Announcing the next head of the Department of Disability and Human Development
Introduction
I am incredibly pleased to announce the appointment of Anjali Forber-Pratt as the next head of the Department of Disability and Human Development, pending formal approval by the University of Illinois Board of Trustees at its upcoming July meeting.
Dr. Forber-Pratt joins us with a distinguished national and international reputation as a scholar, researcher and disability activist. She currently serves as the director of research at the American Association on Health and Disability and previously led the National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, appointed by President Biden. She was a member of Team USA at the 2008 and 2012 Paralympic Games, where she medaled and became an American record holder in wheelchair racing.
A transition of this magnitude is the result of immense collaborative effort. I want to extend my deepest gratitude to Renee Taylor and the members of the search committee for their exceptional work in identifying a stellar pool of candidates. Thank you also to everyone across the college who provided valuable input and hosted the candidates during their campus visits; your professionalism throughout this process was exemplary.
We owe a profound debt of gratitude to the leadership that has brought the department to this position of strength. I want to thank Tamar Heller for guiding and growing the department for many years, and, equally important, I want to thank Carrie Sandahl for attending to the department's needs for more than two years. They both have left an enduring legacy of success, excellence and inclusiveness. Lucky for us, they will continue to be part of the department.
We will share further details as Forber-Pratt transitions full time into her new role. Please join me in welcoming her to the leadership team and to our broader AHS community.
With gratitude for your continued commitment to our college's future.