A Kenyan Diaspora Professor, Dr. Jane Okech has been appointment as Vice Provost for Faculty Affairs at the University of Vermont effective July 1, 2022. Dr. Okech is the Associate Dean for Academic and Faculty Affairs and a Professor of Counselor Education in UVM’s College of Education and Social Services (CESS). The Vice Provost for Faculty Affairs has responsibility, as delegated by the Provost, for all matters related to recruitment, professional development, evaluation, promotion, retention, recognition, and elevation of all UVM faculty.
According to communication from the Provost and Senior Vice President Patricia A. Prelock, Dr. Okech brings a depth and breadth of relevant experience to this role, making her an ideal successor to outgoing Vice Provost for Faculty Affairs Jim Vigoreaux.
Dr. Okech has been on the faculty at the University of Vermont since 2003 and has taught over 70 courses using multiple modalities and has held several leadership positions. She has served as Coordinator of the Clinical Mental Health Counseling Program, as Counseling Program Coordinator, as Interim Associate Dean for Academic Affairs and Research, and as Chair of the Department of Leadership and Developmental Sciences. In these important roles Dr. Okech led programs through positive accreditation reviews; coordinated departmental enrollment management efforts; collaborated on successful interdisciplinary grant proposals; led the adoption of TK20, CESS’s college-wide assessment system; led the college’s faculty professional development and rank progression programming; and has taken a lead role in implementing the CESS DEI plan. Colleagues praise her ability to manage challenging situations and to support the success of faculty with different research and teaching profiles.
In addition to her roles as teacher and administrator, Dr. Okech is an active scholar whose research focuses on the advancement of proficiencies in the practice of group psychotherapy and clinical supervision with diverse populations. She examines counseling micro skill and advanced skill acquisition processes, and their contributions to the development of complex relational dynamics that advance the efficacy of the therapeutic process in individual and group contexts. She is the co-author of two recent books, Counselor Education in the 21st Century: Issues and Experiences (2018) and Group Work in Schools: Preparing, Leading, Responding (2020).
Her work has received professional accolades including the 2017 Article of the Year Award by the Association for Specialists in Group Work and the 2019 Counselor Education and Supervision Publication of the Year Award by the Association for Counselor Educators and Supervisors.
In her new role, Dr. Okech will work closely with the Provost’s integrated leadership team, the academic deans, and other UVM senior leaders to support the recruitment, retention, professional advancement, and recognition of our faculty – a community of deeply committed teacher-scholars who are central to our commitment to academic excellence.
Source:https://www.uvm.edu/
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