Led by two chairs, the Working Groups were each responsible for producing a report on their assigned topic.

The topics chosen for the working groups were areas that run through the life at the university, regardless of school or department. The topics can be found in the tabs below, and you are invited to explore the different working groups and their charges.

The recommendations were rooted in and flow from the five Guiding Principles.

These Guiding Principles were so important to the future growth of the university, that having one working group to address these topics was insufficient. Instead, these principles needed to infuse every aspect of our strategic plan for Washington University to move forward. This is why every working group was charged to fully investigate these topics within their assigned area.

This way, there was not one group looking at Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Access; there were nine. There was not one report on Community Impact; Community Impact wasaddressed in all nine reports. This approach let us examine these five attributes from a variety of viewpoints and ultimately allowed us to make deep and substantive growth across all areas.

Working Group membership

The working groups were comprised of WashU and local community members from a variety of backgrounds, roles, and areas of expertise, including:

  • WashU Faculty
  • WashU Staff
  • WashU Graduate Students
  • WashU Undergraduate Students
  • Local Community Members
  • Alumni
  • Trustees

New members were added to the working groups throughout the strategic planning process, as new issues arose and new perspectives required. This way, the working groups were responsive to the discovery and exploration process.

*Titles reflect status as of March 2021.


The Campus Wellness Working Group thought about how we can could a holistic and inclusive approach to mental health and wellbeing across the spectrum of education, research, and services, and across our campus populations.

Working Group Chairs

Brian Carpenter

Brian Carpenter

Professor of Psychological & Brain Sciences

Vetta Sanders-Thompson

Vetta Sanders-Thompson

E. Desmond Lee Professor of Racial and Ethnic Diversity; Associate Dean for Diversity, Inclusion and Equity


Working Group Members

Anthony Azama
John M. Schael Director of Athletics
Georgia Binnington
Associate Dean of Students, Sam Fox School
Tom Brounk
Director of Mental Health Services, Habif Health & Wellness Center
Lexy Courneya
Undergraduate student, Arts & Sciences; Student Union
Kirk Dougher
Associate Vice Chancellor for Student Support and Wellness
Emily Gerber
Undergraduate student, Arts & Sciences; First-Year Exec Board
Yoon Groves
Director of Academic and Student Affairs, Olin
Lara Jennings
International Student & Scholar Advisor
Mark Kamimura
Associate Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs
Chris Kroeger
Associate Dean, McKelvey School of Engineering
Cheri LeBlanc
Executive Director, Habif Heath & Wellness Center
Nicole Leers
Undergraduate Student, Arts & Sciences; Student Union
Bryan Lenz
Senior Associate Athletic Director
Kellie Mandry
Manager, Campus Life Facilities
Sheryl Mauricio
Interim Executive Director, Residential Life
Emily Page
Senior Manager of Employee Wellness, Human Resources
Katharine Pei
Director of First Year Center
Gabrielle Pfund
Graduate student, Psychology; Graduate Professional Council
Leila Sadat
James Carr Professor of International Criminal Law
Stacey Spruiel
HR & Payroll Supervisor, Biology
Chris Stone
Director of Disability Resources
Kim Webb
Director of the Relationship and Sexual Violence Prevention Center
Andy Wiegert
Student Affairs Manager, School of Medicine
Karen Winters
Associate Professor of Medicine; Director of Student and Occupational Health Services, School of Medicine
Abbey Widdick
Graduate student, School of Law

Digital Transformation is a space several schools prioritized in their strategic planning. This working group looked at WashU’s potential to develop an interdisciplinary network, build on emerging strengths, leverage regional opportunities, and unlock new potentials in research and innovation to further distinguish the university.

Working Group Chairs

Philip Payne

Philip Payne

Janet and Bernard Becker Professor and Director, Institute for Informatics

Yongs  Shin

Yongs Shin

Douglass C. North Distinguished Professor of Economics


Working Group Members

Chris Adkins
Director of Financial Reporting, School of Medicine
Chris Amelung
Assistant Vice Chancellor for Digital Strategy, Public Affairs
Catherine Betz
Sr Content Strategist, Medical Public Affairs
Ted Elsas
Senior Change Manager, MyDay
Anna Gavrilova
Undergraduate student, Olin
Harriett Green
Associate University Librarian
Roch Guerin
Harold B. and Adelaide G. Welge Professor of Computer Science and Engineering
Lynda Heaney
Vice Chancellor, Medical Advancement
Patricia Howard
Senior Analyst
Sean Joe
Benjamin Youngdahl Professor of Social Development
Katherine Krajcovic
Director, Project Management
Andrea Krussel
Director of Education and Workforce Development, Institute for Informatics
Josh Landman
Graduate student, Division for Computational and Data Sciences
Thomas Maddox
Professor of Medicine, Cardiovascular Division
Cynthia Marich
Executive Director, Office of Health Information and Data Science
Pat Matthews
Associate Dean, University College
Nichole Mercier
Assistant Vice Chancellor & Managing Director, Office of Technology Management
Melanie Micir
Associate Professor of English
Himadri Pakrasi
Freiberg Professor of Biology
Stephanie Reel
Interim Vice Chancellor and Chief Information Officer
Melanie Roewe
Associate Vice Chancellor of Research Development & Contracts
Durai Sundaramoorthi
Senior Lecturer in Management
Marcy Vana
Associate Director, Becker Medical Library

Working Group Chairs

T.R. Kidder

T.R. Kidder

Edward S. and Tedi Macias Professor of Anthropology

Rodrigo Reis

Rodrigo Reis

Associate Dean for Public Health


Working Group Members

Ziyad Al-Aly
Assistant Professor of Medicine
Ruopeng An
Assistant Professor, Brown School
David Fike
Professor of Earth and Planetary Sciences
Elizabeth Hubertz
Associate Professor of Practice, Director of the Interdisciplinary Environmental Clinic

Meghan Kirkwood
Assistant Professor of Art
Beth Martin
Teaching Professor of Environmental Studies
Jessica Martin
Sr Associate Dean and Chief of Staff, Olin Business School
Kim Medley
Director of Tyson Research Center
Alex Morales-Heil
Climate Change Program Coordinator
Kimberly Parker
Assistant Professor of Energy, Environmental & Chemical Engineering
Linda Samuels
Associate Professor in Urban Design, Architecture
Avni Solanki
Lecturer in Energy, Environmental & Chemical Engineering
Joe Steensma
Professor of Practice, Brown School
Phil Valko
Assistant Vice Chancellor for Sustainability
Jacaranda Van Rheenen
Manager of Operations, Institute for Public Health
David Webb
Lecturer in Environmental Studies

Working Group Chairs

Panos Kouvellis

Panos Kouvellis

Director of The Boeing Center for Supply Chain Innovation and Emerson Distinguished Professor of Operations and Manufacturing Management

Laurie Maffly-Kipp

Laurie Maffly-Kipp

Archer Alexander Distinguished Professor; Vice Provost for Graduate Education


Working Group Members

Jean Allman
J.H. Hexter Professor in the Humanities, Arts & Sciences
Scott Baker
William F. & Jessica L.Kirsch Professor of Law, School of Law
Laura Benoist
Associate Director, McDonnell International Scholars Academy
Danielle Bristow
Assistant Dean for Academic Affairs, Brown School
Andrew Butler
Chair and Associate Professor of Education, Associate Professor of Psychological & Brain Sciences, Arts & Sciences
Michelle Delair
Assistant Director of Career Development
Ram Dixit
Professor of Biology, Arts & Sciences
Bisiayo Fashemi
Graduate student in DBBS
Cathy Freesmeier
Associate Dean, SEAS Graduate Student Services, McKelvey School of Engineering
Aurora Kamimura
Lecturer, Department of Education; Fellow, Office of the Vice Provost for Faculty Affairs and Diversity
Heidi Kolk
Assistant Professor; Assistant Vice Provost for Assessment, Office of the Provost
Catherine Lang
Professor of Physical Therapy
Patrick Moreton
Professor of Practice in Strategy & Management, Olin Business School
Erin Murdock
Associate Dean for Student Life
Kelley Murphy
Assistant Professor of Architecture, Sam Fox School
Neal Patwari
Professor, McKelvey School of Engineering
Jessie Runiewiecz
Director of Enrollment Management and Student Services, Graduate School
Neil Schoenherr
Senior News Director, Law & Social Work, Office of Public Affairs
Brett Wick
Professor of Mathematics, Arts & Sciences
Angela Wilson
Associate Dean, Graduate School

Working Group Chairs

Jennifer Harpring

Jennifer Harpring

Assistant Dean of Field Education

Ohad Kadan

Ohad Kadan

H. Frederick Hagemann Jr Professor of Finance; Vice Dean for Education and Globalization


Working Group Members

William Acree
Associate Professor of Spanish; Associate Director, Center for the Study of Race, Ethnicity & Equity
Nicole Allen
Associate Dean, Sam Fox
Carla Bailey
Senior HR Manager for Learning & Development
Alan Beck
Research Manager, Prevention Research Center; Chair of the Danforth Staff Council
Nick Benassi
Senior Associate Dean of Strategy, Communications & External Relations, McKelvey School of Engineering
Tim Bono
Assistant Dean in the College of Arts & Sciences; Lecturer in Psychological & Brain Sciences
Kelli Delfosse
Director of Industry Relations and Career Engagement
Nataly Garzon
Graduate student, Olin Business School
Jennifer Gibbs
Executive Assistant to the Dean of Arts & Sciences
Trish Gomez
Associate Director, Operations, Center for Diversity and Inclusion
Callista Isabelle
Director for Religious, Spiritual, and Ethical Life, Center for Diversity & Inclusion
Theresa Kouo
Assistant Director for Civic Engagement and Education, Gephardt Institute
Jessica Roberts Martin
Senior Associate Dean and Chief of Staff, Olin Business School
Jen Meyer
Assistant Director of Career Development, Sam Fox School
Karen Novak
Senior Director of Administration & Finance, University College
Stacie Reardon
Assistant Director of Placement, Law School; Lecturer in Law
Miriam Silberman
Undergraduate student; Speaker CS40
Mark Smith
Associate Vice Chancellor of Student Affairs
Jacqueline Thomas
Associate Registrar, Law School
Kellie Thompson
Director, Kathryn M. Buder Center, Brown School
Joshua Walehwa
Director of Career Services, Brown School
Jennifer Whitten
Associate Dean and Director of Weston Career Center, Olin Business School

Working Group Chairs

Debra  Haire-Joshu

Debra Haire-Joshu

Joyce Wood Professor

Bill Powderly

Bill Powderly

J William Campbell Professor of Medicine


Working Group Members

Ross Brownson
Inaugural Steven H. and Susan U. Lipstein Distinguished Professor of Public Health
Randi Foraker
Associate Professor, Medicine
Daniel Giammar
Walter E. Browne Professor of Environmental Engineering
Amanda Gilbert
Graduate student, Brown School
Angela Hobson
Assistant Dean for Public Health; Senior Lecturer, Brown School
Darrell Hudson
Associate Professor of Public Health
Lora Iannotti
Associate Professor of Public Health
Shelly Johnston
Research Project Coordinator, Center for Diabetes Translation Research
Andrew Knight
Professor of Organizational Behavior
Steve Lawrence
Associate Professor of Medicine, Infectious Disease
Sarah Moreland-Russell
Assistant Professor of the Practice, Brown School
Mary Politi
Professor of Surgery
E.A. Quinn
Associate Professor of Anthropology
Will Ross
Professor of Medicine, Division of Nephrology
Deborah Salvo
Assistant Professor of Public Health
Kellie Thompson
Director of the Kathryn M. Buder Center for American Indian Studies
Hongxi Yin
I-CARES Associate Professor of Architecture

Working Group Chairs

Deanna Barch

Deanna Barch

Professor of Psychological & Brain Sciences

Jenny Lodge

Jenny Lodge

Vice Chancellor for Research


Working Group Members

Gregory Bowman
Associate Professor of Biochemistry & Molecular Biophysics
Leo Cabassa
Associate Professor of Social Work
Johnnie Cartright
Assistant Vice Chancellor for Research and Chief of Staff, Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research
Hong Chen
Assistant Professor of Biomedical Engineering
Heather Corcoran
Vice Provost; Interim Dean of University College; Halsey C. Ives Professor
Bettina Drake
Professor of Surgery
Elvin Geng
Professor of Medicine, Infectious Disease
Christina Gurnett
Professor of Neurology
Patti Hageman
Associate Director of Cordell Institute
Elizabeth Haswell
Professor of Biology
Tammy Hershey
Professor of Psychiatry
Tim Holy
Alan A. and Edith L. Wolff Professor of Neuroscience
Jonathan Kipnis
Alan A. and Edith L. Wolff Distinguished Professor, Immunobiology
Andrew Knight
Professor of Organizational Behavior
James Kolker
University Architect and Associate Vice Chancellor of Capital Projects & Records
Katharina Lodders
Research Professor in Earth and Planetary Sciences
Lerone Martin
Associate Professor of Religion and Politics
Paige McGinley
Associate Professor of Performing Arts
Jacob Montgomery
Associate Professor of Political Science
Nicole Moore
Sr. Director of Research Development, Vice Chancellor for Research
Kater Murch
Associate Professor of Physics
Dave Pagliarini
Professor of Cell Biology and Physiology
Gary Patti
Michale and Tana Powell Professor of Chemistry
E.A. Quinn
Associate Professor of Anthropology
Rachel Sachs
Associate Professor of Law
Lori Setton
Lucy and Stanley Lopata Distinguished Professor of Biomedical Engineering
Srikanth Singamaneni
Lilyan & E. Lisle Hughes Professor, McKelvey School of Engineering
Fred Ssewamala
William E. Gordon Distinguished Professor, Brown School
Christina Stallings
Associate Professor of Molecular Microbiology
Lindsay Stark
Associate Professor of Public Health & Social Work
Bill Tolman
William Greenleaf Eliot Professor of Chemistry
Jian Wang
Professor of Energy, Environmental, and Chemical Engineering
Lan Yang
Edwin H. & Florence G. Skinner Professor, McKelvey School of Engineering
Will Yeoh
Associate Professor of Computer Science and Engineering
Hongxi Yin
I-CARES Associate Professor of Architecture

Working Group Chairs

Nicole Hudson

Nicole Hudson

Assistant Vice Chancellor

Hank Webber

Hank Webber

Executive Vice Chancellor for Civic Affairs and Strategic Planning


Working Group Members

Eva Aagaard
Senior Associate Dean of Education, Medical School; C & J Loeb Prof of Medical Education
Monica Allen
Vice Chancellor and General Counsel
Peter Boumgarden
Koch Family Professor of Practice in Family Enterprise
Sheretta Butler Barnes
Associate Professor of Social Work
Mary Campbell
Associate Vice Chancellor for Real Estate
Bill Carson
U.S. Bank, Vice President & Business Development Officer
Heather Corcoran
Vice Provost and Interim Dean of University College; Halsey C. Ives Professor
Rosalind Early
Features Editor, Public Affairs
Jason Hall
Chief Executive Officer, Greater St. Louis, Inc.
Mackenzie Hines-Wilson
Undergraduate student, Arts & Sciences
John Inazu
Sally D. Danforth Distinguished Professor of Law
Bethany Johnson-Javois
Chief Executive Officer, St. Louis Integrated Health Network
John Kemper
CEO of Commerce
Jane Kojima
Director of Communications, Facilities Planning and Management
Pam Lokken
Vice Chancellor of Government & Community Relations
Alicia McDonnell
Trustee
Brian Phillips
Assistant Vice Chancellor for Washington University Medical Center
Jason Purnell
Vice President, Community Health Improvement at BJC Healthcare; Associate Professor, Brown School
Ignacio Sanchez Prado
Jarvis Thurston and Mona Van Duyn Professor in the Humanities
Sophie Scott
Undergraduate student, Arts & Sciences
Kurt Summers
Gephardt National Council member
Lauren Todd
Subject & Instruction Librarian, Engineering
Ronné Turner
Vice Provost of Admissions & Financial Aid
Adia Harvey Wingfield
Mary Tileston Hemenway Professor of Arts & Sciences
Heather Woofter
Director, College of Architecture and Graduate School of Architecture & Urban Design; Sam and Marilyn Fox Professor

Working Group Chairs

Jen Smith

Jen Smith

Vice Provost for Educational Initiatives

Jay Turner

Jay Turner

James McKelvey Professor of Engineering Education; Vice Dean for Education


Working Group Members

ShiNung Ching
Associate Professor of Electrical and Systems Engineering
Nina Crosby Walton
Undergraduate student, Sam Fox
John Hendrix
Professor of Art
Harvey Fields Jr.
OSS/ Associate Dean for Student Success
Tom Keeline
Associate Professor of Classics
Mitch Kundel
Lecturer in Biology
Paige LaRose
Assistant Dean; Director of Undergraduate Programs for Olin Business School
Rob Morgan
Director of the Beyond Boundaries Program; Teaching Professor of Performing Arts
Cassie Power
Associate Director for Faculty and Academic Engagement,  Gephardt Institute for Civic/Community Engagement
Michelle Purdy
Associate Professor of Education
Bill Siever
Teaching Professor, Computer Science and Engineering
Ronné Turner
Vice Provost of Admissions and Financial Aid
Michael Wysession
Executive Director, Center for Teaching and Learning; Professor of Earth and Planetary Sciences
Mark Jareczek
Undergraduate student, Arts & Sciences