Congratulations to the more than two dozen employees (full list below) selected for the 2026 cohort of the Developing Emerging Administrative Leaders program, or DEAL, a transformative, career-accelerating experience.
Each year, the program receives 100 to 200 applications, but only 25 to 35 participants are selected — making it a highly competitive and prestigious opportunity. Participants are drawn from both UAB and UAB Medicine, reflecting the program’s multidisciplinary reach. The curriculum spans everything from finance and clinical operations to cutting-edge hot topics, all designed to sharpen leadership acumen and strategic thinking.
The DEAL Leadership Team members are Cindy Joiner, Ph.D., associate professor and vice chair in the Department of Medicine; Susan Coan, executive director of Learning and Development; Amber Grant, organizational development specialist in Learning and Development; Craig Anderson, executive director of Administrative Operations at the School of Nursing; Kim Hazelwood, executive director of Administrative Operations at the College of Arts and Sciences; Shannon Turner, director of the UAB Alumni House; Ashley Davis, Joint Health Science administrative director II in the Department for Cell, Developmental and Integrative Biology; Rachelle Hall, executive director for Finance, Heersink School of Medicine; and Ryan Outman, senior executive officer for Finance and Administration in the Heersink School of Medicine. Both Turner and Davis are alumni of the DEAL program.
2026 DEAL cohort
| Name | Title | Department/School/Unit |
|---|---|---|
| Gail Averett | HR Training and Operations Analyst III | Human Resources |
| Brandon Bailey | Financial Analyst | Clinical Research Support Enterprise, Heersink School of Medicine |
| Catherine Bates | Student and Academic Services Manager | Graduate School |
| Amaya Beck | Research Coordinator | Department of Health Behavior, School of Public Health |
| Arjun Bijili Gopakumar | Business Solutions Analyst | Environmental Health and Safety |
| Hannah Broom Keiffer | Program Manager II | Collat School of Business |
| Jennifer Butler | Compensation Analyst | Human Resources |
| Machelle Campbell | Education Administrator | Division of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility, Heersink School of Medicine |
| Heather Cowart | Program Manager II | Department of Family and Community Medicine, Heersink School of Medicine |
| Becca Crandall | Program Manager II | Division of Pulmonary, Allergy, and Critical Care Medicine, Heersink School of Medicine |
| Kevin Davis | Program Director I | Development, Heersink School of Medicine |
| Malerie Duff | Business Officer I | Department of Health Policy and Organization, School of Public Health |
| Liares Dupree | Education Coordinator | Department of Pediatrics, Heersink School of Medicine |
| Alexandra Duverger | Scientist II | Department of Microbiology, Heersink School of Medicine |
| Andrew Eaton | Business Officer II | Clinical and Community Sciences |
| Kimberly Glanding | Quality Improvement | Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, Heersink School of Medicine |
| Alicia Kindred-Yates | Assistant Director, Human Research Protection Program | Office of Research |
| Jenna Knauf | Program Director III | Academic and Faculty Affairs, Provost |
| Becca Lee | Director of Clinical Research | Department of Neurology, Heersink School of Medicine |
| Tracy Maxwell | Immigration Advisor | International Student and Scholar Services, Provost |
| Mina Momeni | Clinical Placement Manager | School of Nursing |
| Akeiah Moore | Administrative Associate | Perioperative Services, Heersink School of Medicine |
| Debbie Owen | HRP Manager | Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, Heersink School of Medicine |
| Kate Pugh | Program Manager II | Department of Medical Education, Heersink School of Medicine |
| Amanda Sherman | Program Director II | School of Health Professions |
| Heather Smith | Manager-Accreditation Data and Analytics, JCAHO Regulatory Affairs | UAB Hospital |
| Caitlin Spencer | Business Officer I | Facilities |
| Mellissa Taylor | Assistant Director of Academic Support | Vulcan Materials Academic Support Center |
| Richetta Walker | IT Compliance and Privacy | UAB Medicine, Health System Information Services |