AU welcomed a trio of new deans in quick succession this summer. In July, Linda Aldoory joined the College of Arts and Sciences, and Shannon Hader took the helm at the School of International Service. David Marchick started at the Kogod School of Business in August.
All three bring to their new role a keen intellectual curiosity, honed over years of experience in academia, corporate finance, public health, and public service; a willingness to work collaboratively and across disciplines; and a desire to drive change—at AU, across Washington, and around the globe. Meet them here.
Linda Aldoory, CAS
Aldoory comes to AU’s largest school from the University of Maryland, College Park, where she served as a professor of communication, associate dean for faculty affairs and research, and director of the Center for Humanities Research in the College of Arts and Humanities.
Coauthor of The Future of Feminism in Public Relations and Strategic Communication, released last year, Aldoory’s research focuses on social justice, health equity, and the role of diversity and inclusion in communication professions. She brings “a strong combination of scholarly accomplishment, academic leadership experience, and commitment to social equity,” Provost Peter Starr says.
“I hope to build on the great work already accomplished by the [CAS community], and I plan to continue efforts toward inclusive excellence,” Aldoory says. “I will be a strong voice for the arts, humanities, social sciences, and sciences and look forward to collaborating across the university and the city to promote and advance innovative, interdisciplinary teaching and research.”
She succeeds Max Paul Friedman, who served as interim dean from July 2020. Aldoory is joining “a wonderful community whose extraordinary people I’ve come to know so much better over the past two years,” he says. “I look forward to having her as my dean.”
Shannon Hader, SIS
The first medical doctor to lead SIS, Hader brings to the school a wealth of experience in global public health, data science, and social equity. As former assistant secretary-general and deputy executive director of programme at the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS, Hader succeeds Christine BN Chin, who will return to the faculty after serving as dean since 2017.
“I’m honored to be joining SIS, with its long tradition of driving truly interdisciplinary solutions to complex world problems,” Hader says. “I want to be sure the unique commitment of SIS alumni, students, faculty, and staff to impacting the lives of people and communities is celebrated.”
She brings to SIS—consistently ranked among the top 10 schools of international affairs in the country—“a track record of success in building strategic partnerships, and a commitment to multidisciplinary scholarship,” Starr says.
Hader’s selection “underscores a broad understanding of international affairs,” says Professor Patrick Thaddeus Jackson, who chaired the search committee. “I am excited to work with her as we envision the future of international studies as a way of waging peace in a changing world.”
David Marchick, Kogod
A seasoned public servant and distinguished business leader who served in two presidential administrations, David Marchick comes to Kogod with decades of experience in global finance, private equity, and public policy.
Marchick served most recently as COO of the US International Development Finance Corporation during the first year of President Biden’s term. He also worked for 12 years as managing director of the Carlyle Group, a global investment firm with $325 billion under management, and directed the Center for Presidential Transition at the Partnership for Public Service. Marchick, who holds a law degree, has “deep expertise in management, a strong commitment to educating the next generation of diverse business leaders, and extensive community engagement and development experience,” Starr says.
“Now, more than any other time, business leaders need to be changemakers: adapting quickly to geopolitical events; supporting the health, safety, and access to health care for their employees; and investing in the communities where they operate,” Marchick says. “Kogod, by drawing on all the strengths of AU, can play a key role in preparing future business leaders to be changemakers.”