Colleagues React to Koda-Kimble's Legacy at UCSF
Colleagues of Mary Anne Koda-Kimble reflect on her leadership and legacy at UCSF as she plans to step as dean of the UCSF School of Pharmacy and retire at the end of June.
Koda-Kimble, who earned he PharmD degree at UCSF, has served on the UCSF faculty since 1970, and as dean since 1998.
"Stated simply, Mary Anne Koda-Kimble has no peer among school of pharmacy deans. Her far-reaching vision and laser-like decision-making have been inspiring. While I deeply respect her leadership, it is her simple, deep humanity that I most admire. Not one faculty or staff achievement escapes her notice; each personal tragedy results in warm, comforting words from the dean. The school and campus are immeasurably richer from her leadership; she will be missed."
- Joseph Guglielmo, PhD, professor and chair, Department of Clinical Pharmacy
“Mary Anne has been a huge supporter of basic sciences in the School of Pharmacy. She sets a tone of mutual respect, openness, and ‘humanness’ that we all value. I’m sad that she won’t be with us on a day-to-day basis, but grateful for the great things she has done for us, and for the legacy that she has left for UCSF.”
- Jim Wells, PhD, professor and chair, Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry
“Dr. Koda-Kimble has successfully brought academic and clinical pharmacy education to a new level as the dean at UCSF. She has led this school to new horizons in pharmacogenetics, pharmacy practice and in the discovery of new drug mechanisms of action. Her deanship has been remarkable.”
- Paul Lofholm, PhD, clinical professor, Department of Clinical Pharmacy
“Mary Anne is a fantastic colleague and an inspiring leader. As dean, she managed gracefully to maintain a sharp focus simultaneously on advancing the excellence of her school, on an institutional-wide vision for UCSF, and on the aspirations and satisfaction of individual students, staff and faculty. I was personally privileged and pleased to work with Mary Anne on many successful collaborations between the School of Medicine and the School of Pharmacy.”
- Keith R. Yamamoto, PhD, vice chancellor for research, executive vice dean, School of Medicine and professor, Department of Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology
“I have known Mary Anne since her first arrival as a student at UCSF -- since 1965. She is unsurpassed in her profession and as a mentor for faculty and students. She consistently challenged all those with whom she interacted to force our minds to stretch beyond present-day thinking to create new possibilities for ourselves and for pharmacy. She has been the most treasured ‘best friend’ to individuals and to her profession.”
- Lloyd Y. Young, PharmD, professor and dean, Wayne State University
Eugene Applebaum College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences
"By any measure, Mary Anne Koda-Kimble is one of the most dedicated, effective dynamic and admired leaders of the profession of pharmacy, of pharmacy education internationally and of the UCSF campus. The school she will leave on July 1 is far better in every regard than the one she inherited some 14 years ago. She will be missed, but the legacy of excellence she has meticulously fostered at every level assures that the school will continue to thrive."
- Robert L. Day, PharmD, associate dean, UCSF School of Pharmacy
"Mary Anne has always been the consummate advocate for the pharmacy profession and the contributions it makes at the bedside, teaching and obviously in research. More importantly, I have always valued her wisdom, advice and gracious support during all the Medical Center's turbulent and successful years."
- Sheila Antrum, RN, MSHA, chief nursing officer, UCSF Medical Center
“As a visionary and outspoken academic leader, Dr. Koda-Kimble will be missed greatly in her role as dean of one of the world's leading pharmacy schools. She leaves as her legacy a superb academic institution and faculty that will foster the development of future generations of outstanding UCSF graduates. I certainly hope that Mary Anne will remain engaged in professional issues and scholarship -- the profession has benefitted enormously from her can-do attitude, wisdom, and leadership.”
- Michael S. Maddux, PharmD, FCCP, executive director, American College of Clinical Pharmacy
"As dean, Mary Anne brought wisdom and warmth, courage and compassion, intelligence and humor to the School, the Campus, and the national pharmacy enterprise. She was an outstanding leader and an exemplary teacher to students and staff. She led the School through the traumas and triumphs of Mission Bay to new levels of achievement at UCSF and throughout the country. I wish her well in her next adventures. We will all miss her very much."
- Irwin “Tack” Kuntz, PhD, professor, Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry
“Mary Anne embodies the best qualities of an academic leader. She has embraced a vision for research that goes beyond drugs, to therapeutics. Under her leadership, we now have faculty members in the school with expertise in microfluidics, nanotherapeutics and computational and systems pharmacology. The program in pharmacogenomics and personalized medicines as part of a larger campus effort in human genetics has become internationally recognized as among the premier programs in the world. Her style has been to encourage her faculty and students to lead and collaborate. Not only has she been an exemplary leader for the school, and indeed the entire UCSF community, but she has been a leader for schools of pharmacy all over the world. I will truly miss her, and her personal support and great sense of fun!”
- Kathy Giacomini, PhD, professor and co-chair, Department of Bioengineering and Therapeutic Sciences
“Mary Anne represents the very best of UCSF — a superb academic and clinician, a collaborator and a visionary leader who always put the interests of UCSF students, faculty and patients first. Four years ago, she did something I will never forget: when UCSF Medical Center was struggling with pharmacy coverage in the midst of a significant CMS survey, Mary Anne — the dean of the number one School of Pharmacy in the nation — came into the pharmacy Saturday night to work a graveyard shift as a staff pharmacist. As usual, she brought her trademark smile, but through her example she taught everyone that night a lifelong lesson: no matter what our job, our first priority is always the well-being of the patients who have entrusted us with their lives. While I will miss Mary Anne's friendship and support, I know I share our entire organization's gratitude for all she contributed to UCSF over the past several decades.”
- Mark Laret, chief executive officer, UCSF Medical Center and UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital
“Mary Anne will leave behind an incomparable legacy when she retires in June: a school of pharmacy extremely well-prepared and well-positioned to be a leader in shaping the future of pharmacy education, pharmaceutical sciences and drug discovery and development, pharmacy practice, patient care, and healthcare policy. Throughout her tenure as dean of the UCSF School of Pharmacy Mary Anne set audacious goals for both the School and herself, which were consistently, successfully achieved beyond all expectations. She has set a formidable standard for her successor. Serving on the Board of Advisors for the School of Pharmacy during Mary Anne’s tenure has been a real pleasure and inspiration for me — I will sorely miss that.”
- Alice E. Till, PhD, vice president, Science Policy & Technical Affairs
PhRMA
“Mary Anne has been blazing trails for pharmacy since she published the first edition of Applied Therapeutics. As department chair and dean, Mary Anne has led the profession with passion, clarity of purpose, and wit. She is a visionary. We have been blessed to have her leadership.”
- Patricia D. Kroboth, PhD, dean of the School of Pharmacy, University of Pittsburgh
“Machiavelli must rewrite his opus because Mary Anne has been a superb, insightful leader, while remaining compassionate and fair to everyone, transparent and honest in her actions, as well as energetic and encouraging.”
- Thomas L. James, PhD, professor, UCSF Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry
“Mary Anne is a true leader, who has tirelessly served her school, her profession, and our campus. Her innovative perspective, dynamic approach, and her dedication to advancing pharmaceutical science and education will leave a lasting legacy. Being the senior dean on campus, she has always been a supportive mentor to her junior colleagues. I'm enormously grateful for her friendship, her collaborative spirit and her vibrant sense of fun.”
- Sam Hawgood, MBBS, dean of the UCSF School of Medicine, vice chancellor for medical affairs
“Mary Anne has done a spectacular job in attracting superstar faculty to her school, even in areas of fundamental pharmacology, which are not in her own background. She has been a pillar of strength on the Chancellor's Executive Committee for a decade. She has been an uncompromising and ardent supporter of diversity, of bold thinking and of faculty and student needs. Her voice was always a voice of courage, of integrity and of frankness, and articulated her positions with clarity, vigor and a great deal of humor. Mary Anne is one of the people that helps us all believe in UCSF, even in troubled times.”
- Regis Kelly, PhD, director of the California Institute for Quantitative Biosciences
"To say that Mary Anne leaves big shoes to fill is a classic understatement. She has taken one of the best programs in the country over the top in so many dimensions, and she will be remembered as an exemplary leader, outstanding executive and an amazing human being."
- Lucinda L. Maine, PhD, RPh, executive vice president and CEO, American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy
Photo by majedphoto.com