Kelli Bullard Dunn appointed associate vice president for academic health affairs

The University of Louisville School of Medicine has appointed Kelli Bullard Dunn as associate vice president for academic health affairs effective August 15, 2026, expanding her current leadership role within the School of Medicine to encompass coordinating academic initiatives within the Health Science Center (HSC) and continuing to build meaningful partnerships that connect local and regional communities across Kentucky with health science education, research and service. 

“Community engagement is essential to how we educate future physicians, dentists, nurses, public health professionals and biomedical scientists, advance discovery and improve health,” said Jeffrey Bumpous, executive vice president for health affairs and dean of the School of Medicine. “Dr. Bullard Dunn brings a deep commitment to this work and a strong understanding of the relationships that make it possible. I’m grateful for her leadership and the progress she has already helped us achieve, and I look forward to the impact she will make in this expanded role as we continue growing our partnerships and expanding our reach for all of our HSC schools.” 

Bullard Dunn was appointed vice dean of community engagement in March 2015, leading the School of Medicine Office of Community Engagement. Since that time, she has spearheaded the integration of community engagement into all missions of the school and Health Sciences Center, from curriculum development and interprofessional education to community based participatory research and advocacy.  

Within the School of Medicine, Bullard Dunn recruits community preceptors and places medical students in rural communities for their required third-year clinical rotations, supporting students by creating a more well-rounded real-world experience in and outside the classroom. She also leads the federal and state funded Area Health Education Centers (AHEC), a project that promotes health career workforce development and directly engages more that 50,000 learners across the commonwealth annually.  

Bullard Dunn serves as principal investigator/program director for the Medical Student Education Training Program (MSETP), a federally funded initiative the promotes primary care education for medical students and provides $2 million in scholarships each year to those who have demonstrated a commitment to a career in primary care.  

Her work also extends into research and health policy. Bullard Dunn is a co-lead for the Community Engagement and Outreach Core of the Louisville Clinical and Translational Research Center that is increasing community partnerships in research. She also serves on several statewide and national committees that influence workforce development and health policy. 

Her expanded role will build on this foundation by further integrating these activities across all four health sciences schools and will promote interprofessional education, research and outreach.  

“I’m honored to take on this expanded role and I’m grateful for the colleagues, community partners and health professionals who make this work possible,” said Bullard Dunn. “Community engagement creates opportunities to learn from one another, respond to local needs and build stronger healthcare initiatives. It also strengthens our educational programs through experiential learning and improves community participation in research and discovery. I look forward to continuing to grow our partnerships and enhance our educational and research programs to ensure that our work as a Health Sciences Center reflects the priorities and experiences of the communities we serve.” 

As the Health Sciences Center and School of Medicine continue to advance their mission areas, Bullard Dunn’s expanded role will help strengthen the connections between these efforts and the communities they are intended to benefit and will continue to enhance and expand learning across our campus. The appointment recognizes the progress made through community engagement and its integration into the HSC mission while creating new opportunities to build on that foundation, supporting future physicians, scientists and healthcare professionals across the educational continuum to improve health across Kentucky.