UGA Selects Faculty, Campus Leaders for Advanced Leader Program
Monday, January 12th, 2026
The University of Georgia has selected 10 faculty and academic leaders to join the 2026 class of its Advanced Leader Program, an initiative designed to cultivate the next generation of higher education leaders.
The program provides a select group of faculty and administrators an opportunity to build upon their existing strengths as they learn from senior administrators, experts in leadership development and peers. Over the course of the year, Fellows will interact with offices and administrators from across the university, expanding their understanding of the operations of the institution and the university system.
“The Advanced Leader Program reflects the University of Georgia’s commitment to empowering a new generation of higher education leaders,” said Benjamin C. Ayers, the university’s senior vice president for academic affairs and provost. “This year’s class of Fellows has made significant contributions to our institution and in their disciplines, and this program will equip them to make an even greater impact in the future.”
The Fellows represent departments, schools and colleges across campus and the Office of Student Financial Aid.
The 2026 Advanced Leader Program Fellows are:
Gaelen Burke
Professor and chair of the academic affairs and curriculum committees, department of entomology, College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences
Burke’s research focuses on the function and evolution of beneficial insect-microbe interactions. In particular, she and her research team study the beneficial viruses harbored by parasitic wasps. Her work has been published in leading academic journals including Proceedings of the National Academy of Science and Journal of Virology. Prior to joining UGA, she earned her doctorate in ecology and evolutionary biology at the University of Arizona where she studied pea aphids and the role of intracellular symbionts in mediating the effects of heat stress
Malissa Clark
Professor and head of the department of psychology, Franklin College of Arts and Sciences
Clark’s research centers on improving employee well-being and reducing overwork and burnout. Her 2024 book, “Never Not Working: Why the Always-On Culture Is Bad for Business — and How to Fix It,” has received high praise, being featured in Adam Grant’s 12 New Idea Books to Launch 2024 and Top 5 Porchlight Book’s Best Management and Workplace Culture Books of 2024. Clark is a fellow of the Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology, and she was selected as a member of the 2024 Thinkers50 Radar list and a finalist for the 2025 Thinkers50 Radar Award. She serves as associate editor for the Journal of Business and Psychology and is on the editorial boards of Personnel Psychology and Journal of Applied Psychology.
Erin Dolan
Josiah Meigs Distinguished Teaching Professor in the department of biochemistry and molecular biology and Georgia Athletic Association Professor of Innovative Science Education, Franklin College of Arts and Sciences
Dolan has held several leadership positions at UGA, other institutions and in national organizations. As a neuroscience graduate student, Dolan volunteered extensively in K-12 schools, which prompted her to pursue a career in biology education. She teaches introductory biology and her research group, the SPREE Lab (Social Psychology of Research Experiences and Education), works to delineate the features of undergraduate and graduate research that influence students’ career decisions, including the influence of research mentorship
Katie Ellis
Associate clinical instructor and section head for large animal field services, College of Veterinary Medicine Teaching Hospital
After graduating from UGA, Ellis stayed on to complete a large animal rotating internship at the College of Veterinary Medicine. She then worked as a general equine ambulatory practitioner, became certified in equine chiropractic and acupuncture, completed a specialty internship in equine surgery and sports medicine at the University of Florida and completed a combined equine diagnostic imaging internship and equine sports medicine and rehabilitation residency at Colorado State University. She is interested in equine musculoskeletal imaging and rehabilitation.
Nancy Ferguson
Executive director of student financial aid and scholarships, Office of Student Financial Aid
With more than 27 years of experience in higher education administration, Ferguson has dedicated her career to helping students access the financial resources they need to achieve their academic goals. A UGA alumna, Ferguson was among the nation’s first Certified Financial Aid Administrators. Her career spans a range of roles in financial aid, giving her extensive expertise in policy, compliance and student advocacy. Ferguson is an active member of state, regional and national professional financial aid organizations and a sought-after conference speaker.
Kamal J.K. Gandhi
Interim associate dean for research, Wheatley Distinguished Professor of Forest Health and director of the Southern Pine Health Research Cooperative, Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources
Her lab’s mission is to understand the principles of community and population ecology of forest insects and to provide real-life solutions for forest conservation and sustainability. Gandhi supports all aspects of research and facilities-related activities in Warnell, including development of new research opportunities. She also leads several important initiatives such as school and industry partnerships and the Pine Pandemic Preparedness Plan related to forest health.
Jennifer Graff
Associate professor and graduate coordinator, department of language and literacy education, Mary Frances Early College of Education
She is recognized for her leadership and research in the field of children’s literature and literacy education, her strong record of scholarly publications and her mentorship of doctoral students within and beyond her department. Graff has held leadership positions in several national organizations, and she currently serves as co-editor of the leading national journal in children’s literature scholarship, the Journal of Children’s Literature. In the college, she has led the development of cutting-edge, interdisciplinary curricula in literacy education and children’s and young adult literature for undergraduate and graduate students.
Joseph Peragine
Professor, Lamar Dodd Endowed Chair and director of the Lamar Dodd School of Art
Over three decades, Peragine has built a distinguished career as an artist, educator and academic leader. His leadership has driven significant curricular and programmatic expansion at UGA, including new degrees and certificates, the establishment of the Layton Design Studio and the development of the UGA Community Art School. His fundraising and community engagement efforts have secured transformational support for students and faculty and strengthened partnerships with cultural institutions across the region.
Roland Végső
Professor and head of the department of English, Franklin College of Arts and Sciences
Végső is the author of three books and 40 peer-reviewed articles and book chapters. Before joining UGA in 2023, he served for a decade in departmental administrative roles at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. A recipient of several teaching and research awards, Végső has established a record of institutional service, collaborative program building and a commitment to strengthening the humanities across research, teaching and community engagement.
Lindsey Welch
Senior public service associate and director of Advanced Pharmacy Practice Experiences, College of Pharmacy
In her role, Welch oversees clinical practice training in the final year of the Doctor of Pharmacy degree program, ensuring a satisfactory quantity and quality of training sites. With more than 15 years of experience, Welch is recognized at the state, regional and national level as a leader in pharmacy experiential education. She has held leadership positions in the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy, the Southeastern Pharmacy Experiential Education Consortium and the Georgia Pharmacy Association. In 2015, she received GPhA’s Distinguished Young Pharmacist Award, and in 2021 she was recognized as the organization’s Faculty Member of the Year.
