The Methodist University Cape Fear Valley Health School of Medicine has officially announced its senior leadership team.

In February 2023, MU President Stanley T. Wearden and Cape Fear Valley Health CEO Michael Nagowski announced a partnership with the intent to create a state-of-the-art medical school that would train the next generation of healthcare professionals in Fayetteville, southeastern North Carolina, or wherever they may serve. The program currently holds applicant status with the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME) and hopes to have its first class of M.D. students in 2026.

In May 2023, Dr. Hershey Bell was named the founding Dean for the College of Medicine and today (March 13), Methodist University and Cape Fear Valley Health officially announces four additional hires for the senior leadership team: Scott Bullard (Chief of Staff), Dr. Stephanie Mann (Senior Associate Dean of Academic Affairs), Dr. Kimberly Vess (Senior Associate Dean of Student Experience), and John Worth (Senior Associate Dean of Administration and Finance). 

“We are tremendously fortunate to have recruited senior, experienced leaders from around the country to participate at the highest levels in the medical school,” said Bell in a press release. “Coming from schools in Pennsylvania, Georgia, South Carolina, and North Carolina, our team brings decades of experience in health professions education, administration, and research. Over the next few months, the team will compile the documents necessary for review for the first major step in accreditation – preliminary accreditation by the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME).”

Methodist University and Cape Fear Valley Health officials have also made four additional hires within the School of Medicine (more information found here).

“We are thrilled to have attracted such accomplished leaders to our team as we move forward in building a medical school designed to be responsive to the communities in the region,” said Dr. Suzanne Blum Malley, MU’s provost in a press release. “This announcement is the most recent in what we foresee will be many to come, including the release of our new building renderings and, subsequently, a date for breaking ground on our new $60-million medical education facility.”

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Dr. Stephanie Mann (Senior Associate Dean for Academic Affairs)

Mann, M.D., MS HPEd, will serve as the Senior Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, overseeing the design, implementation, and continuous improvement of the four-year School of Medicine curriculum. Mann will also sure optimal preparation of graduates for residency placement, among other duties.

Mann brings 30 years of progressive educational leadership experience as a faculty educator, course director in foundational sciences and clinical obstetrics and gynecology clerkships, residency program director, and most recently associate dean for clinical education at the University of Toledo College of Medicine.

Mann earned her medical degree from George Washington University and master’s degree in Health Professions Education from the Massachusetts General Hospital Institute for Health Professions.

Dr. Kimberly Vess (Senior Associate Dean for Student Experience)

As Senior Associate Dean of Student Experience, Vess, Ed.D., will work collaboratively to direct recruitment and admission, financial aid and registrar function, academic and career advising, and other duties that ensure a rich and productive learning environment for students.

Vess served as a full professor in Psychiatry & Health Behavior at the Medical College of Georgia before working as the Principal Investigator of an $800,000 grant for Resilient Communities and Resilient Teens. Vess has also produced an abundance of scholarly activity, resulting in the publication of five textbooks, numerous chapters, and peer-reviewed publications.

Vess earned her bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Ball State University. She then earned a master’s degree in Counseling and doctoral degree in Counseling and Psychology from the University of Cincinnati.

John Worth (Senior Associate Dean for Administration and Finance)

Worth, MBA, will serve as the Senior Associate Dean of Administration and Finance, responsible for all areas of business and financial administration for the School of Medicine including finance, human resources, information technology, and physical plant operations.

Worth has more than 30 years of experience in senior leadership positions in medical school, academic health center, research institute, and physician practice administration.

Worth received a bachelor’s degree in Accounting from Saint Bonaventure University and a master’s degree in Business Administration/Health Administration from the State University of New York at Buffalo.

Scott Bullard (Chief of Staff)

As Chief of Staff, Bullard, M.B.A., will work collaboratively to hire, supervise, manage, and assign duties for all administrative support staff of the School of Medicine to ensure that all necessary tasks of the School are attended to, along with various other duties.

Bullard has worked in emergency services where he managed complex projects and cross functional teams in high performing government organizations for more than 30 years. He has lectured, taught, and conducted research since 1994 in incident command, leadership development, disaster management/recovery/resiliency, and geospatial data analytics.

Bullard earned his undergraduate degree in Biology and Geography from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and master’s degree in Business Administration with a Healthcare focus from East Carolina University.

To learn more about the Methodist University Cape Fear Valley Health School of Medicine, its senior leadership team, and the rest of its team, visit here.