Dawn Brown

Dawn Brown has been selected as the new Head of School at City Garden School in Columbia. Brown has more than twenty-five years in education, working as a teacher and education consultant. She has also been integral in bringing Girls on the Run to Mid-Missouri and has served on various boards in the community. She takes over the position from Jordan Johnson, who served in the role for the past two years. 

Brown moved to Columbia in 2000 to work as a reading consortium director with the Heart of Missouri Regional Professional Development Center and most recently taught at Columbia Independent School. She holds a degree in elementary education from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, a master’s degree in curriculum and instruction from the University of Missouri-Columbia, and most recently earned an education specialist degree from Northwest Missouri State University. 

Kari Utterback

Kari Utterback succeeds Steve Hollis as the city’s human services manager. Utterback brings to the role many years of experience and a passion for public health and human services. As a longtime member of the Division of Human Services team, she began her new role on June 10. Hollis is staying on to facilitate the transition until his retirement on August 14. 

University of Missouri 

Kara Whatley has been appointed as vice provost for libraries and university librarian, effective October 1. She is the university librarian at California Institute of Technology (Caltech) and the chief executive of the Caltech Library system. Whatley’s previous roles include positions of increasing leadership at Texas Tech University Libraries and New York University Libraries.   

She is a member of the Association of College Research Libraries (ACRL). Jeannette Pierce, associate university librarian for research, access, and instructional services, will serve as interim vice provost for libraries and university librarian until Whatley arrives.  

Marisa Chrysochoou has been named dean of the MU College of Engineering. The appointment is effective August 1. 

Chrysochoou is currently professor and head of the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the University of Connecticut, where she also serves as the director of the Technical Assistance for Brownfields Program. She has been an elected member of the American Society of Civil Engineers Department Heads Coordinating Council since 2021. Chrysochoou received her bachelor’s degree in physics from Aristotle University in Thessaloniki; a master’s degree in environmental engineering from Technische Universität Dresden; and a doctorate in environmental engineering from Stevens Institute of Technology.

Srinand “Sri” Sreevatsan has been appointed as dean of the MU College of Veterinary Medicine following a national search. 

Sreevatsan, who begins August 1, is currently the associate dean for research and graduate studies in the College of Veterinary Medicine at Michigan State University. He previously spent seven years as the director of graduate studies for the veterinary medicine program at the University of Minnesota.  

Sreevatsan received his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in veterinary medicine at the University of Agricultural Sciences, Bangalore. He holds a master’s degree in public health (epidemiology) and a doctorate in veterinary medicine from the University of Minnesota. CBT