Provost Teresa Abi-Nader Dahlberg announced last week that Chris Watts is the next dean of Harris College of Nursing & Health Sciences.

Chris Watts

Watts joined TCU in 2008 as the director of the Miller Speech & Hearing Clinic and during his tenure has served in several leadership roles of increasing responsibility, including his most recent roles as the assistant dean for Strategic Initiatives at Harris College and director of the Davies School of Communication Sciences & Disorders.

His research, clinical and teaching interests center on laryngeal function in voice and swallowing, and he has published extensively in peer-reviewed journals and been active on both the national and international symposium circuits. Chris earned both his undergraduate degree and Ph.D. from the University of South Alabama, plus certification and licensure from the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association and Texas Board of Examiners for Speech-Language Pathology, respectively. He is a longtime member of the ASHA, Texas Speech-Language-Hearing Association and International Association of Logopedics & Phoniatrics.

As dean of Harris College, Watts’ primary responsibilities will involve articulating a vision and strategic plan for enhancing academic programs and curriculum; serving as the leading advocate for faculty, staff and students; directing fiscal management and growing research initiatives.

Watts will begin his new role June 1.