The University of Victoria has reached another milestone in its creation of a new Faculty of Health by appointing Tammy Hopper as the inaugural Dean for a five-year term beginning May 1, 2025.

Hopper has a record of supportive leadership, working with complex governance structures, and a history of fundraising and advocacy. Her approachable style, clear commitment to equity, belonging and relationship building, as well as her plans to embed Indigenous pedagogy in the curriculum, make her well-positioned to mobilize support for the future vision of UVic’s Faculty of Health.

I am honoured to be joining the University of Victoria as the Dean of the Faculty of Health and I am excited to work with the faculty, staff and students in the Schools and programs that will comprise the new faculty. Together with Indigenous communities and other partners, we will develop a collective vision that will guide us in our endeavours."

—Tammy Hopper, inaugural Dean, Faculty of Health

UVic’s new Faculty of Health will help address healthcare challenges locally and nationally by bringing together expertise across campus—through expanded research, academic programs and new and expanded partnership opportunities—that will have far-reaching impacts. Future students can now apply to the new faculty, with the first cohort of students starting in May 2025.

We are thrilled to welcome Dr. Tammy Hopper to UVic starting in Spring 2025. With her extensive post-secondary experience, proven collegial vision and leadership, and demonstrated collaborative approach to health-care programming, Dr. Hopper is exceptionally well-positioned to enhance UVic’s reputation for research and teaching excellence and foster partnerships that address the health-care needs of our broader community.”

—Elizabeth Croft, vice-president academic and provost

Hopper is the current dean of the Faculty of Rehabilitation Medicine at the University of Alberta. As a speech-language therapist and professor, her research focuses on improving communication and the lives of individuals with dementia.

The establishment of the Faculty of Health aligns with UVic's strategic plans and commitment to ʔetalnəwəl | ÁTOL,NEUEL | Respecting the rights of one another and being in right relationship with all things, which focuses on UVic’s relationships with one another, with the lands and waters and with all living beings. By respecting the local Nations and honouring the teachings we each carry with us, we will centre Indigenous ways of knowing and being in teaching, learning, researching, and providing services and wellness that lend themselves to better health outcomes for everyone.

Read more about Dr. Hopper in this backgrounder.

For more information about UVic’s new Faculty of Health, visit: uvic.ca/health.

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