UCSF Vice Chancellor Named Interim Vice Provost of Academic Affairs

J. Renee Navarro, MD, PharmD, vice chancellor of Diversity and Outreach, has been appointed interim vice provost of Academic Affairs while an internal recruitment to fill the position is underway.

Navarro has been tapped to fill the position that is being vacated by Sally Marshall, PhD, who will retire from the University effective July 1, 2013. Marshall was appointed associate vice chancellor of Academic Affairs in 2005.

Marshall is a professor of preventive and restorative dental sciences with the UCSF School of Dentistry’s Division of Biomaterials and Bioengineering. Marshall’s leadership of Academic Affairs has resulted in significant improvements to the quality of faculty academic and professional experiences at UCSF, and has supported faculty in career advancement and work-life balance. She has been a highly valued mentor, receiving the UCSF Lifetime Achievement in Mentoring Award in 2011 and, most recently, the 2013 Irwin D. Mandel Distinguished Mentoring Award by the American Association for Dental Research. 

“I am deeply grateful for Dr. Marshall’s strong leadership and valuable contributions as Vice Provost—Academic Affairs and director of the Office of Faculty Development and Advancement,” said Jeffrey Bluestone, PhD, executive vice chancellor and provost at UCSF. “Sally’s efforts in these roles have been hugely impactful on the campus as well as at a systemwide level — all to benefit the welfare of the academic community. Her 26 year-career at UCSF exemplifies excellence, both in her scientific and administrative capacities.”

Navarro has served as UCSF’s first vice chancellor of Diversity and Outreach since December 2010. She will continue to perform all responsibilities associated with this position while serving as interim vice provost of Academic Affairs.

Navarro will continue to report directly to the Chancellor in her Vice Chancellor-Diversity and Outreach role and, in her interim role, will also report to Bluestone.

“We are fortunate that Vice Chancellor Navarro has agreed to serve in an interim capacity to provide continuity for the Academic Affairs division,” Bluestone said.

In the interim position, Navarro will be responsible for leading faculty development and advancement, academic programs and review, academic personnel; advising the Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost on developing campuswide priorities for new and continuing programs; and coordinating campus responses to the Office of the President on matters concerned with academic programs and policy, among other duties.

Navarro joined the UCSF Anesthesia Faculty in 1990 and has held various academic and staff roles within Anesthesia and Perioperative Care during her tenure, including Health Sciences Clinical Professor in the Department of Anesthesia and Perioperative Care in the UCSF School of Medicine, as well as the associate dean of Academic Affairs, School of Medicine, and director of Academic Diversity-UCSF Chancellor’s Office.  

Navarro received her MD degree from UCSF (1986) and her PharmD degree from the University of the Pacific (1982). Her internship in medicine was performed at Cedars Sinai, Los Angeles, California (1986-1987) and residency in Anesthesia at UCSF (1987-1990).

Navarro is a steering committee member of the African American Health Initiative for San Francisco County and a member of the UC President’s Task Force on Faculty Diversity. Her service to the University and the community has been honored with the Alpha Omega Alpha award, Chancellor’s Celebration of Women Faculty, Chancellor’s Martin Luther King Award, and former Mayor Willie Brown’s Proclamation of Ms. J. Renee Navarro Day in San Francisco.