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Office of the Provost

Lead UTD

2025-26 Cohort
Testimonials

The Provost-sponsored program combines administrative training and academic leadership development for current and prospective academic leaders. Participants can be members of the faculty or hold an administrative position on campus. Topics cover a range of operational and leadership issues that deans, associate or assistant deans, department/program heads and associate program heads might face as they navigate UT Dallas’ administrative requirements. 

Dr. Francesca Filbey MS’97 (top left) directs the 2025-26 Lead UTD cohort, which includes: (top row, starting second from left) Dr. William Nichols, Office of Undergraduate Education; Dr. Robin Paige and Eric van Leeuwen BS’11, MPA’15, Office of the Provost; Adam Chandler BA’08, MFA’12 and Dr. John Gooch, Harry W. Bass Jr. School of Arts, Humanities, and Technology; (second row, from left) Dr. Robert Ackerman, Dr. Kelly Jahn, Dr. Jackie Nelson and Dr. Gagan Wig, School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences; Dr. Tony Love and Dr. Sheryl Skaggs, School of Economic, Political and Policy Sciences; (bottom row, from left) Dr. Ben Porter MS’08, PhD’11 and Dr. Edward White, Erik Jonsson School of Engineering and Computer Science; Dr. Kyle Hammonds and Dr. Ruth Johnson, School of Interdisciplinary Studies; Dr. Mehmet Ayvaci and Sunela Thomas, Naveen Jindal School of Management.    

Why Program Commands Cohort’s Attention

Members of the 2025-26 Lead UTD cohort have found value in the knowledge and professional relationships they have gained from the Office of the Provost program. Dr. Francesca Filbey, Senior Associate Provost for Faculty Success, is in her first year as the program’s director. Read the story

How It Started, Why It Works

When she became Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost, Dr. Inga Musselman was determined to start an academic leadership program. Thus was born Lead UTD, now managed by Dr. Francesca Filbey, Senior Associate Provost for Faculty Success.

Goals

  • Better prepare academic leaders for success in their roles by providing clear information on the external and internal governance systems they must utilize.
  • Participate in transformational institutional change processes through networking, communication and transparency.
  • Be responsive to emerging national trends and UT System and State of Texas priorities for higher education.
  • Supplement internal and external opportunities for professional development.
  • Identify, develop and cultivate potential UT Dallas academic leadership.

Participants

First cohort in 2019-2020, faculty only, was selected by Provost. Subsequent cohorts are nominated by peers, deans and self-selection.

Topics

The interactive sessions typically total 24 hours over the academic year and feature guest speakers, both internal and external, who provide administrative training and leadership development.

Ideas Welcome

Faculty members who want to suggest topics for future Lead UTD sessions are invited to contact:

Dr. Inga Musselman
Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost
inga.musselman@utdallas.edu
972-883-2271

Dr. Francesca Filbey
Senior Associate Provost for Faculty Success
francesca.filbey@utdallas.edu
972-883-3311

Nomination Procedures

Future cohorts will be nominated by their supervisors. The only exceptions are first-time deans, associate deans and program heads, who will be included by nature of their position. Individuals also can ask their deans to participate. Faculty members who complete Lead UTD are invited to nominate their peers.

Faculty