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| Kelly Roveda, M.D. |
When Kelly Roveda, M.D., reflects on her tenure at the Whiddon College of Medicine, the word “grateful” comes to mind.
With a heart full of gratitude, she will officially retire from the University of South Alabama on June 1. A reception in her honor is planned for Tuesday, May 20, from 2 to 4 p.m. at the USA Faculty Club.
“From my years as a student, resident, clinician, faculty member, and educator to my years as an administrator, I wholeheartedly know that most of all, I will miss the people who are the backbone of the Whiddon COM and USA Health,” she said.
Roveda started as a medical student at the College of Medicine in 1986. After earning her medical degree in 1990, she completed a residency in pathology at USA Medical Center and served as chief resident in her final year of training.
“The educators and clinicians who taught and trained me in the ’80s and ’90s were true renaissance physicians and scientists, well read and knowledgeable about all facets of medicine, history, music, art and disease processes,” she said. “They were lifelong learners before we even knew that was a catchphrase. Grateful they instilled their spirit in me.”
From 1995 to 1999, Roveda served on the faculty of the College of Medicine as an assistant professor of pathology. For the next 13 years, she continued to teach in an adjunct capacity while working as a practicing pathologist in anatomic and clinical pathology. She returned to the College of Medicine as a full-time faculty member in 2012.
“The residents and students I trained and taught over the years now provide excellent care for me and my family as our providers,” she said. “Grateful they worked so diligently in their profession to provide excellent care to their communities.” 
In addition to her teaching duties, Roveda took on an administrative role as assistant dean of student affairs at the College of Medicine. In 2019, she was appointed associate dean of student affairs.
“I am grateful to end my career exactly where I started it in 1986, in a now well-worn building that has served as a home to many of us throughout our vocational careers,” she reflected. “Grateful to witness the passionate students each year grow as they pursue their careers. Grateful for the lives I have been fortunate to touch. Grateful now to watch from the sidelines.”
John Marymont, M.D., MBA, dean of the Whiddon College of Medicine and vice president for medical affairs, said, “Dr. Roveda has been an exceptional educator, mentor and advocate for students. Under her leadership, the Office of Student Affairs has grown and adapted to meet the needs of our students, and her contributions to their success are immeasurable. We will miss her insight, her warmth, and her love for the college, but we celebrate a retirement richly deserved.”
During her tenure at the college, Roveda has made an impact not only on students and physicians-in-training but also on her colleagues.
Karen Braswell, supervisor for clinical education at the Whiddon College of Medicine, said, “Dr. Roveda has been an inspiration to me over the years as a mentor and a dear friend. Her legacy extends far beyond our student affairs office. She has inspired and guided a multitude of new physicians that are now practicing all over the nation. We hope she enjoys her beautiful growing family as she steps into retirement but knows she will be missed.”
Laventrice Ridgeway, Ed.D., assistant dean of student affairs, joined the Whiddon College of Medicine in July 2023.
“Dr. Roveda is one of those people you love from the moment you meet her, thanks to her genuine nature,” Ridgeway said. “Having the opportunity to work with Dr. Roveda has become a part of my life's compass, guiding me both professionally and personally for years to come, ensuring that I, and the decisions I make, stay on the right track. She is the embodiment of what a great person and a great student affairs professional is supposed to be: a leader who is caring, thoughtful, balanced, fair, and visionary, and one who doesn't mind doing the work herself. Having the opportunity to work with her gave me an example of what it means to be student-centered and lead from the heart.”
Ridgeway added that Roveda's retirement is bittersweet, as “the Whiddon COM Office of Student Affairs and I are sad to see her go, but we know that this next chapter in her life will be filled with new joys.”
