Johns Hopkins University is bolstering support for scholars and researchers with a new suite of career development programs designed to provide guidance for faculty at every stage of their professional growth, whether they are opening their first laboratory, building a research team, taking on a new leadership role, or transitioning to retirement.
The Leadership, Advancement, and Development Academy, or LAD Academy, will be led by the office of the Vice Provost for Faculty Affairs and by Charlene Gamaldo, the university's inaugural associate vice provost of the Leadership, Advancement, and Development Academy. The academy will offer a combination of commercially available and custom-developed courses, as well as academic coaching, for faculty interested in accessing materials pertaining to professional development; leadership; and diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility.
"The LAD Academy will provide continuing professional development opportunities to our faculty as they enter and integrate into our university; grow and flourish as independent researchers, teachers, and engaged scholars; and ultimately lead our very university," said Ralph Etienne-Cummings, vice provost for faculty affairs. "With this rich, comprehensive, and targeted repertoire of courses and cohort coaching opportunities, we plan to continue JHU's faculty's march towards inclusive and collective excellence."
The LAD Academy is among the initiatives highlighted in the university's new Ten for One draft strategic plan. It is listed in support of a broad goal to "retain, recruit, and inspire the very best faculty in the world by ensuring that we have competitive resources, state-of-the-art facilities, and outstanding support services that nurture research and discovery at the vanguard of each field of inquiry." These ideas connect to the university's long history of attracting and nurturing a cadre of stellar faculty, a legacy that has defined Johns Hopkins since its founding.
"We are thrilled to be able to launch the LAD Academy, which will offer new professional development and leadership training opportunities for our faculty at all stages of their career," said Stephen Gange, interim provost and senior vice president for academic affairs. "The academy will build on the successes we have already seen in initiatives like the university's Leadership Development Program (LDP), and we are fortunate to be able to call on Dr. Gamaldo to head this effort and expand the leadership pipeline across Johns Hopkins."
Gamaldo is a professor of neurology at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine who specializes in sleep disorders and has joint appointments in psychiatry, nursing, anesthesiology, and public health. She also serves as vice chair of faculty development in the Department of Neurology and medical director of the Johns Hopkins Center for Sleep and Wellness.
Gamaldo will work closely with Etienne-Cummings and Katrina Caldwell, chief diversity officer and vice provost for diversity and inclusion, toward the goal of making the LAD Academy a model for recruiting, developing, and promoting the best and brightest in academia.
"Forming your unique identity as a JHU faculty member and academic leader requires a journey that infuses the values and strengths of who you are as a person with who you are as a member of the JHU community," Gamaldo said. "This transformation enhances a sense of belongingness within university, and ultimately maximizes our opportunity to fully realize our potential for academic excellence. The LAD Academy leadership team is thrilled to work in the spirit of the Ten for One strategic plan to realize our full positive and collective impact on society."
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