McKyer named Associate Dean of Climate and Diversity

E. Lisako Jones McKyer, Ph.D., M.P.H., of the Texas A&M Health Science Center School of Public Health, has been named associate dean of climate and diversity—heading the newly established Office of Cultural Competence, Diversity & Inclusion (CCDI).

McKyer will provide leadership, vision and a philosophy that enables plans and policies for inclusion of all members of the School of Public Health community, and she will represent the school’s diversity efforts both locally and nationally.

“I am excited to have Lisako join our school’s leadership team,” said Jay Maddock, Ph.D, dean of the Texas A&M School of Public Health. “Lisako’s leadership and passion for this issue will greatly improve our school’s efforts in diversity, as well as enhance our ability to reduce health disparities in the state of Texas and beyond.”

McKyer is an associate professor at the Texas A&M School of Public Health with secondary appointments in the College of Education and Human Development and the College of Medicine. She currently serves as research development director for the Center for Community Health Development at the Texas A&M School of Public Health, and, as associate director for the Texas A&M Transdisciplinary Center for Health Equity Research in the College of Education and Human Development.

“I appreciate Dean Maddock’s confidence and believe I am up to the challenge,” McKyer said. “With the support of my colleagues, school leaders, staff and students, we will realize our full potential respective to fostering a truly diverse, supportive and inclusive climate for all.”

Most recently, McKyer was the recipient of the 2016 American Academy of Health Behavior (AAHB) Mentor award. She has chaired or co-chaired more than 20 doctoral degree recipients and is currently mentoring four doctoral candidates. Among the degree recipients, 80 percent are first generation college students, 80 percent pursued research and academic positions, 85 percent are women and 85 percent are racial/ethnic minorities.

Her research interests and expertise include socioecological determinants of child health, health disparities and cultural competence. McKyer has secured, as a part of research teams, more than $20 million in grants and contracts since 2006—serving as principal investigator (PI) or co-PI on $3.5 million of those projects. She has published 63 peer-reviewed journal articles and has made over 150 presentations.

McKyer completed her undergraduate degree from California State University—Northridge, and her master’s and doctoral degrees at Indiana University under the mentorship of AAHB co-founder and former president, Mohammad R. Torabi, Ph.D.