Heather Ross, PT, MPT, Ph.D., director and chair of the Department of Physical Therapy, will be the next dean of Brenau University’s Ivester College of Health Sciences, beginning Jan. 4, 2027.
“I am deeply grateful for this opportunity to serve the Ivester College of Health Sciences, Brenau University and our community,” Ross said. “Working alongside Dean Gale Starich and university leadership over the years has provided me with invaluable opportunities to prepare for the journey ahead. I am especially grateful for the college’s strong academic leadership team as we embark on this next chapter together.”
Ross, also a professor of physical therapy, joined Brenau in 2015 and has served as chair and program director of the Department of Physical Therapy since 2018. She assumed the role of assistant dean in 2022. Ross was recently elected president of the American Council of Physical Therapy Education, the trade association for physical therapy education, for a three-year term that begins in October.
“Dr. Ross’s appointment as dean reflects her exceptional leadership, deep operational expertise, and unwavering dedication to our students and faculty,” James C. Eck, Ph.D., provost and senior vice president of academic affairs, said. “Her expertise will continue to elevate the Ivester College by driving the critical partnerships and workforce development needed to support our region’s largest industry and advance healthcare education.”
With the healthcare industry one of the region’s top employers, Ross is dedicated to the Ivester College’s mission to develop students who graduate ready to serve their communities and their patients.
“Ivester College will continue making a significant impact on the lives and stories of individual students through our exceptional academic programs, and on the workforce pipeline in our local communities and beyond,” Ross said. “I am committed to supporting and strengthening all that we already do well, while building upon those efforts to explore new and exciting opportunities.”
Gale Starich, Ph.D., the current dean of the Ivester College, began her tenure at Brenau in July 2002. Starich, also a professor of biochemistry, will join the Provost’s Office and continue to serve as the dean of the Sidney O. Smith Jr. Graduate School.
“Dr. Ross has worked closely with Dr. Starich during the last four years as assistant dean, and this experience will help ensure a smooth, planned transition,” Eck said.
He also praised Starich’s 24 years of service to the university.
“Under Dr. Starich’s leadership, the college has introduced several new programs and experienced significant growth,” Eck said. “She has led the college with distinction and is well-respected for her ability to collaborate with faculty and staff across the university.”
Ross has practiced in the acute, subacute and outpatient settings, primarily serving patients with neurological diagnoses. She has been active in leadership roles at the institutional, state and national levels.
She earned a Bachelor of Arts in exercise and sport science from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, a Master of Physical Therapy from East Carolina University, and a Ph.D. in Anatomy and Neurobiology from Virginia Commonwealth University. She received post-doctoral training in the Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology and McKnight Brain Institute at the University of Florida.
Ashley McCall, MPT, Ph.D., an assistant professor of physical therapy, will serve as the next chair of the Department of Physical Therapy, beginning Jan. 4, 2027. Ross will remain program director of the program until July 2027.
