Leadership
Meet our team
Julie Funk, Dean
Starting March 2019
Dean Funk's Background:
- Graduated from Michigan State University College of Veterinary Medicine in 1991
- Taught veterinary preventative medicine for six years at Ohio State University
- Served as Director of the online graduate program for food safety, setting the national model, and conducted research in pre-harvest food safety
- Served as Associate Dean for Academic Programs and Student Success at Michigan State University in the College of Veterinary Medicine
- Led the strategic reinvention of curriculum to strengthen the profession, initiated a clinical skills laboratory and established the first career services advisor position in the college's history
- Key initiatives as Associate Dean included implementation of holistic admissions processes for the CVM and innovative student wellness and engagement efforts
David G. Besselsen, Interim Dean
"I am excited to lead the University of Arizona into the future of veterinary medicine. Together we have an amazing opportunity to transform how we prepare the veterinarians of tomorrow."
Dean Besselsen’s Background:
- Graduated from the University of Missouri-Columbia veterinary school in 1988.
- AVMA board certified specialist in Laboratory Animal Medicine and Veterinary Pathology.
- Joined the University of Arizona in 1995 as Chief of Pathology Services for University Animal Care (UAC).
- Became University Attending Veterinarian and UAC Director in 2011.
- Holds additional appointments in the BIO5 Institute, Arizona Cancer Center, and School of Animal and Comparative Biomedical Sciences.
Sharon Dial, Associate Dean, Academic and Faculty Affairs
“The University of Arizona is in a unique position to have a major impact on the future of Veterinary Medical Education and Veterinary Medicine by the integration of a veterinary medical education into a highly enrich environment of nationally recognized programs in medicine, pharmacy, and public health; One Health realized.”
Dr. Dial's Background:
- Graduated from Colorado State University College of Veterinary Medicine in 1982.
- AVMA board certified in Veterinary Clinical (1990) and Anatomic Pathology (2002).
- Joined the Arizona Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory in 2000 as an Associate Research Scientist.
- Became the Director of the Arizona Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory in 2017.
- Faculty appointment in the School of Animal and Comparative biomedical Sciences.
James H. Maciulla, Assistant Dean for Clinical Relations and Outreach
"Our goal is for employers to be proud to hire a UA graduate with a DVM degree because they know they're going to be financially literate, they're going to be clinically competent and they're going to be positive forces within those practices from day one."
Dr. Maciulla's Background:
- Graduated from the University of Arizona with B.S. and M.S. degrees in animal science.
- Graduated from Colorado State University College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences in 2001.
- Comes to the University of Arizona after spending 17 years in private, mixed-animal practice.
- Received the AzVMA's 2018 Distinguished Service Award for his exceptional contributions to the veterinary community and profession.