Dean Kelly A. Tappenden Named Fellow of the American Gastroenterological Association
- Kelly A. Tappenden, Ph.D., RD, dean of the University of Utah College of Health, named an American Gastroenterological Association Fellow
- AGAF distinction recognizes exceptional achievement and contributions to the field of gastroenterology
- AGA is the nation’s oldest and most prestigious medical society dedicated to advancing GI science and patient care
Kelly A. Tappenden, Ph.D., RD, dean of the College of Health at the University of Utah, has been named a Fellow of the American Gastroenterological Association (AGAF), one of the most respected honors in the gastrointestinal health community. The AGA is the nation’s oldest and most prestigious medical society dedicated to disorders of the gastrointestinal tract, advancing research, education, and high‑quality patient care.
Selection as an AGA Fellow is highly competitive and reserved for clinicians, scientists, and educators who have demonstrated sustained excellence and leadership in gastroenterology. AGAF status signifies an individual’s commitment to advancing GI science and opens doors to greater professional connection, recognition, and impact throughout the global gastroenterology community.
About Dean Kelly A. Tappenden
Kelly A. Tappenden, Ph.D., RD, was appointed dean of the College of Health at the University of Utah on July 1, 2023. She joined the U from the University of Illinois Chicago, where she served as professor and head of the Department of Kinesiology and Nutrition, as well as interim head of the Department of Occupational Therapy.
A nationally and internationally recognized leader, Tappenden is a past president of the American Society for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition and was the organization’s inaugural fellow in 2012. She has also served on the boards of the American Gastroenterological Association and the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology.
As an award‑winning researcher, Tappenden focuses on intestinal failure, mechanisms of intestinal adaptation, and patient malnutrition. She has published more than 100 peer‑reviewed papers and delivered numerous invited lectures. Her commitment to education has earned her the University of Illinois Distinguished Teacher‑Scholar Award, the American Society for Nutrition Excellence in Nutrition Education Award, and the American Gastroenterological Association Research Mentor Award.
As dean, Tappenden provides strategic and operational leadership to one of the largest colleges at the University of Utah—supporting education, research, clinical initiatives, faculty development, student success, and community engagement. She collaborates closely with university and health system leadership to advance the College of Health’s mission and strengthen its national prominence.
Tappenden earned her Ph.D. in nutrition and metabolism from the University of Alberta and completed a post‑doctoral fellowship in the Department of Integrative Biology, Physiology & Pharmacology at the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston. Before joining UIC, she served as a provost fellow and endowed professor in the Division of Nutritional Sciences at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.