Jayne M. Brandel, Ph.D., CCC-SLP, has been named Dean of the School of Health and Medical Sciences at Seton Hall University, effective July 1, 2026.
Brandel brings experience as a higher education administrator, clinician, and researcher with more than $1.8 million in grant funding over the past decade. “Seton Hall’s sterling reputation in the health and medical sciences speaks for itself,” Brandel said. “I am thrilled to lead the School at a time when the need for well-trained healthcare practitioners is growing. We will meet this need with graduates whose comprehensive knowledge and expansive training place them among the nation’s best.”
Before joining Seton Hall, Brandel served at West Virginia University since 2016 as inaugural Associate Dean of Academic and Faculty Affairs in the School of Medicine – Health Professions and Chair of the Division of Communication Sciences and Disorders. As associate dean, she established a General Curriculum Committee to review new and revised courses and program proposals while developing guidance to improve curricular change approval processes.
In her role as chair at West Virginia University, she led two accredited programs: Master of Science in Speech-Language Pathology (M.S. SLP) and Doctor of Audiology (AuD). She hired 14 faculty members, increased graduate student enrollment from 73 to 139 students, and redesigned undergraduate and graduate curriculums. As a researcher in speech-language pathology, she secured more than $1.8 million in grant funding since 2016 from the West Virginia Department of Education.
Prior to her tenure at West Virginia University, Brandel was chair of the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders at Fort Hays State University in Kansas. She earned her bachelor’s degree in Speech-Language Hearing as well as master’s and doctorate degrees in Speech-Language Pathology from the University of Kansas.
“The health sciences are constantly evolving to better meet the needs of patients,” said Erik Lillquist, J.D., Interim Provost and Executive Vice President at Seton Hall. “With Dean Brandel leading the School, I am confident our students will be exceptionally prepared to meet and exceed the demands of today’s fast-moving healthcare fields.” At Seton Hall, Brandel will work on ensuring high-quality healthcare training while identifying opportunities for program expansion, academic research initiatives, community partnerships, and interprofessional collaborations across campus departments or with external stakeholders.
