William Kohlhepp of North Haven, associate vice president for faculty affairs, has been promoted to dean of the School of Health Sciences at Quinnipiac University.
“Bill has a strong track record of leadership at Quinnipiac,” said Mark Thompson, executive vice president and provost at Quinnipiac, who announced the promotion. “Having served Quinnipiac since 1996 as a faculty member,director of undergraduate physician assistant education, associate dean in the School of Health Sciences, and most recently as associate vice president for faculty affairs, Bill is extremely well prepared for the dean’s position and will be an asset to the university’s senior leadership team.”
The School of Health Sciences, which has more than 75 faculty members and nearly 2,500 students, offers clinical doctorate programs in physical therapy and occupational therapy; graduate programs in social work,cardiovascular perfusion, medical laboratory sciences, pathologists’ assistant, physician assistant and radiologist assistant; dual-degree programs in biomedical sciences, physical therapy, athletic training and physical therapy, occupational therapy and physician assistant; and undergraduate majors in athletic training, biomedical sciences, diagnostic medical sonography, health science studies, microbiology and immunology and radiologic sciences. The school also offers continuing education certificate programs in computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging.
“I look forward to returning to the School of Health Sciences and am excited about working in the role of dean with the other members of the dean’s office, the department chairs, directors, faculty and staff,” Kohlhepp said. “Together we will focus on being responsive to the needs of the students of today while planning to meet the future health care needs of the nation by continuing to strengthen Quinnipiac’s comprehensive set of health professions majors.”
A physician assistant for more than 30 years, Kohlhepp is a tenured professor of physician assistant studies. He has been actively involved with the university’s faculty senate, serving three terms as chair. He is a past recipient of the James Marshall Award for Outstanding Service to the University. Prior to joining Quinnipiac, Kohlhepp was a successful practice/hospital administrator for more than 10 years, working as the operations manager for St. Raphael’s Occupational Health Plus and the health center manager for the Community Health Care Plan.
Kohlhepp has remained active in the national professional organizations of the physician assistant profession, serving as treasurer of the Physician Assistant Education Association and chairing both the boards of the National Commission on Certification of PAs and the American Academy of Physician Assistants. He was recognized as PA of the Year by the American Academy of PAs in Occupational Medicine in 2006 and is a past recipient of the Distinguished Alumnus Award, School of Health Related Professions, University of Medicine & Dentistry of New Jersey. He is a Distinguished Fellow Member of the American Academy of Physician Assistants and he has been inducted into Alpha Eta, the Honor Society for Allied Health Professionals.
He holds a doctorate in health sciences from Nova Southeastern University and a master’s degree in health administration from Quinnipiac. He also holds a bachelor’s degree from the UMDNJ/Rutgers PA Program in New Jersey,a bachelor’s in biology from the University of Connecticut and an honorary doctor of humane letters from A.T. Still University, Mesa, Arizona.