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Nahavandi, Reich named as new associate deans


January 25, 2008

Afsaneh Nahavandi

John Reich

Afsaneh Nahavandi will serve as associate dean for academic affairs and John Reich as associate dean for research in ASU’s College of Public Programs, effective immediately.

Both positions assist the college’s dean, Debra Friedman, in the leadership of the largest college at the Downtown Phoenix campus.

Nahavandi will manage student recruitment and retention efforts, while Reich will spearhead strategic initiatives for externally funded research and downtown Phoenix partnerships.

“Afsaneh and John bring extensive experience and talent to these positions, which are pivotal in attracting the resources and students that will fuel our college’s ambitious path of growth,” Friedman says.

Since 2005, these positions had been combined and fulfilled by Tim Tyrrell, a professor in the School of Community Resources and Development. Tyrrel remains on the faculty and directs the College’s Megapolitan Tourism Research Center.

Nahavandi, who also is a newly appointed professor in the School of Public Affairs, formerly was a professor of management at the West campus. She earned a doctorate in social psychology from the University of Utah. Most recently, she served as associate dean at ASU’s University College at the Downtown Phoenix campus and served from 2002 to 2006 as director of the University College at the West campus.

Nahavandi also served as director of the MBA program at the West campus from 1993 to 1996.

She has published extensively on culture, leadership, organizational behavior, mergers and acquisitions, and was the 2004 ASU Parents Association Professor of the Year. Nahavandi also has led successful recruitment, retention and mentoring teams, and helped increase minority enrollment at ASU.

Nahavandi will manage the recruitment, retention and student services functions across the college, which includes more than 1,500 graduate and undergraduate students in the schools of social work, public affairs, and community resources and development.

Reich is an emeritus professor of psychology. Since joining ASU in 1965, he has held a number of administrative roles, including service as associate chair of the department of psychology. He has been a co-investigator on National Institutes of Health research projects focused on fibromyalgia, and on resilience and health in communities and individuals. Since 2001, he has been a member of ASU’s interdisciplinary Resilience Solutions Group.

Reich received his doctorate in psychology from the University of Colorado.

In this new role with the College of Public Programs, he will be responsible for mentoring more than 20 tenure-track assistant professors and seeking new research funding opportunities.