TTUHSC Names New Dean for the Julia Jones Matthews School of Population and Public Health

Gerard E. Carrino, Ph.D., MPH, has been named dean of the Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center (TTUHSC) Julia Jones Matthews School of Population and Public Health, the university announced on Nov. 18.

Carrino, who currently serves as head of the Department of Health Policy & Management at Texas A&M University School of Public Health, has more than 20 years of executive experience at world renowned public health organizations and vital experience in academia.

TTUHSC President Lori Rice-Spearman, Ph.D., said Carrino offers a combination of professional and academic skills necessary to build and lead TTUHSC’s newest school.

“We are fortunate to have Dr. Carrino joining our team,” Rice-Spearman said. “Our goal for this school is to train future health care leaders in a sector of health care that, because of COVID, has been elevated in public awareness and prominence. Dr. Carrino brings a wealth of experience and expertise to share in this field of health care. He also has a great commitment and philosophy to learning and working that reflects our TTUHSC values-based culture.”

Carrino earned his Bachelor of Science from the University of Akron in 1989. He received his Master of Public Health from Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health in 1991 and Doctor of Philosophy in 2005 from the Columbia University Graduate School of Arts and Sciences with his focus on economics and public health.

During his six years at TAMU School of Public Health, Carrino led the school’s interprofessional education efforts, oversaw the successful accreditation of its health administration program, and helped to build sustainable degree programs at TAMU’s McAllen, Texas, site.

“We are delighted to have Dr. Carrino join the TTUHSC team as the dean of our newest school, the Julia Jones Matthews School of Population and Public Health,” TTUHSC Provost and Chief Academic Officer Darrin D’Agostino, D.O., said. “His real-world experience working with population and public health issues will translate into new curriculum, opportunities, and community engagement that will help transform health care in our communities in need. His perspective, proven track record, and work has translated into learning opportunities for his students and will now complement the incredible work our schools bring to West Texas.”

Among Carrino’s past professional experiences are: senior vice president for the March of Dimes Foundation where he developed and led global forum of more than 9,000 scientists, government officials and health professionals; assistant vice president for administrative planning and project management for Columbia University Medical Center; Island Peer Review Organization director of data analysis where he assured quality-of-care for HIV/AIDS patients in New York State; New York Academy of Medicine senior program officer for the Division of Health and Science Policy; and New York State Council on Graduate Medical Education project liaison.

“I am delighted to be joining Provost D’Agostino, President Rice-Spearman and the whole Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center team,” Carrino said. “I look forward to working with faculty, staff and students – and the entire TTUHSC and Abilene community – to ensure that the Julia Jones Matthews School of Population and Public Health remains a positive force for health in West Texas.”

Carrino has served on numerous national committees concerned with healthy births, the health care workforce and interprofessional education and collaboration. His research focuses on interprofessional education, maternal and child health and the nonprofit form in health care.

The Julia Jones Matthews School of Population and Public Health, which is the sixth at the university, aims to train future health care leaders in population and public health – a sector of health care that has been elevated in public awareness and prominence by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Julia Jones Matthews School of Population and Public Health, which resides on the TTUHSC Abilene, Texas, campus, offers students and researchers a collaborative educational experience, emphasizing research and use of large data sets to understand needs in health care delivery.

Carrino begins his new position as dean Feb. 1, 2023.