the University of Florida’s Department of Environmental and Global Health, where she oversaw significant growth in research focus, faculty diversity, and educational programs.
- Increasing extramural funding substantially through strategic faculty recruitment and diversification of research portfolios.
- Establishing the college’s first wellness program in her role as associate dean of cultural affairs and wellness programs and leading student engagement with community health initiatives.
“I owe my first real introduction to public health as a discipline and practice to the Arnold School,” Ms. Sabo-Attwood said. “As a new assistant professor trained in STEM I was afforded the opportunity to see environmental health problems through a public health lens. Having the ability to bridge disciplines effectively has played a key role in shaping unique research and academic programing initiatives during my career.”
“It is exciting to be returning to a place I know and care about,” Ms. Sabo-Attwood added. “What the Arnold School of Public Health has accomplished over the past two decades is awe-inspiring and I am energized to put my experience and success in public health leadership to work.”
Related: Myers McRae Assists the University of West Georgia in Provost Search
The Arnold School — one of the nation’s first schools of public health — is the only school of public health in South Carolina that meets comprehensive accreditation requirements. It has earned recognition as one of the nation’s leading research institutions, ranking No. 6 among all public universities in funding from the National Institutes of Health. The Arnold School of Public Health offers 34 degree and certificate options from undergraduate to graduate across seven disciplines.
Serving Colleges and Universities
Myers McRae Executive Search and Consulting serves colleges, universities, independent schools, and other not-for-profit institutions. Nearly all of its search professionals have a minimum of 20 years of experience in higher education. The majority of the firm’s searches have been for presidents, chancellors, provosts, vice presidents, deans, and other senior academic and administrative leaders. Myers McRae recently placed the provost and vice president for academic and student affairs at East Georgia State College, provost and vice president for academic affairs at Savannah State University, and the vice president for business and financial services and chief business officer for the University of West Georgia, among others.
Myers McRae Recruits 19th President for Kentucky State University
Following a national search, Macon, GA-based Myers McRae Executive Search and Consulting has assisted in the recruitment of Koffi C. Akakpo as the 19th president of Kentucky State University (KSU), a historically black college and university. Kenny Daugherty, the search firm’s president, led the assignment. “Today is undoubtedly an exciting time in Kentucky State’s history, and we are confident that the foundation laid by this extensive presidential search process—involving input and deliberation from a wide range of constituents and stakeholders, including both internal and external campus community members—allowed us to choose the best leader for Kentucky State and its future,” said Tammi Dukes, Kentucky State University board of regents chair.
Kenny Daugherty is Myers McRae’s president. He has an extensive background in higher education administration, having served 28 years in public and independent institutions. Throughout his career in higher education, he had personnel responsibilities and served on numerous search committees for professional staff and administrators for the institution. Mr. Daugherty has conducted hundreds of searches for schools across the nation, including presidential searches for the University of Montana Western, Northwest Missouri State University, McDaniel College, Oakwood University, Kentucky Wesleyan College, Pasco-Hernando State College, Pierpont Community and Technical College, Wichita Area Technical College, and the Georgia Independent College Association.
Related: Myers McRae Recruits President for State College of Florida, Manatee-Sarasota
Contributed by Scott A. Scanlon, Editor-in-Chief and Dale M. Zupsansky, Executive Editor – Hunt Scanlon Media
