Dear colleagues,

I am excited to announce the appointment of Katie Branch, PhD, MSN, RN, CHSE, as Vice President for Interprofessional Education and the Health Education Center.

Dr. Branch is currently the Executive Director of the Interprofessional Simulation Center at Grand Valley State University (GVSU), where she is responsible for the operational, educational, and scholarly activities within the Center, which serves more than 20 academic disciplines. The use of technology, especially the implementation of new technology in simulation and interprofessional education, is one of her passions. She has introduced and implemented the use of virtual reality at GVSU and expanded its use in education beyond students enrolled in health-related academic programs.

Dr. Branch joined GVSU in 2009 and has served in several roles, including the Health Compliance Officer, the Director of University Clinical Initiatives, and the Senior Director for Health. Prior to joining GVSU, she was the Director of Nursing at Western Michigan University’s Sindecuse Health Center and a staff nurse at Michigan State University’s Kalamazoo Center for Medical Studies.

Dr. Branch received her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the University of Missouri-Columbia, her Master of Science in Nursing Education from Michigan State University, and her PhD in Higher Education Leadership from Western Michigan University, where her dissertation focused on the use of web-based simulated clinical learning platforms in health-related baccalaureate and graduate programs.

Dr. Branch will join us at UTMB on or around Sept. 25, 2023. We are excited for her to share her expansive knowledge, experience, and enthusiasm with our institution, and I hope you will welcome her warmly. I would also like to thank Dr. Chris McKee for his service as the interim VP for Interprofessional Education, Institutional Effectiveness, and the Health Education Center since last fall.