Backgrounder: Dr. Tammy Hopper Appointed UVic’s Inaugural Dean, Faculty of Health

Dr. Tammy Hopper, an internationally recognized academic leader and award-winning scholar, has been appointed as the inaugural Dean of the Faculty of Health at the University of Victoria. With a distinguished career, she brings extensive experience in program development, interdisciplinary research, and clinical education.

Key Highlights of Dr. Hopper’s Career:

• Hopper began her career as a speech-language pathologist, specializing in improving communication for individuals with dementia. She obtained her MSc in Speech Pathology at Idaho State University (1993); a PhD in Speech and Hearing Sciences at the University of Arizona (2000); followed by a Postdoctoral Fellowship at the National Centre for Neurogenic Communication Disorders (2001).

• Hopper’s 20+ years with the University of Alberta began in 2001, where she  served as a professor, scholar, and mentor to a significant number of MSc, PhD and Post Doctoral students. During her tenure, she also served as Vice Provost, Office of the Provost and Vice-President (Academic) (2017-2021) and Dean, Faculty of Rehabilitation Medicine (2021-present; Interim Dean 2021-2022).

• From 2001 onwards, Hopper secured multiple research grants from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) and other organizations like Health Research Board of Ireland, Alzheimer Care Research Grant, Alberta Addictions and Mental Health Research Partnership Program. Additionally, she has published extensively in top journals, including the British Medical Journal and the American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology.

• Service and Advocacy remain constant themes in Hopper’s career. She has served on boards of organizations related to her research, including the Alzheimer Society of Alberta, Heart and Stroke Foundation, Northwest Territories and the Alberta Association on Gerontology. Hopper is a certified member of the Alberta College of Speech-Language Pathologists and the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association.

• Hopper has been a longstanding advocate for advancing EDI and Indigenous Engagement. In her current role as Dean of the Faculty of Rehabilitation Medicine at the University of Alberta she has participated in the Black Academic Excellence Cohort Hire Initiative, expanded program enrollment to rural Alberta students and developed a Memorandum of Relational Understanding with Treaty 8 First Nations. She recently completed certification in Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (UBC, 2024).

Dr. Hopper’s proven ability to build collaborative relationships, foster academic excellence and advance equity and Indigenous initiatives have made her an excellent choice to shape UVic’s new Faculty of Health. We look forward to seeing her strategic leadership in program development and fostering community partnerships as she steps into her new role at UVic in 2025.

-- 30 --