 |
| Melisa Pierce, Ed.D., MPA |
Pierce joined the College of Medicine in 2012 and has served in the Office of Accreditation and Planning since 2019, where she has played a central role in strengthening accreditation readiness and advancing quality improvement initiatives. Along the way, she earned a master’s degree in public administration with a focus on health policy and, most recently, completed her doctorate in educational leadership in December 2024.
In her new role, Pierce will serve as the college’s operational lead for accreditation and CQI. She oversees the CQI Committee, directs Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME) site visit planning and documentation, and manages platforms such as the LCME Heat Map, Watermark, and Asana that support compliance and strategic tracking. She also works closely with the University’s Office of Institutional Effectiveness to ensure alignment between medical education data, institutional planning, and reporting.
Tim Gilbert, Ed.D., associate dean of accreditation and planning, emphasized the significance of her promotion. “Melisa’s leadership has elevated our accreditation and CQI processes in ways that benefit every corner of the college,” he said. “She has an extraordinary ability to pair technical expertise with a genuine commitment to people, and her promotion reflects both her impact and her vision for where we’re headed.”
Beyond her leadership in accreditation systems, Pierce has been deeply engaged in student feedback initiatives designed to ensure medical students see how their voices directly shape change. Through projects such as You Asked, We Listened, her office has relayed student input back to the community and highlighted tangible improvements based on their feedback. This work has strengthened trust and communication across the college, leading to higher response rates and greater satisfaction on surveys, and fostering a culture of transparency and collaboration.
She has also extended this impact nationally, collaborating with other medical colleges on research projects related to student feedback, quality improvement, and accreditation best practices. A frequent national presenter, she was recently elected chair of the Accreditation Preparation & Quality Improvement (APQI) Steering Committee, further positioning the Whiddon College of Medicine as a leader in accreditation and CQI.
David S. Williams, Ph.D., MPA, assistant dean for institutional and academic success, said, “What I value most about Melisa is how she listens — whether it’s students, faculty, or staff — and then turns that feedback into action. Having her on the OAP team is truly value-added; she brings a team-oriented mindset that elevates everyone’s work. We are fortunate to have her leading in this space.”
Her promotion reflects not only her leadership and expertise but also the Whiddon College of Medicine’s ongoing commitment to advancing accreditation, elevating the student experience, and strengthening continuous quality improvement at both the institutional and national levels.
