Career Growth in Leadership

Jeanine Bias was named Sam Houston State University’s first chief diversity officer. Her position will provide the strategic leadership for diversity, equity and inclusion programming. She assumed this role on March 7. With more than 20 years of progressive leadership in higher education administration, she joined SHSU in 2006 as assistant dean of students. She previously held the position of director, institutional diversity & inclusion/Title IX coordinator for more than seven years.

Anne Gaillard, PhD was named vice provost for Academic Affairs. She assumed the role on Jan. 1. Gaillard began at SHSU in the Department of Biological Sciences in 2004. She joined as an assistant professor and since has served as graduate coordinator, assistant chair of the department, associate professor and associate dean of the College of Science and Engineering Technology before signing on as interim vice provost in December 2020.

Emily A. Roper, PhD was named the new dean of the SHSU College of Health Sciences, effective April 15. During her 16 years at SHSU, Roper has served as chair of the Department of Kinesiology and assistant dean for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in COHS. She has also served as an associate dean in COHS.

Sharmistha (Shar) Self, PhD was appointed the new dean of the SHSU College of Business Administration, effective June 15. Self comes to SHSU from the College of Business at the University of Northern Iowa, where she was the Robert James Waller professor of economics, head of the Department of Economics, head of the Department of Finance, and co-chair of the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee.