Dr. Jacqueline Pope-Tarrence Taking Over as Health Equity and Advocacy Thread Leader
The College of Medicine is pleased to announce that Jacqueline Pope-Tarrence, PhD, has been selected as the new leader of the Health Equity and Advocacy Thread.
Dr. Pope-Tarrence is professor emeritus of psychology at Western Kentucky University and adjunct assistant professor for the department of behavioral science at the UK College of Medicine-Bowling Green Campus. She is a proud Kentuckian, receiving her Bachelor of Arts from Murray State University, her Master of Arts in clinical psychology at WKU, and her Doctor of Philosophy in social psychology at the University of Louisville.
Dr. Pope-Tarrence possesses a wealth of experience as an educator, academic leader, and advocate for reforms that improve educational structures and practices. Having served successfully in leadership positions as an associate dean, a local school board member, and a member of the state school boards association, Dr. Pope-Tarrence has worked to highlight the importance of an equity lens at all levels of education. Her most recent advocacy work included serving as a senior fellow with the Prichard Committee for Academic Excellence overseeing the equity coalition, as well as chair of the Kentucky School Boards Association equity cadre. She and a colleague are currently developing a course on global inclusive leadership for the doctoral program at WKU. Dr. Pope-Tarrence currently serves as a senior consultant focusing on equity and leadership in business, education, health care, and law enforcement with the Kentucky Center for Leadership.
Dr. Pope-Tarrence currently co-teaches clinical interviewing courses for first-year medical students and serves as a member of the UK College of Medicine Diversity and Inclusion Pillar. Along with her teaching roles, Dr. Pope-Tarrence also serves on the Medical Center Board of Directors and the board of the Commonwealth Health Corporation.
We are excited for Dr. Pope-Tarrence to use her expertise to build on the successes of this position and direct the UK College of Medicine toward a more inclusive future all faculty, staff, and learners can enjoy.
