Dr. Janet Simon named interim dean of College of Health Sciences and Professions

Dr. Janet Simon has been named interim dean of the College of Health Sciences and Professions, effective June 1, 2026.

Dr. John McCarthy has served as dean of the College of Health Sciences and Professions since 2021. He will move into the role of interim executive vice president and provost on June 1, following Don Leo’s announcement that he would stop down to assume the role of president of the University of Alabama in Huntsville.

Simon has served as associate dean for research for the College of Health Sciences and Professions since 2024 and serves as an associate professor. In addition, Simon is a principal investigator for the Ohio Musculoskeletal and Neurological Institute.

“Dr. Janet Simon is a respected leader who has excelled in every role she has had at Ohio University, and I am very pleased that she will now be serving as the interim dean,” McCarthy said. “As an Ohio University alumnus, Dr. Simon knows the incredible impact that the College of Health Sciences and Professions has on our students and the region, and she will continue to help the college move forward.”

Simon, who first joined Ohio University in 2016, has published more than 100 peer-reviewed articles in various sports medicine and orthopedic journals and has been invited to speak at several national and international conferences. She is also a co-investigator on several National Institutes of Health and Department of Defense grants totaling over $10 million.

In addition, Simon has received numerous awards for her teaching and research, including the Great Lakes Athletic Trainers Association Outstanding Educator Award in 2023, the College of Health Sciences and Professions Faculty Research Award in 2023, and the Anita Aldrich Distinguished Alumni Award from Indiana University’s School of Public Health. Simon is also active on numerous boards and organizations, including the Board of Directors of the International MDT Research Foundation, the National Athletic Trainers Association Research Committee, and as associate editor roles for several leading sports medicine journals.

Simon earned her Ph.D. from Indiana University in 2014, a Master of Science in Applied Statistics from Indiana University in 2014, a Master of Science – Athletic Training from Ohio University in 2010, and a Bachelor of Science – Athletic Training from Southern Connecticut State University in 2008.

“Ohio University and the College of Health Sciences and Professions have profoundly shaped my professional journey, and I am deeply honored to serve as interim dean during this important time. Having worked closely with Dr. John McCarthy during my time as associate dean for research, I am grateful for his leadership and the strong foundation he has helped build for CHSP,” Simon said. “I look forward to working alongside our outstanding faculty, staff, students, alumni and partners to build on that momentum, strengthen innovation and continue expanding the college’s impact across Ohio and beyond.”