Chair - Department of Health, Behavior and Society
🔍 San Antonio
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- Faculty
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- School of Public Health
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- 25000361 Requisition #
Chair, Department of Health, Behavior, and Society
The Kate Marmion School of Public Health
The University of Texas at San Antonio
The Kate Marmion School of Public Health seeks an innovative and entrepreneurial academic leader to serve as the chair of the Department of Health, Behavior, and Society (HBS). Launched in 2022, the School of Public Health was a strategic collaboration between two institutions, The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio (UT Health San Antonio) and The University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA). UT Health San Antonio and UTSA recently merged to form The University of Texas at San Antonio (UT San Antonio) to create an integrated world-class academic research and academic medical center, and the third largest University in Texas. Proudly known as the “People’s School,” the School of Public Health addresses the need for a dedicated school of public health to serve San Antonio, the seventh-largest city in the United States, Bexar County, and the broader 38-county service area within South Texas.
On December 16, 2025, UT San Antonio announced a transformational $30 million gift from the Kate Marmion Charitable Foundation to support the mission of the School of Public Health and improve the health and well-being of communities across South Texas. This gift represents a transformative investment that meaningfully advances the mission of this initiative and strengthens the university’s commitment to improving the health of South Texas. In recognition of the Foundation’s generosity and partnership, the UT System Board of Regents approved the naming of the Kate Marmion School of Public Health.
The HBS Department is dedicated to creating healthy communities where all people in San Antonio and South Texas can live, learn, work, play, and age with well-being. The Department reflects the School’s strong focus on integrating community in all aspects of research, education, and practice, and emphasizes a multidisciplinary approach. Focus areas include maternal and child health, health throughout the life course, and health communication, as well as an interest in the connections between mental health, physical health, health behavior, rural health, and policy and advocacy strategies that promote health and well-being.
The chair will serve as the academic leader and a key collaborator in the continued development of the School. Responsibilities include educational leadership, curriculum development, faculty mentoring, research growth, classroom teaching, and graduate education. Also, will maintain an active research agenda, pursue extramural funding, contribute to scholarly output, and build academic and community partnerships aligned with the School’s mission.
The ideal candidate will demonstrate intellectual leadership in a relevant public health or health sciences field, with a strong record of scholarship, visibility in the public health community, and experience in educational and community program development. The successful candidate will meet most, if not all, of the following criteria:
• An earned doctorate or medical degree, along with a distinguished record of academic excellence; credentials that qualify for appointment as a tenured associate or full professor
• Exceptional leadership skills, with the proven ability to foster a spirit of unity and collaboration across a department, and team science across the School
• Excellent interpersonal skills to build and maintain relationships with faculty, staff, and students
• Engage in community-based scholarship, and demonstrate a strong commitment to and respect for community and the ability to work in community-based settings
• A personal and professional history of impactful research and scholarship, with a record of success in grant writing and the ability to encourage and support others in their own scholarly achievement
• The ability to identify and seize opportunities that support the continued growth across the mission of the School
• Demonstrated ability to function effectively and collaboratively in a complex, fast-moving, dynamic environment with multiple stakeholder groups
• An astute understanding of academic finances and experience establishing budget priorities and serving as a responsible manager and steward of departmental resources
• A demonstrated history of fostering learning and working environments that support success and engagement for students, staff, and faculty across varied backgrounds and experiences
• Demonstrated experience in recruiting and retaining top faculty
• Excellent interpersonal, written, and oral communication skills; exceptional planning and organizational skills, and superb follow-through
The chair will be instrumental in ensuring that HBS’s teaching, research, and service reflect the region's needs and strengths. Reporting to the School’s founding dean, Vasan Ramachandran, MD, the chair will lead HBS faculty in collaboration with School leadership. The ideal candidate is a community-focused academic leader with interdisciplinary experience and a strong record in public health education, research, and mentorship. They will inspire faculty, attract funding, and foster a culture of learning and impact.
UT San Antonio is a Carnegie R1 and Hispanic-Serving Institution with over 40,000 students and a vibrant research ecosystem. San Antonio offers a rich cultural landscape, affordable living, and a robust healthcare sector, making it an ideal setting for public health innovation.
The University of Texas at San Antonio has engaged Isaacson, Miller to assist in this search. Inquiries, nominations, and applications should be sent in confidence via https://www.imsearch.com/open-searches/university-texas-san-antonio-school-public-health/chair-department-health-behavior.
UT San Antonio is an Equal Employment Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer including protected veterans and persons with disabilities. All faculty appointments are designated as security sensitive positions.
Benefits Overview
UT Health San Antonio offers an excellent benefits package for its employees. Employees who work at least 20 hours a week, with an appointment of at least 4.5 months, are eligible for benefits.
Medical- UT SELECT Medical insurance is offered free for fulltime employees and administered by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas. Family members can be added to the plan through payroll deduction. Employees and their dependents can also receive discounted copays and coinsurance when using UT Health Physicians, a network of 800 premier physicians including more than 100 specialists. Employees receive $50,000 of group term life insurance and $50,000 of basic accidental death and dismemberment insurance for free, with options to purchase additional employee and dependent coverage for both at group rates.
Dental - Three dental insurance plan options are available for employees and their families through Delta Dental Insurance Company, two PPOs and one dental HMO plan. Both PPO plans allow employees to choose any licensed dentist.
Vision- Fully insured Vision Care benefits are offered by Superior Vision Services. Two vision plan options that offer either standard or enhanced vision benefits.
Disability- Employees can enroll in the Disability Insurance which provides income if a non-work related illness or injury prevents you from working.
FSAs- Employees can enroll in flexible spending accounts (FSAs) to set aside money from earnings before taxes for qualifying dependent day care expenses or out-of-pocket health care expenses.
Retirement- Employees are eligible for either the Teacher Retirement System (TRS) or the Optional Retirement Plan (ORP). TRS is a defined benefit retirement plan which UT Health matches employee contributions. ORP is for eligible faculty staff employees. Voluntary retirement programs are also available to invest before- or after-tax dollars with the choice of five quality retirement plan providers.
Time Off- A generous leave program offers multiple paid leave options:
Front-loaded Paid Time Off: 128 to 208 hours (16 to 26 days) of Paid Time Off based on years of service, given at the start of each fiscal year. PTO may be prorated in year one based on date of hire.
Extended Illness Bank: 8 hours (1 day) accrued per month which can be used for illness or injury after one day of Paid Time Off is taken.
Paid Family Leave: Up to 240 hours (6 weeks) to care for a spouse, child, or parent after 6 months of consecutive employment.
Holidays: 12 set paid holidays each fiscal year.
Discounts- Employees enjoy a range of discounts on services, tickets, and gym membership.
UT Health San Antonio is an Equal Employment Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer including protected veterans and persons with disabilities. All faculty appointments are designated as security sensitive positions.
