Teresa Abi-Nader Dahlberg, provost and vice chancellor for Academic Affairs at Texas Christian University, has appointed Frank Hernandez, Ph.D., as dean of the College of Education. He will begin at TCU on June 30, 2020.
Dr. Hernandez will bring to TCU an extensive background as an academic administrator, teacher and scholar. He served as associate dean for Southern Methodist University’s Simmons School of Education & Human Development, where he was responsible for academic affairs, promotion and tenure, and research. He currently holds the Annette and Harold Simmons Centennial Chair in Education Policy and Leadership.
Prior to SMU, Dr. Hernandez served as dean for the College of Education at the University of Texas Permian Basin, where he led 38 faculty and staff and 600 students, oversaw $6 million in grants, and helped create strategic partnerships with institutions such as the Communities Foundation of Texas and the John Ben Shepperd Public Leadership Institute.
“Dr. Hernandez is an accomplished scholar and visionary leader,” Teresa Abi-Nader Dahlberg, Ph.D., provost and vice chancellor for Academic Affairs at TCU, said. “As a former classroom teacher and principal and now higher education leader, Frank has unique expertise and proven outcomes in advancing the education ecosystem. His ability to listen and create an inclusive vision will be an asset to the university and the Fort Worth community as well. I am extremely pleased to welcome him to campus.”
As dean, Dr. Hernandez will lead the college’s future evolution and growth while advancing the university’s strategic plan and its commitment to inclusive excellence. In addition to being accountable for the college’s faculty and staff, he will work to further the college’s mission of preparing exemplary leaders for diverse educational settings and related fields who are reflective, ethical, innovative and committed to all learners.
“I am thrilled and honored to be joining the TCU College of Education, which has a long, rich history of preparing leaders willing and ready to make a difference in their communities. I look forward to working with faculty and staff to impact the lives of our students through scholarship, teaching and service,” Dr. Hernandez said.
Dr. Hernandez, who earned a doctorate in educational leadership and policy analysis from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, has published extensively on Latino leadership, including two books: Abriendo Puertas, Cerrando Heridas (Opening Doors, Closing Wounds): Latinas/os Finding Work-Life Balance in Academia (with Elizabeth Murakami and Gloria Rodriguez) and Brown-Eyed Leaders of the Sun: A Portrait of Latina/o Educational Leaders (with Elizabeth Murakami). Other primary areas of research include Latino racial identity development, inclusive leadership for LGBTQ students and leadership for social justice.
Additionally, he has published in top-tier journals such as Education Administration Quarterly, Journal of School Leadership, Education and Urban Society, Teachers College Record and theJournal of Latinos and Education.