The LINC Academic Affairs Council is comprised of the Vice and Associate Deans for Academic Affairs or Curriculum across all Schools at UT Health San Antonio. Its primary contributions to the QEP involve strengthening curricular integration of interprofessional education (IPE) and cultivating IPE knowledge & skills. To achieve these goals, members of this LINC Council lead or oversee school-based IPE task forces or committees charged with the development and annual review/revision of program-specific IPE Plans in accordance with the consensus national guideline developed by the Health Professions Accreditors Collaborative. The LINC Academic Affairs Council also supports the success of multiple LINC Programs & Projects.
Interprofessional Education Plans
Click here to view UT Health San Antonio’s 12 IPE Plans for academic year 2024-2025.
Tracey Barnett, Ph.D. Interim Associate Dean for Academic, Faculty, and Student Affairs
Chair & Assoc. Professor, Department of Quantitative & Qualitative Health Sciences
UT School of Public Health San Antonio
barnettt2@uthscsa.edu
Tracey Barnett, PhD, joined the UT School of Public Health San Antonio in November 2023. She is a tenured Associate Professor, Founding Chair of the Department of Quantitative and Qualitative Health Sciences, and the interim Associate Dean for Academic, Faculty, and Student Affairs. Dr Barnett has past experience as a School of Public Health Associate Dean for Academic Affairs and has worked for more than 15 years in academic public health. She is a social epidemiologist and her research focuses primarily on tobacco use among youth and adult populations. Dr Barnett has been actively involved in IPE work in Schools of Public Health throughout her academic career.
Deborah Conway, M.D.
Vice Dean for Undergraduate Medical Education Long School of Medicine conway@uthscsa.edu
Deborah Conway, M.D., is the Vice Dean for Undergraduate Medical Education and Professor of Obstetrics & Gynecology in the Long School of Medicine at UT Health San Antonio, where she has responsibility for the four-year course-based curriculum for medical students. She has published and presented primarily in the areas of medical education and diabetes in pregnancy. Dr. Conway received her BS in Biology at Texas A&M University, her MD at the McGovern Medical School at UT Health Houston, and completed training in obstetrics/gynecology and maternal-fetal medicine at UT Health San Antonio.
Sara Gill, Ph.D., RN, FAAN Associate Dean for Graduate Studies
School of Nursing
gills@uthscsa.edu
Sara Gill, Ph.D., RN, FAAN, joined the faculty at the UT Health San Antonio School of Nursing in 1998. She is a tenured professor whose passions include interprofessional research and education. Dr. Gill’s research, teaching, and practice interests include maternal/child health, breastfeeding, and research methodologies with a focus on qualitative techniques. Since 2015, Dr. Gill has served as the Associate Dean for Graduate Studies in the School of Nursing. In this role, she oversees faculty, staff, and student activities within the Master of Science in Nursing, Doctor of Nursing Practice, and Doctor of Philosophy programs.
David Henzi, Ed.D.
Associate Dean for Student Affairs
School of Health Professions
henzi@uthscsa.edu
David Henzi, Ed.D., is the Associate Dean for Academic and Student Affairs in the School of Health Professions and an Associate Professor of Occupational Therapy at UT Health San Antonio. Dr. Henzi has worked in K-12, undergraduate, and graduate education for over 20 years. While serving in both the Long School of Medicine and School of Health Professions at UT Health San Antonio, Dr. Henzi has increased opportunities for IPE both within and across programs. Dr. Henzi received his BA in Psychology from the University of Texas and his Master’s and Doctorate in Education from Texas Tech University
Cynthia O’Neal, Ph.D., RN
Associate Dean for Undergraduate Studies
School of Nursing
onealc@uthscsa.edu
Cynthia O’Neal, Ph.D., RN, is a tenured professor in the UT Health San Antonio School of Nursing and is a seasoned academician with over 30 years of experience in nursing education. She earned a doctorate degree from Vanderbilt University and is an experienced administrator with a focus on undergraduate education. She fosters faculty excellence by supporting faculty as they engage in classroom and clinical innovation, particularly in the areas of simulation and IPE.
Bridgett Piernik-Yoder, Ph.D., OTR
Associate Dean for Academic Affairs
Chair and Professor, Department of Occupational Therapy
School of Health Professions
piernikyoder@uthscsa.edu
Bridgett Piernik-Yoder, Ph.D., OTR, FAOTA, is an occupational therapist with clinical expertise in adult rehabilitation. She serves as chair of the Department of Occupational Therapy at UT Health San Antonio, Texas, USA. Dr. Piernik-Yoder has extensive experience in developing interprofessional education and simulated learning experiences for occupational therapy and health science students. A component of Dr. Piernik-Yoder’s research has always involved systematically investigating occupational therapy education outcomes through the scholarship of teaching and learning. Her professional service includes being part of the leadership team for the American Occupational Therapy Association’s Scholarship of Teaching and Learning Institute and Mentoring program. Dr. Piernik-Yoder has frequently presented at national and international conferences on topics related to interprofessional education, and her published numerous journal articles and book chapters on education theory and outcomes.
Timothy Raabe, Ph.D.
Associate Dean for Academic Affairs
Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences
raabe@uthscsa.edu
Timothy Raabe, Ph.D., is the Associate Dean of Academic Affairs in the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences and a Professor of Nursing at UT Health San Antonio. Dr. Raabe received his BS and MS in Biology from Southwest Texas State University, and he earned his Ph.D. in Zoology (Physiology) from the University of Texas at Austin. Following his postdoctoral fellowship in the laboratory of Dr. George DeVries at Loyola University Medical Center in Chicago, Dr. Raabe accepted a faculty position at St. Mary’s University in San Antonio where he taught undergraduate biology majors for over 20 years.
Stefanie Seitz, D.D.S., B.S.
Associate Dean for Academic Faculty & Student Affairs
School of Dentistry
seitz@uthscsa.edu
Dr. Stefanie Seitz B.S., D.D.S. earned her Doctor of Dental Surgery degree from the UT Health San Antonio School of Dentistry in 2003 and later obtained a Master of Education degree from Lamar University in 2021. She currently serves as the Associate Dean for Academic, Faculty, and Student Affairs, as well as a Clinical Professor in the Department of Comprehensive Dentistry at UT Health San Antonio School of Dentistry.
As Associate Dean, Dr. Seitz oversees the broad academic curriculum and processes, working closely with Curriculum Committees and course directors to ensure excellence in dental education. She is also actively involved in faculty affairs, including promotion, tenure, and faculty appointments. Having previously served as Assistant Dean for Students, she remains dedicated to fostering student success through a supportive and engaging learning environment. Additionally, she enjoys working alongside faculty and students in the predoctoral clinic each week.
Dr. Seitz is a Fellow of the American College of Dentists and an active member of the American Dental Education Association.
Tracey Barnett, Ph.D.
Deborah Conway, M.D.
Sara Gill, Ph.D., RN, FAAN
David Henzi, Ed.D.
Cynthia O’Neal, Ph.D., RN
Bridgett Piernik-Yoder, Ph.D., OTR
Timothy Raabe, Ph.D.
Stefanie Seitz, D.D.S., B.S.