University of Vermont Provost and Senior Vice President Patricia Prelock has announced the appointment of Jane Okech, Ph.D., as vice provost for faculty affairs effective July 1, 2022.

“Dr. Okech brings a depth and breadth of relevant experience to this key role, which has responsibility for all matters related to recruitment, professional development, evaluation, promotion, retention, recognition, and elevation of all UVM faculty,” said Prelock. “I look forward to working with Dr. Okech as a member of UVM’s academic leadership team as she works to support a community of deeply dedicated teacher-scholars who are central to our commitment to academic excellence.”

Okech is currently associate dean for academic and faculty affairs and professor of counselor education in UVM’s College of Education and Social Services (CESS).

“I am delighted to have the opportunity to serve the UVM community in this position and to help advance our collective strategic goals for the institution. With 18 years’ experience at UVM, I understand our dynamic culture; the evolution of the faculty role, workload, and opportunities; and how these intersect with the critical role of the collective bargaining agreement,” said Okech. “I have insight into the institution’s diversity, equity and inclusion commitment, and the professional development and rank progression needs for our faculty. I look forward to collaborating with my colleagues and UVM’s academic leadership team in advancing faculty roles, responsibilities and impact at UVM and beyond.”

Okech joined the faculty in 2003, has taught over 70 courses using multiple modalities and has held several leadership positions. She has served as coordinator of the Clinical Mental Health Counseling Program, as Counseling Program coordinator, as interim associate dean for academic affairs and research, and as chair of the Department of Leadership and Developmental Sciences.

Okech led programs through successful accreditation reviews; coordinated departmental enrollment management efforts; collaborated on innovative interdisciplinary grant proposals; led the adoption of TK20, CESS’s college-wide assessment system; led the college’s faculty professional development and rank progression programming; and has taken a lead role in implementing the college’s DEI plan. Colleagues praise her ability to manage challenging situations and to support the success of faculty with different research and teaching profiles.

In addition to her roles as teacher and administrator, Okech is an active scholar of the advancement of proficiencies in the practice of group psychotherapy and clinical supervision with diverse populations. She examines counseling micro skill and advanced skill acquisition processes, and their contributions to the development of complex relational dynamics that advance the efficacy of the therapeutic process in individual and group contexts. She is the co-author of two recent books, Counselor Education in the 21st Century: Issues and Experiences (2018) and Group Work in Schools: Preparing, Leading, Responding (2020).

Her work has received professional accolades, including the 2017 Article of the Year Award by the Association for Specialists in Group Work and the 2019 Counselor Education and Supervision Publication of the Year Award by the Association for Counselor Educators and Supervisors. 

Okech will succeed Jim Vigoreaux, who, after seven years of distinguished service, announced his intent to leave the vice provost for faculty affairs position last fall and will return to his faculty position in the Department of Biology.