Georgia Southern names Christine Arcari dean of Jiann-Ping Hsu College of Public Health
Georgia Southern University has named Christine M. Arcari, Ph.D., MPH, dean of the Jiann-Ping Hsu College of Public Health, effective January 1, 2027.
Arcari joins Georgia Southern from Tulane University, where she serves as senior associate dean for academic affairs and professor of epidemiology in the Celia Scott Weatherhead School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine. She brings more than two decades of experience in public health education, research and academic leadership, with a longstanding commitment to improving health outcomes in underserved communities.
As dean, Arcari will lead the college’s academic and research initiatives, support student and faculty success, strengthen interdisciplinary and community partnerships, and advance its contributions to Georgia Southern’s growing research enterprise.
“Dr. Arcari brings an exceptional combination of academic leadership, innovative thinking and a deep commitment to public health education to the Dean’s role at the Jiann-Ping Hsu College of Public Health,” said Avinandan “Avi” Mukherjee, Ph.D., provost and executive vice president for Academic Affairs. “Her experience strengthening academic programs, supporting faculty excellence and building collaborative partnerships aligns with our vision for the Jiann-Ping Hsu College of Public Health, which is a highly distinctive and nationally recognized academic enterprise. I am confident her leadership will expand the college’s impact through transformative education, applied research and meaningful community engagement, particularly in the rural and underserved communities we are committed to serving.”
At Tulane, Arcari partners with the dean and executive leadership team of the school to shape strategic priorities, guide organizational change and advance institutional decision-making. Her responsibilities span academic strategy, research and scholarship support, program development, faculty advancement, enrollment planning and institutional effectiveness.
Among her accomplishments, Arcari led the development of a schoolwide online education strategy, guided the comprehensive redesign of master’s and doctoral programs, and chaired a task force to expand undergraduate academic pathways. She also strengthened institutional assessment and accreditation efforts, advanced faculty development initiatives and helped align academic programs and resources with strategic priorities.
Prior to joining Tulane in 2021, Arcari served as associate dean for academic and student affairs at the University of Nebraska Medical Center College of Public Health. She previously held academic leadership positions at the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, where she contributed to the development of public health education and interdisciplinary academic programs.
Beyond her institutional leadership, Arcari has played an active role in shaping public health education nationally. She serves as president of the Association for Prevention Teaching and Research and is a past chair of the American Public Health Association’s Epidemiology Section. She has also contributed to national initiatives through the Association of Schools and Programs of Public Health focused on the future of public health education.
Her contributions to public health education and epidemiology have earned national recognition, including the 2026 Teaching Excellence Award from the Association of Schools and Programs of Public Health, the 2025 Abraham Lilienfeld Award from the American Public Health Association and the 2017 F. Marian Bishop Educator of the Year Award from the Association for Prevention Teaching and Research.
“What attracted me to Georgia Southern was the opportunity to lead the Jiann-Ping Hsu College of Public Health and build on its strong foundation in education, research and community engagement,” Arcari said. “I’m particularly drawn to the college’s commitment to improving health in rural and underserved communities. I see tremendous potential to strengthen connections among education, research and community partnerships, create new opportunities for our students, faculty and staff, and expand the college’s reach and impact. I’m excited to get to know the people who make this college special and work together to shape its next chapter.”
Arcari earned a doctorate in epidemiology from the Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, a Master of Public Health in community and family health from the University of South Florida, and a bachelor’s degree from Case Western Reserve University.
Georgia Southern’s Jiann-Ping Hsu College of Public Health is accredited by the Council on Education for Public Health and offers undergraduate, master’s and doctoral programs designed to prepare public health professionals, advance research and address pressing population health challenges. Established as the first school of public health in the University System of Georgia, the college has a longstanding commitment to improving health outcomes and reducing disparities, particularly among rural and underserved populations.