Main navigationMain content
University of Minnesota
http://twin-cities.umn.edu/
612-625-5000
Go to the U of M home page
  • One Stop
  • MyU

School of Public Health

MENUMENU
  • About
        • About
          • School at a Glance
          • History
          • Mission & Values
          • Accreditation
          • SPH Behind the Scenes
        • Leadership
          • Dean Melinda Pettigrew
          • Leadership Team
        • Diversity & Inclusion
          • About
          • Agents for Change
          • Training & Development
          • Events
          • Resources
          • Strategic Plan for Antiracism
          • Podcast
          • Report an Incident
        • Offices and Services
          • Communications
          • Development & Alumni Relations
          • Diversity & Inclusion
          • E-Learning Services
          • Faculty Affairs
          • Finance
          • Human Resources
          • Student Services
        • Faculty Directory
        • Contact Us
  • Academics
        • Degrees & Programs
          • Bachelor of Arts (BA)
          • Master of Public Health (MPH)
          • Master of Healthcare Administration (MHA)
          • Master of Science (MS)
          • Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
          • Executive & Distance Degrees
          • Dual Degrees
          • Minors
          • 4+1 Environmental Health MPH
          • Certificates
        • Academic Divisions
          • Biostatistics & Health Data Science
          • Environmental Health Sciences
          • Epidemiology & Community Health
          • Health Policy & Management
        • Institutes
          • 2025 Public Health Institute
        • E-Learning and Academic Technology
          • Online Course Development
          • Guides and Trainings
          • In-Person Courses
          • Instructor Support
          • Quick Help
        • Syllabi
        • Continuing Education and Outreach
        • Non-degree Seeking Students
  • Prospective Students
        • Application Process
          • Apply
          • Application Deadlines
          • Application Review Process
          • Undergraduate BA
          • International Applicants
          • Equal Opportunity, Access & Privacy
          • Certificate Applicants
          • Declaring a Minor
        • Tuition & Finances
          • Cost of Living in Minnesota
          • Scholarships & Funding
          • Financial Aid, Loans & Grants
          • Employment Opportunities
        • Degrees & Programs
        • Careers
          • Students
          • Employers
          • Alumni
          • Events
          • About
        • Recently Admitted Students
          • Admitted Student Day
          • Confirm Your Enrollment
        • What is Public Health?
        • Living in Minnesota
        • Visit Us
        • Students of SPH
  • Current Students
        • Student Resources
          • Syllabi
          • Guidebooks
          • School and University Resources
          • Student Policies
          • SPHere Lounge
        • Careers Services
          • Students
          • Employers
          • Alumni
          • Events
          • Job Postings
          • About Us
        • Student Engagement Opportunities
          • Student Senate
          • Student Ambassadors
          • MHA Community Stewardship Initiative
        • Applied Practice
        • Mentor Program
        • Minors
        • Students of SPH
        • Orientation
        • Incoming Student Requirements
        • Commencement
  • Alumni
    • Connect
    • Get Involved
    • Career Resources
    • Awards & Honors
    • SPH Alumni Society
  • Research
    • Faculty Experts
    • Research Centers
    • Research Projects and Studies
    • Interdisciplinary Collaborations
    • Student Research
  • News
    • News Home
    • Health In All Matters Podcast
    • Advances Magazine
  • Events
  • Give
  1. Home
  2. About
  3. Leadership

About

Back to:About

  • School at a Glance
    • Mission & Values
    • Facts & Messaging
    • Accreditation
      • Guiding Statements
  • Leadership
    • Dean Melinda Pettigrew
  • Offices and Services
    • Communications
    • Development & Alumni Relations
    • Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
    • E-Learning Services
    • Faculty Affairs
    • Finance
    • Human Resources
    • Student Services
    • Research
  • Faculty Directory
  • Diversity & Inclusion
    • About
      • DEI Action Alignment Team
      • Diversity Network
    • Agents for Change
    • Training & Development
      • SPH Faculty & Instructor Training
      • Justice in Public Health Speaker Series
      • SPH Staff DEI Conversation Series
    • Events
    • Resources
      • Defining DEI
      • Land Acknowledgement
      • SPAR Animated Video Series
      • SPAR Signage
    • Strategic Plan for Antiracism
      • Progress Update
      • Get Involved
      • Climate Assessment
    • Podcast
    • Report an Incident
  • History
    • MHA Alumni Spotlights
    • SPH History Stories
    • Timeline
  • SPH Behind the Scenes
  • Contact Us
  • National and International Awards
  • SPH Annual Awards

Leadership

Download the SPH Organizational Chart (PDF)

Melinda Pettigrew

Melinda Pettigrew

Dean

sphdean@umn.edu

Read more about Melinda

Request Dean Pettigrew's Appearance

Lynn Eberly

Associate Dean for Faculty Affairs

612-624-1436
leberly@umn.edu
Faculty page

Nancy Sherwood

Associate Dean for Research

612-625-4567
sherw005@umn.edu
Faculty page

Elizabeth Wattenberg

Associate Dean of Education & Student Engagement

612-626-0184
watte004@umn.edu
Faculty page

Jean Abraham

Head, Division of Health Policy & Management

612-625-4375
abrah042@umn.edu
Faculty page

Bruce Alexander

Head, Division of Environmental Health Sciences

612-625-7934
balex@umn.edu
Faculty page

Lisa Harnack

Interim Head, Division of Epidemiology & Community Health

612-626-9398
harna001@umn.edu
Faculty page

Joseph Koopmeiners

Head, Division of Biostatistics & Health Data Science

612-624-7486
koopm007@umn.edu
Faculty page

Read more about Joseph Koopmeiners

Joseph Koopmeiners is Head of the Division of Biostatistics, which focuses on the development of statistical methods for biomedical research and collaborates with University research partners on projects involving HIV/AIDS, heart and lung disease, and cancer, among many other public health challenges. Division faculty, students, and staff are involved in over 100 research grants and contracts totaling more than $150 million.

Rachel Smith

Director of Communications and Marketing

rachels@umn.edu

Matt Anderson

Chief Finance Officer

and11192@umn.edu

Lauren L. Jones

Director of Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion

612-624-9970
lljones@umn.edu

Read more about Lauren Jones

Lauren Jones is the director of diversity, equity and inclusion. Lauren has worked at SPH since 2017. She believes in speaking truth to power and centering the marginalized. Lauren provides leadership and oversight for the DEI activities across the school, including strategic planning and implementation, training, and programming. She helps the school to operationalize its values by working with administrators, faculty, staff, students, and alumni. She has a bachelor’s degree from Western Illinois University, a master’s degree from Old Dominion University, and is working on a PhD at the University of Minnesota. Lauren is a native Chicagoan and currently lives in Minneapolis with her dog, Jinx.

Thai Nguyen

Director of Human Resources

612-624-7196
nguy1517@umn.edu

Kathryn Tjaden Balster

Chief Advancement Officer

kjt@umn.edu

  • About
  • Academics
  • Prospective Students
  • Current Students
  • Alumni
  • Research
  • News
  • Events
  • Give

University of Minnesota School of Public Health

Contact
420 Delaware St. S.E.
Minneapolis, MN 55455

612-626-3500
sph-ask@umn.edu

Submit your news, research, event or communications request
SPH Communications partners with faculty, staff, and students to raise the school's profile and highlight its value to our audiences.

SPH Intranet for Faculty and Staff | Health Sciences

For Students, Faculty, and Staff

  • One Stop
  • My U
© 2025 Regents of the University of Minnesota. All rights reserved. The University of Minnesota is an equal opportunity educator and employer. Privacy Statement