Faculty Affairs Fellows
The Faculty Affairs Fellows at the University of Arizona are exceptional educators and leaders selected to drive strategic academic initiatives across campus. Supported by the Office of Faculty Affairs, these fellows dedicate a portion of their workload to institutional leadership, focusing on critical pillars such as career advancement pathways, inclusive research practices, and student success. Specialized cohorts design targeted programming to help peers navigate promotions, foster community-engaged scholarship, and thrive across their career lifespans. Ultimately, the fellowship program serves as a vital bridge between individual faculty growth and university-wide goals, empowering scholars to cultivate a highly collaborative and transparent campus environment.
Faculty Affairs Fellows
Sustainability Faculty Affairs Fellow: Christopher J. Edwards, PharmD, BCPS, BCEMP, FASHP, John A. and Frances P. Ware Associate Professor of Clinical Pharmacy, Clinical Associate Professor, Department of Pharmacy Practice and Science, College of Pharmacy
Christopher Edwards, PharmD, BCPS, BCEMP, FASHP, is a clinical associate professor and Director of Emergency Clinical Pharmacotherapy at the University of Arizona with over 15 years of experience as a clinical pharmacy specialist. He maintains a practice at Banner University Medical Center Tucson and serves as an editor for several textbooks and the Journal of Acute Care Pharmacotherapy. Dr. Edwards served as the inaugural chair for the Board of Pharmacy Specialist's Council on Emergency Medicine and holds leadership roles within various professional societies. His career is marked by numerous awards for teaching, leadership, and his extensive contributions to emergency medicine pharmacy.
SPFI Faculty Affairs Fellow: David O. Garcia, PhD, FACSM, Associate Professor, Health Promotion Sciences, Mel & Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health (MEZCOPH)
Dr. Garcia is an Associate Professor in the Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health at the University of Arizona (UA). Dr. Garcia has designed and implemented trials as a lead investigator focused on reducing obesity-related health disparities. More recently, he has focused on examining the prevalence of metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) and associated risk factors in Arizona communities. He has secured multiple grants to support his research agenda, including funding from the NIH and the American Cancer Society. He is the Director and Founder of “Nosotros Comprometidos a Su Salud-Committed to Your Health”, a program developed to foster community-engaged research collaborations, service, and education to advance health equity in Southern Arizona. This community-based effort promotes regular access to health communications and information, and opportunities to participate in lifestyle interventions tailored for Mexican-origin and Indigenous communities. The outreach and mentoring efforts of the Nosotros team have grounded his work in trust and community relevance. Over 6,000 participants have participated in his research studies in the areas of obesity and cancer prevention. Within Nosotros, Dr. Garcia has provided students with numerous opportunities to engage in various stages of research, including over 100 students who previously had not trained in lifestyle and health. He also contributes to the mentorship of postdoctoral fellows and junior faculty members at the UA. As a SPFI faculty hire in 2015, Dr. Garcia is excited to contribute his experiences as a Faculty Affairs Fellow to support the identification of SPFI faculty who will enhance the University’s Purpose, Mission and Values and advance student success.
Honorifics Faculty Affairs Fellow: Amelia (Amy) Kraehe, PhD, Vice Dean of Arizona Arts and Professor of Art and Visual Culture Education, College of Fine Arts
Dr. Amelia (Amy) Kraehe is an accomplished leader and researcher in the arts, culture, and education with 25 years of experience in universities, public schools, and museums. She has been a part of the College of Fine Arts since 2018 and currently serves as Vice Dean at Arizona Arts. A boundary-spanning scholar, Kraehe's writings, podcasts, public lectures, and workshops illuminate how sociocultural, economic, and political contexts influence the development of professional identities and capacity within arts, cultural, and educational institutions. She has published four books, and her work appears in the top research journals in her field. She has received numerous grants and professional honors, including the prestigious Manuel Barkan Memorial Award from the National Art Education Association (NAEA), membership to the NAEA Distinguished Fellows, and the Women of Impact Award from the University of Arizona in recognition of her effectiveness in driving discovery, interdisciplinary collaboration, community outcomes, and the empowerment of others.
Academic Freedom Faculty Affairs Fellow: Susan E. Swanberg, M.A., M.S., J.D., Ph.D., Associate Professor, School of Journalism, College of Social and Behavioral Sciences
Susan E. Swanberg, M.A., M.S., J.D., Ph.D., Fellow of the Linnean Society of London is an Associate Professor of Journalism at the University of Arizona School of Journalism where she has taught news reporting, science and environmental journalism, and media law. Her scientific research is still cited regularly, and her current research focuses on the history of science and science journalism. Her goal as an interdisciplinary scholar of science journalism is to reveal and report a more complete account of the feats and foibles of science, scientists, and science journalism.