Walden University Names New Associate Deans

Minneapolis—June 30, 2008—Walden University has named three new associate deans to provide strong academic leadership for the university’s public policy and administration, health sciences, and doctoral education degree programs.

Joining Walden University in these roles are Rhonda Allen, Ph.D., M.P.A., as associate dean of the School of Public Policy and Administration; Joanne W. Flowers, Ph.D., M.P.H., as associate dean of the School of Health Sciences; and Joe Ann Hinrichs, Ed.D., Ed.S., as associate dean for doctoral programs in The Richard W. Riley College of Education and Leadership. These Walden programs advance the university’s vision of providing degrees that help graduates address critical societal challenges.

“We look forward to the insight and vision these three experienced, accomplished academic leaders will bring to Walden, and are proud to have them head these important disciplines at our university,” said Jonathan A. Kaplan, president of Walden University.

Dr. Rhonda Allen, as associate dean of the first fully online School of Public Policy and Administration in the nation, is responsible for a public administration curriculum at Walden University that addresses the urgent need to provide learning and scholarship for the next generation of public policy leaders. Her academic background in public administration and policy includes teaching experience at both the undergraduate and graduate levels, with extensive online instruction. As an experienced academic administrator, she is dedicated to academic rigor, excellence in teaching and learning, and mentoring. She holds a Ph.D. in Public Administration and Policy from the University at Albany, State University of New York; a Master of Public Administration (M.P.A.) from California State University, Fullerton; and a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from the University of Southern California.

Dr. Joanne W. Flowers is responsible for overall academic leadership for the School of Health Sciences, which includes programs such as the Master of Public Health (M.P.H.), Ph.D. in Public Health, Ph.D. in Health Services, and the new Master of Healthcare Administration (M.H.A.). She has worked for more than 25 years in the public health field, with academic leadership and teaching experience that includes serving as chair of the Department of Public Health at East Tennessee State University for eight years. She has served in the Navy Reserve for 25 years and is an environmental health officer with the rank of commander in the Medical Service Corps. Internationally, she assessed public health training needs at mission hospitals in Kenya in June 2007, and also met with members of Parliament there about incorporating public health education into the country’s prevention strategies. She earned her Ph.D. in Environmental Health Sciences from the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, an M.P.H. from the University of Pittsburgh, a Master of Science in Environmental Health from East Tennessee State University, and a Bachelor of Science in Biology from Central State University, Wilberforce, Ohio.

Dr. Joe Ann Hinrichs, associate dean for doctoral programs for The Richard W. Riley College of Education and Leadership, previously served as program director for Walden’s K–12 Educational Leadership specialization in the Ph.D. in Education program, and faculty chair and then program director for the Ed.D. program. Her leadership experiences in higher education include serving as chair of the Education Division and dean of Professional Studies at Thomas University, Thomasville, Ga., during which time she served on Board of Examination Reviewer/NCATE teams for academic reviews in Illinois and Georgia. She also has more than 20 years of experience in administrative positions with New York and Illinois public schools. She received an Ed.D. and Ed.S., both in Educational Administration, from Northern Illinois University; an M.A. in English/Literature, an M.A. in Educational Administration, and a B.A. in Elementary Education, all from the University of Illinois at Springfield.

About Walden University
Since 1970, Walden University has offered working professionals the opportunity to earn advanced degrees through distance learning. Today, this comprehensive, accredited online university offers doctoral and master’s degrees in education, psychology, management, public policy and administration, nursing, and health and human services, as well as master’s programs in engineering and IT and bachelor’s programs in business, psychology, child development, and computer information systems. Walden University is a member of Laureate International Universities, a leading global network of accredited campus-based and online universities. For more information, visit www.WaldenU.edu or call 1-866-492-5336.

Walden University is accredited by The Higher Learning Commission and a member of the North Central Association, www.ncahlc.org; 1-312-263-0456.