Janet Shaw, PhD, FACSM, will serve as interim chair of the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, following the end of a 16-year tenure for Michael Blomgren, PhD, CCC-SLP.
Blomgren steps down as chair at the end of July as a nationwide search wraps up for the department’s next full-time chair. He guided and advanced CSD to new heights during his long career as leader.
In the interim, Shaw will step in as chair. She’s no stranger to leadership roles, currently serving as the associate dean for faculty and academic affairs for the College of Health (COH). Shaw also served as interim chair and chair for the former Department of Exercise and Sports Science from 2014-2016.
After completing a PhD in human performance at Oregon State University, Shaw joined the COH as an assistant professor in 1996. She’s also been the co-executive director of PEAK Health and Fitness, the director of graduate studies and is currently professor in the Department of Health and Kinesiology.
As a faculty member, Shaw’s background demonstrates a balance of strong teaching, mentoring, research, and service before embarking on her current administrative position. As part of her administrative responsibilities, she serves as COH liaison to the University’s Office of Equal Opportunity, and represents the COH on several committees such as the Health Sciences Education Executive Council.
“It’s a wonderful honor to serve the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders as Interim Chair—I look forward to working with CSD faculty and staff to ensure a seamless transition to new leadership,” Shaw said. “In the meantime, I recognize the outstanding contributions of Dr. Michael Blomgren, who led the department for an amazing term of 16 years. As an esteemed scholar and thoughtful leader, he’s been a driving force for excellence in education, research, and clinical services in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology. On a personal note, Michael is also a friend and colleague who has been a kind and supportive presence in my professional development, for which I am grateful. Congratulations, Dr. Blomgren, on a remarkable term as leader of the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders!”
Blomgren began his career as a speech-language pathologist before joining the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders as assistant professor in 1999. In 2008, he assumed leadership of the department as associate chair, before becoming department chair in 2009.
As chair, Blomgren successfully led and managed two nationally recognized programs in speech-language pathology and audiology. This year, the audiology program was ranked 22nd and the speech language pathology program ranked 32nd in the nation by U.S. News & World Report.
He is also the executive director of the University of Utah Intensive Stuttering Clinic. A leader in the field of stuttering and speech production, he is a fellow of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, the association’s second-highest honor.
"It has been an honor to serve as the Chair of the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders for the past 16 years,” Blomgren said. “I was involved in the hiring of 32 of our 36 current faculty and staff and it was a privilege to assemble such an amazing team. I am incredibly proud of what we have achieved together as a department. Our faculty, staff, and students are truly exceptional. While I am stepping down from this role, I remain committed to supporting the department and the university in new and meaningful ways."
Blomgren will continue to serve in his roles as department professor and clinic executive director. The next full-time chair for the department will be announced in the upcoming months.